Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-21
Senate in Mood to Send This
Through Soon.
OTHERS COME FROM COMMITTEES
Leaders Will Bring Them Out at
Early Date.
DIVISION ON COMMERCE COURT
Creation VIII Probably ne Throws
Into COnference--NSIthd wal of
Lands, Statehood and
IniunctIons.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2O-The announce
ment from the White House that Presi
dent Taft had by his own motion cut
down to four the number Of administration
measures he would demand at the present
session OF congress is received by repub-
lican leaders with unmXed feelings of re-
lief The administration program was so
formidable that members warmly support
ing the Taft policies hardly knew whero
to begin.
schedule, including only the bills to
amend the interstate commerce laws, pro
vide for the regulation of the Issuance
of injunctloHs, start Arizona and New
Mexico on the road to statehood and vail
date the Withdrawals of public lands for
conservation purposes, is regarded as quito
possible of attainment. Most OF thesn
measures, 1t is believed can be put through
the senate while the house is stlll wrest
ling with appropriation bills.
When 1t was reported at the capitol yes
terday that the president would be salts
fled with the enactment of the four meas
ures named, steps were taken to brinG
all Of these matters out of committees az
the earliest possible date The postal say
ings bank bill already is before the senatu
and an agreement between the supporter'
of conflicting amendments is assured H.
is regarded as practically certain that thu
bin can be passed during the coming week
Bill for Commerce Court.
Hearings have been called by the senate
committee on Interstate commerce on thu
hill to create a commerce court and
strengthen the existing laws for the regu,
lation of common carrier corporations The
committee viii meet tomorrow and at thar
time an effort will be made to report thu
bill at once. There is some prospect thar
this may be done.
Although the senate could not be ready
to take up the railroad bill until late III
the week, it IS being argued by member,
of the committee that the bill should bn
( reported so as TO nave It printed and glvn
senator's few b study its provisions
before 1t is put on its passage. AS sool
as the postal savings bank bill is out OF
the way, the railroad bill will be made
the order of business and probably will bn
held before the senate constantly until
passed, except for the limited time thai
must be given to the consideration Of ap.
preparation bills.
No decision has been reached in tho
house committee on Interstate commerce.
on the proposition TO eliminate from tho
administration bill the provision for thu
creation Of a court Of commerce Even
| If this is DONE It is practically certain
that the court feature viii be retained
by the senate and the question of estab
! fishing a new tribunal to try cases ap
pealed from decisions Of the Interstatn
Commerce commission would thus bn
! thrown into conference.
Withdrawal of Lands.
! The one conservation bill that President
/ fTNrg a..
which gives the president the unrestricted
power to withdraw public lands from set,
tlement and place them in reserves that
will continue in force until restored by
him or by congress to the portion of tho
public domain that shall be open to settle
ment. In the meantime an effort will bo
made by a special committee Of western,
senator's to perfect other conservation
measures so that they will be ready for
consideration at the next session.
Hearings are now In progress on tho
statehood bin, but 1t Is unlikely that tho
measure will be brought out of the senate
committee on territories until the postal
savings bank and railroad bills are out OF
the way.
The fourth measure to be pressed for
passage is that relating to the issuance of
injunctions Several bills on this subject
udN6 DteH DTcpdFeug Out Lney nave not
been considered by committees. That in.
troduced in the house by Representative
Moon of Pennsylvania has been endorsed
by the president as meeting his views, and
there are others that are thought would
prove satisfactory to the president Tho
senate committee on judiciary will consider
the question tomorrow.
Ship subsidy legislation is unpopular in
so many sections OF the country that somo
members are distinctly relieved at the pros
pect that the Humphrey bill, reported from
the house committee on merchant marine
and fisheries, may not be taken up at this
session.
No More for Rivers.
There is feeling in the senate committee
on commerce that the rivers and harbors
bill as passed by the house carries about
as heavy appropriations now as can be
hoped for at this session. IT is freely
charged that the house "gobbled up about
all of the pie" available for present dis.
tribution, and in consequence much dlssat
isfaction is heard. Some members Of tho
commerce committee went so far as 20
argue that the whole bill should be killed
in committee, but they were overruled
The policy OF the senate committee wiz
be to scale down the house appropriation,
wherever possible and make room for pei
projects favored by senators without
greatly swelling the aggregate sum to be
carried by the bill Inevitably this will lead
to long and bitter controversy in confer
ence and the rivers and harbors bill prob.
ably viii be one Of the last measures to bs
adjusted.
Tariff revision democrats and insurgent
republicans appear 10 be not at all sats-
fled with the complexion OF the special SEN
ate committee appointed TO inquire into
the high cost OF the necessities OF life All
OF the republican members are regarded
as stand-patters except Senator Crawford
Senators Simmons and Clarke CArk) arc
the two democratic members who have ac-
cepted appointment, and there is one va
cancy because Of Senator Chamberlain's
refusal to serve.
1t has been announced, that the food