Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-08-26
CONGRESSADJOURNS
NET RESULTS OF THIS EXTRA
SPECIAL SESSION WERE
NOT VERY MANY.
Convened on April 4th; Adjourned
Tuesday - Reciprocity Bill Taft's
Extra Session Reason. Passed-Tariff
Revision Statehood Campaign
Publicity and An Enlarged House

shington.-Congress has adjourn
ed, and the most strenuous session of
recent years has passed into history.
The net results of the extra session,
in comparison with the ambitious pro-
gram adopted at the outset, were not
large.
Canadian reciprocity was brought as
near reality as the executive and legis-
lative departments could advance it,,
statehood was assured for New Mexico
and Arizona, campaign publicity legis
lation was enacted in form satisfac-
tory to its most earnest advocates, pro
vision was made for an enlarged house
of representatives based on the 1910
census, and few other measures of
minor Importance was passed.
Democratic Plans Fail.
A democratic house, the first since
1895, attempted to make into laws the
views of democrats on tariff revision,
but executive disapproval rendered fu-
tile all their efforts.
When the special session convened
on April 4, the house was organized
by thte democratic ways and means
committee, and this body made the
committee assignments The new sys-
tenn eliminated what was known for
many years as the czardom of the
speaker. The committee also directed
the deliberation of the democratic eau
Gus and framed the legislative program
of the session.
The program adopted and put through
in its essentials by the houe included
action on Canadian reciprocity, a
farmer free-lit bill, reduction of du-
ties ON the wool and cotton schedules,
an increase in the membership of the
house from 391 to 433, a constitutional
amendment looking to the election of
United States senators by direct vote
of the people, a revision of the cam
paign publicity law and statehood for
New Mexico and Arizona. All these
measures passed the house, but only a
few will reach the statute books.
Tariff Bills Vetoed.
Two tariff bills, one materially re.
ducing the duties on wool and wooden
goods Of all classes, and the other plac
ing on the free list articles of machin
cry and tools used by farmers and
amended to include may other items
were vetoed by President Taft.
A cotton revision bill which carries
as an amendmentan iron and stee
schedule met a similar fate. 1t was
concurred in by the house, however.
The house, under the leadership OF
Representative Underwood of Alabama
chairman Of the ways and means com
mittee, and Speaker Clark, endeavored
TO pass the wool and free list bills over
che veto, but the necessary two-thirds
vote could not be mustered. Failure OF
these attempts was a strong factor in
determining leaders to close the session
Trust Investigations without number
were instituted in the course of the
session and some, notably those bear.
ing on monopolies in steel and sugar
were prosecuted with vigor. They still
are in progress. Conservative legis-
iation TO bear on federal regulation of
corporations is regarded as certain to
come from these inquiries and plans
already have been instituted to revise
che antitrust laws.
Arbitration Treaties.
General arbitration treaties with
Great Britain and France were sent to
che senate by President Taft, but they
received a frigid welcome, because the
upper house commended that on pro-
vision of the treaties usurps the SEN
ate's constitutional prerogatives.
Presentation of the treaties strained
hitherto cordial relations between the
foreign relations committee and the
state department, and President Taft
made it plain that an issue has been
raised which he will carry TO the coun-
cry.
Friction in the department of agri-
culture over the enforcement of the
pure food law was revealed by an in
vestigation and the national issue was
raised over whether the activities Of
Or. Harvey W. Wiley, the govern
ment s pure food expert, had been
made ineffective.
The resolution relating to popular
NAcCtiou VI ocudiOIb was dHcuQcu DY
the senate and sent to conference, from
which it cannot emerge this session.
The statehood bill was vetoed by
President Taft because the Arizona
constitution provided for recall of the
Judiciary, but a subsequent resolution
eliminating the recall feature was pass
ed later by both houses.
Champ Clark Satisfied.
Washington.-Champ Clark, speaker
of the house of representatives, in a re-
view of the work Of the first session of
the Sixty-second congress, declared
that the democratic party set a good
example TO democrats everywhere and
that the party had redeemed every
promise it made in the campaign of
1910.
The adjournment was featureless, de-
fbo 80 IoI