East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-12-05

Washington, D. c., Dec 5.-The
second regular session Of the sixty
first congress convened at noon to-
day while a snowstorm gripped the
capital city. There was only a small
attendance when the speakers gavel
fell in the house, and Vice President
Sherman called a small senate to or
der. Only the most perfunctory rou-
tine of business was attended to by
either house before a committee was
named to wait upon the president and
advise him the session had begun. AS
usual Washington society packed the
galleries. After the blind chaplain,
Rev. Couden, made the opening pray
er, Speaker Cannon ordered a roll
call. In the senate Reverend Pierce,
chaplain, prayed before the roll call.
Both the house and senate passed res
olutions to the memory of those men,
bers who died between the sessions.
Many Bills to Pass.
Three months will be spent in pass
ing a few more of the $4,000 bills in
troduced in the two preceding ses-
sions. There will be much maneuv-
ering for party advantage and sew
eral presidential booms will be ad-
vanced, as occasion permits. AS the
session will mark the loss of control
of the house by republicans, the lat
ter are expected to crowd through
bills in which they have special in
terest and to be energetic in efforts
to get liberal appropriations for home
projects.
Two new questions that will test
the fighting qualities of the legisla-
ture concern the establishment of a
central bank and the apportionment
of the country's population among
nresentatives In congress.
Aldrich and Central Bank.
Senator Aldrich, (republlcan, R ~
chairman of the national monetary
commission, composed of members
and ex-members of congress, Is the
leader in the central bank movement.
He holds that the supreme remedy
for the cure of the ills of the coun-
try's currency system is a central
bank, such as is at the head of the
financial world in England and in
France. A bank of that kind in the
United States would control the issue
of currency and have other important
powers.
In official circles here and in the
Wall street district the report is per-
sistent that Aldrich will try to drive
a bill embodying his idea through he
present congress. He is credited with
the opinion that, with republicans in
control, the present congress offers a
chance, perhaps only a desperate one,
for the passage Of the bill. With the
democrats holding the next house. the
chance would be slight II there be any
at all.
Objection to the bill which will be
pressed to the limit. will have the
backing of scores of senators and
representatives. Their contention is
that conditions in this country are so
different from those in Europe that
the English and French schemes
would be impracticable.
A more serious protest is based on
the claim that the adoption of the
central bank plan would throw COM
plete control of the business of the
country into the hands OF few men
in Wall street. 1t is suggested, too,
that those men in the operation of
great trusts. financial institutions and
railroads, have toiled not for the
benefit of the people, but at their
expense. The appearance of the
Aldrich bill would be the signal for
one of the greatest struggles in the
history OF congress.
New Apportionment.
Apportionment is a matter of poll
tics. 1t can be used to have an i'm
portant contention. In some cases II
touches state pride and of course.
that impels senator's and representa-
times from those states to reach for
their war paint
In the natural course Of events the
number of representatives for the
next ten years, based on the new CEN
sus, would be decided by congress at
the present session. Action would be
preceded by computations by the
shrewdest party strategists to deter
mine what number OF people per con-
gresham would produce the largest
proportion of republicans. Nobody
knows better than the democrats the
advantage of this apportioning privil-
ege and they are relied upon to do
everything in their power to block
action until the next congress. A