The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-03-31


Washington. Members of what is
known as the steering committee of
the senate practically have agreed
uron what legislation shall be put on
its passage in the upper house at the
present session Naturally Mr.. Aid
rich, being the leader of the Repub-
lcan majority Is the chief member
Of the steering committee. and as
most of the other members are. in
sympathy with the Rhode Islanders
views. 1t goes without saying that the
committee itself comes pretty close to
being all-powerful
President Taft has been informed
OF the committees desires in the mat
ter of legislation and it Is said by
those who are close to him that he is
not altogether satisfied At a recent
meeting of the committee only two
measures were discussed In detail, al
though sanction was given to one or
two other measures which will be
taken up for committee study some
what later.
It has been said the chances are
that the senate leaders would make
concessions to the Progressive Re-
publicans on the bill providing for
amendments to the interstate COM
merce act 1t Is now practically as
sured that some of these concessions
will be made in the hope that they
will be sufficient to make the insur-
gents yield and to Join the regulars
in putting the bill through with some
thing like unanimity. AS is pretty
well known President Taft seems to
think that in harmonious party action
on the chief administration measures
lies the principal hope of Republican
victory at the polls next November.
The Democrats in the senate believe
that the concessions which Mr. Aid
rich Is making and will make later to
the Republicans who are led by Sena-
tors Cummins and Clapp will not be
sufficient to make the middle and far
westerhers come into the harmony
camp. Harmony was secured on the
postal savings bank bill, but now 1t Is
being intimated that the senate lead
ers expect the house to make such
changes in that bill as will nullify the
effects of the yielding of the leaders
In the upper house.
Accused Of Playing Politics.
In other words, the Democrats are
saying that the Republican leaders in
the senate gave way In some matters
civ ,t,1r IN l. H..
ranks, believing fully that the house
would take care that the concessions
made in the senate would not be ap-
parent when the bill finally becomes
law
1t will be remembered that Senators
Cummins and Clapp. in their minority
report on the interstate commerce
bill, took exception to the provision
which puts into the hands of the at
torney generals force the government
defense of all actions taken on appeal
to the interstate commerce court The
senators in opposition to this provi-
sion say that the attorneys for the
shippers and also law officers working
under the interstate commerce COM
mission ought to represent the gov
eminent before the court, because
they are we'll informed as to all the
details Of the commerce cases from
the time of their inception. 1t is un.
derstood that the leaders will yield
in this matter to the insurgent de-
sires.
Seeking Public Opinion.
Representative William b. McKin.
ley of Illinois, chairman of the Repub-
lican congressional committee, is get
ting first hand information of politi-
cal conditions throughout the coun.
try Some time prior to Mr.. Nc
Kinley's departure from Washing
ton. Representative James T. Lloyd of
Missouri. chairman of the Democratic
congressional committee, went all
through the middle west trying to find
out what he could about the political
sentiment
Before he left Washington some
few days ago Mr.. Mckinley had long
conference with President Taft OF
course no one was allowed to know
just what the president said to the Re-
puullCdH congressman
chairman. but there are hints that the
president again declared 1t would be
bad policy to make any discrimina-
tons as between Republicans who
are trying to secure reelection to the
lower house. Once on a time, II is
said with Mr.. McKinley's sanction.
letters were sent out by the Republi-
can congressional committee which In
tone and temper we're not to the
liking of the so-called insurgent Re-
publicans. This kind of letter wri-
ting has been stopped, for the presl-
dent would not sanction 1t. and now
the material that goes out is what may
be called straight Republican" doc.
trine.
Concerning New Tariff Bill.
or course II will be necessary, or at
least so the ruling powers in the Re
publican party declare. to defend the
Payne-Aldrlch tariff bill on the stump
during the coming congressional cam.