New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-25
THEDAyIN WA SHINGTON
From The Tribune Bureau.


From The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, April -.
THINKING OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
to Senator Gallinger, chairman OF the COM
nittee on Committees, the Senate is actual
J., thinking Of doing some work In the near
future. The fourth week OF this session
began to-day The House already has 70
its credit the passage of tho Canadian reel
proci,y bill by large sjority. the pass
ing Of the direct election of Senators
amendment, and the passage of the Demo-
cratic campaign contribution bill. Consld-
GRAFTON OF the Farmers Free List bill "ss
begun IN the House to-day. The House, ~
Is true, faces some knotty problems In con-
nection with rs proposed action on the
wool schedule but at least IL is making
valiant effort to accomplish something. The
Senate Is still held up by little group OF
nsurgent Republicans who have Under
taken 10 overthrow the time honored SEN
ate customs with regard TO the distribution
Of committee places, only 10 go down to
defeat due quite rs much 10 overweening
ambition and jealousy within their own
small ranks as from the opposition OF the
regular Senators. There is hope. however
that the Senate will soon get to work. III
ic actually thinking of working, according
70 Senator Gallinger. who practically prom
Used that the committee slate would be
completed by Thursday, 10 which day the
Senate adjourned.
INSURGENTS sPLIT.-The Republican
committee on committees will meet to-
la &c
Of assigning committee places among both
regular and insurgent Senators. The Dem
ocratic committee on committees has fin
shed its work, and there is good reason
TO hope that this necessary organization
will he completed on Thursday, or AT least
this week. No details OF the conflict have
yet come from the members 81 the com
niittee on committees, but il IS known that
Senator La Toilette has quarrelled with
his whilom solid phIlanx' of twelve in
surgents, that Senator Cummins will not
get a place on the Finance Committee,
that the less radical insurgents are dis
gusted with the La Follette-Bourne lead
ership and have refused to follow II long
er, and that there are the makings Of
pretty squabble between the members OF
"Bourne's Salvation Army" II is the old
story of sefshness and personal ambition
developed to the nth degree proving wholly
incapable of leadership and speedily be-
coming disgusting to those who are called
upon 10 follow It.
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.--The Ca
madam reciprocity BILL passed by the
House. was received in the Senate and re-
ferred TO the Committee on Finance 10.
day. This committee is not yet organized
and predictions regarding its course must
therefore be moro or less speculative, but
there is reason 10 look for an early report
on this bill. That such report will be
made without recommendation, as was
6One in the last session. is quite possible
A prolonged fight on the floor OF the SEN
ate is certain, and it is a question if any,
thing can be gained by fighting IT out in
the committee, only 10 have the contest all
gone over again on the floor. As has been
told, the reciprocity agreement has many
friends IN the Senate. Almost two-thirds
or the Senate Is for the bill. but nearly
two-thirds Of the Senate would like to kill
it by kindness and would rejoice over its
demise. always provided they could not be
held responsible therefor. To insist that
the agreement Is an admirable proposition
and only needs a few amendments to make
II practically perfect-such amendments
carefully devised 70 accomplish its ulti-
mate defeat--will be the popular method
OF supporting the proposition in the Sen
ate. and what the outcome will be no wise
man will attempt to predict at this time.
That II will pass if II can be brought
squarely before the Senate on straight
vote is perfectly safe assertion. But
can II?
! DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY.-The Demo-
Gratis. who have talked so loudly of econ
omy and who have performed so little.
made another exhibition Of themselves in
the House to-day when they sought to In
crease The patronage at their disposal by
creating nine new clerkships. each TO pay
IS day, thus adding SIC @ Gay to tho
already heavy burden or the country's
FINANCES imposed by Congress. Fortunate
~ The proposition was defeated. tempo
rarily at least, but as IT was merely sent
back TO the Committee on Accounts for fur
Their action 1t will doubtless come UP again.
when an attempt Will be made to pvt IL
through in some slightly amended form
and with less publicity. incidentally, more
over, the Democrats defeated the proposi-
ton OF one of their own number to decrease
the mileage allowance OF members OF Con-
eress This was accomplished by making
point Of order, which the Speaker sus.
tanned. or course, economy is hardly 10
be expected from members Of the House
but the opposition 10 their committee clerks
came with especially bad grace from those
who have made such blatant proclsmations