Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-02-17
Men in Charge Of Important Bills
Summoned for Conference.
SENATE COMMITTEES SLOW
Chairmen Tell President They Cannot
Get Members to Meet.
MAY SEND SPECIAL MES
Unless Informal Conferences PrOdO
Decided Results Chief Executive 1
May Take Drastic Meas
ures Himself.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The slow
progress being made by congress in dispos-
ing of the important measures which the
president has specially urged upon It's at
tention is causing him extreme dissatlsfac-
ton and he is taking measures to let that
fact be known, Today he was called upon
at the White House, presumably at his
own request, by several legislators in
charge of the various measures and the
necessity for prompt action, at least upon
some of tho minor matters of legislation,
was strongly urged by him.
Among these was Senator Beveridge,
chairman OF the committee on territories,
who is looking after the Alaska territorial
BILL Senator Carter, who is fathering the
pastal savings bank bill; Senator Borah,
who has distinguished himself by his active
opposition to some of the features Of the
latter measure and Representative Hayes
ranked as an insurgent whose aid might
be helpful In securing united action by the
republican majority in the house upon
campaign platform pledges.
II is believed the president desires that
such measures as the Arizona and New
Mexico statehood bill, the Alaskan terri
torlal bill and others of comparatively
minor Importance be acted upon at once
in order to clear the way for some of the
a larger subjects, at least those likely to
Vgive rise to prolonged discussion and con-
troversy.
Senator Beveridge is said TO have re-
ported that he found difficulty in getting
his committee together to dispose OF busi-
ness, and a similar complaint comes from
other quarters.
The president will continue his personal
Investigations with the various leaders in
the senate and house and II this course
does not tG6i to promote speedy action
in congress on the measures referred to,
it is possible that he may feel called upon
TO send a special message to congress,
placing the responsibility where it belongs.
Garfield on BnIlinSer Bills.
A hearing To-Day was. given by the full
committee OH public lands to former Sec
retary Of the Interior James r. Garfield,
lie discussed chiefly the bill relating to the
development OF water power through the
, leasing of the public land adjacent to the
Awater
As n general principle he approved the
proposition of Secretary Balinger, but sug-
gested a number of changes which con-
vlncsd the committee that attention must
be given to the questions involved.
Mr. Garfield Is OF the opinion that the
water power should be developed by CO.
operation of the federal and state govern
ments. He endorsed the suggestion of
leasing the public lands adjacent to water
sites to concerns which will undertake to
develop power under conditions that will
prevent monopoly. He suggested that %
per cent of the proceeds from rentals
should be paid by the national government
to the states in which the power is de-
veloped.
why not 75 per cent?" asked Senator
Smoot.
Mr.. Garfield said that he had named 2F
per cent, as that was the amount the
states received from proceeds of forest re-
serve rentals.
Mr.. Smoot called attention to the fact
that 1t was costly to administer forest re-
serves, while II cost little to lease lands
for water power development Mr. Gar
field then said he thought the states
should receive 70 per cent Of the rentals