The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-29
Only a Few Administration Bills Seem Likely to Sur-
 vive the Committees
RAILROAD BILL MOVES
 ALONG VERY RAPIDLY
Rivers and Harbors Hill Has Made Fine Progress But Taft May Veto II on Account of the Failure of
 Ills Pct Measures
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEY

Washington, April 2s.-(S3ecial. )-There is no denying that the crisis has been reached in the progress of President Taft's legislative programme through Congress. At the present time there is no certainty that any bills excepting the railroad bill, the bill for the publicity of campaign contributions and one of the conservation measures will be enacted at this session It is taken for granted that these will soon be on the statute books. AS for the rest of the programme 1t is near the rocks With nearly all of the large appropriation bills out of the way the deck is cleared for action in both branches. The time for promises is past and the time for action has ar rived.
 The railroad bill is progressing rapidly in both House and Senate. It will prob ably be passed by the House within a week, and by the Senate within two weeks. There will be trouble over it in conference, but an agreement satisfac- tory to the President is anticipated. It is true that the proposed court of commerce has narrowly escaped elimination in the House thus far. Another effort will be made to kill this feature; but it looks now as if it will be retained with but one dis senting vote
 The campaign publicity bill passed the House and 1t is expected to go through the Senate just as easily in d day or so. But these two measures do not comprise the entire programme.
 That Mr. Taft realizes the importance of the moment has been shown by the fact that he called the republican members of the House from Ohio to the White House last Sunday night and urged them to do everything in their power to keep things moving
 The rivers and harbors bill carrying more than S5000O,000, of which nearly every congressional district got slice. met with no delay in either branch of Congress. It was roundly applauded as it went through the House on greased ways. Mir Taft, however is not so en- thusiastic as members of Congress over this measure. He Is seriously consid- ering whether he ought to veto it or not. He is not likely to sign it until he finds out what is going to be the fate of important legislative measures which he has recommended. There is a general belief among members that the bill will be approved.
 The House has passed the Arizona and New Mexico separate statehood bill. but the committee on territories of the Sem ate has reported a substitute which is sure to precipitate fight in conference The postal savings bank bill passed by the Senate is in a dangerous position in the House Its only hope is said to lie in a republican caucus
 One of the five conservation measures has been passed by the House. It au- thorizes the President to withdraw public lsnds from entry. and legaizes the with drawals made by President Roosevelt. The Senate has not yet passed this measure. The question as to whether or not there will be any anti-injunctior legislation still remains unanswered
 
 The conduct of the House of Represen- tatives these days is understood to be very disappointing to Speaker Cannon and his immediate adherents. This dis appointment arises from the fact that the House is demonstrating pretty clearly that 1t can transact important legislative business such as consideration of the railroad bill, with reasonable celerity and intelligence without the aid of the gar rules which, in the old machine-rdden days were almost invariable accompani- ments of every bill of consequence brought in for discussion
 The railroad bill is the most important piece of construction legislation that has come up this session. Had 1t not been for the events of March l9 when Uncle Joe and his machine were overturned, the measure would unquestionably have been brought In under a rule shutting out amendments and limiting debate and would have been put through in precisely the shape the machine leaders deter mined on before the debate began.
 But under the new dispensation no gag rule accompanied the bill there was no bar on amendments. and no limit on debate. Yet the general debate was not unreasonably long, and when the House took up the measure in tho committee of the whole for discussion and amend- ment, under the five minute rule, there was rapid and intelligent action.
 It is true that several amendments adopted by combination of democrats and insurgent republicans are distaste- fll to the machine. and to the Taft ad- ministration. no doubf. The manner in which the House handled this big piece of legislation demonstrates the fallacy of the contention of the speaker. and his iieutenants, that the body Is so largo and unwieldly that business could not be done without interminable delay if the device of the gag rule were not resorted to.