The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-02-21
TAFT TO DEMAND
ONLY FOUR BILLS
Cuts Down Number of Admins
tratiOn Measures to Be
Passed
Presidents Action SimpIifies
Matters and Senators
Become Active

nouncement from the White House that
| President Taft had, by his own motion.
cut down to four the number of adj
ministration measures he would de-
mand at the present session of con
gress is received by republican leaders
! with unmiXed feelings Of relief. The
administration program was so formi-
dable that members warmly supporting
the Taft policies hardly knew where
! to begin.
schedule including only the bills
/ To amend the interstate commerce
laws, TO regulate the issuance of in
functions, TO start Arizona and New
| Mexico on the road to statehood and
/ TO validate the Withdrawals of public
| lands for conservation purposes is re-
! garded as quite possible of attainment.
Most of these measures. it is believed,
can be put through the senate while
/ the house is wrestling with appropria-
ton bills.
POSTAL SAVINGS BANK BILL
When it was reported at the capitol
yesterday that the president would be
Satlsned with the enactment of the four
measures named steps were taken to
bring all these matters out of com
mlttee at the earliest possible moment
! The postal savings bank bill already is
before the senate and an agreement
between supporters of conflicting
amendments is assured 1t is regarded
as practically certain that the bill can
| be passed this week
Hearings have been closed by the
senate committee on interstate COM
merce on the bill to create a commerce
court and to strengthen existing laws
| for the regulation of common carriers
| The committee will meet tomorrow.
n of rr-fl l.
the bill. There is some prospect that
this may be done
As soon as the postal savings bank
bill is out of the way the railroad bill
will be made the order of business. and
probably Will be before the senate con-
stantly until passed. except for the
limited time that must be given to APP
preparation bills.
ONE CONSERVATION BILL
The one conservation bill that Presi-
dent Taft is determined shall be passed
is that which gives to the president I'M
restricted power to withdraw public
lands from settlement and place them
in reserves. In the meantime an effort
will be made by a special committee of
western senators to perfect other con-
servation measures SO that they will be
ready for consideration at the next
session.
The fourth measure to be pressed for
passage is that relating to the issu-
ance of ,injunctions. Several bills on
this subject have been prepared. but
they have not been considered in com
mittee. That introduced in the house
by Representative Moon of Pennsyl-
vania has been indorsed by the presi-
dent, and there are others that are
thought would prove satisfactory to
him. The senate committee on judi
ciary will consider the question to-
morrow.
SHIP SUBSIDY UNPOPULAR
Ship subsidy legislation is unpopular
in so many sections of the country
that some members are distinctly re-
lieved at the prospect that the Humph-
rey bill, reported from the house COM
mittee on merchant marine and fisher
les may not be taken up at this ses-
sion.
There is feeling in the senate com
mittee on commerce that the rivers and
harbors bill as passed by the house
carried about as heavy appropriations
now as can be hoped for at this ses-
sion. 1t is freely charged that the
house "gobbles up about all' available
for the present for distribution, and as
a consequence much dissatisfaction is
expressed. Some members of the COM
merce committee went SO far to argue
that the whole bill should be killed in
committee but they were overruled.
The policy of the senate committee
will be 20 scale down the house ap-
propriations wherever possible and
make room for pet projects favored by
senators without greatly swelling the
aggregate sum to be carried by the
bill Inevitably this will lead to bitter
controversy in conference and the
rivers and harbors bill probably will be
one of the last measures to be adjusted.
Democrats and insurgent republicans
appear not at>all to be satisfied with
the complexion of the special commit
tee of the senate to inquire into the
high cost of the necessities of life.
All the republican members are re-
garded as standpatters, except Senator
Crawford. Senators Simmons and Clark
of Arkansas are the democratic mem
bers who have accepted appointment.
and there is one vacancy because of
Senator Chamberlain's refusal to serve.
INQUIRY NEARING END
Persons VINO have been following
carefully the investigation of the Bal
linger- Pinchot controversy think the
end is in sight. Proceedings do not
seem to indicate that former Forester
Pinchot will play an important part In
the investigation. He has outlined the
story he wants to tell, and the impress
sion is that it will not bear heavily on
the question of whether Secretary Bal
Iinger has been guilty of irregularities
or improprieties.
Appropriation bills in the house have
progressed satisfactorily. according to
the opinion of the leaders. OF Is bills
10 have been reported from committee.
have been passed by the house and
5 by both the house and the senate,
and these have been sent to conference.
The Indian bill and the postoffice bill
probably will be passed by the house
this week.
There Is to be much general debate
on the postofiice bill, with many politi-
cal speeches by members of both par
ties Partisan fireworks held in>re-
serve for several weeks. are ready to
be set off.