The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-21
THIS CONGRESS HAS BEEN VEHICLE FOR DEMOCRATIC VIEWS The Results of an Ambitious Programme Were Not
 Large
TAFT'S VETOES MADE
 FUTILE ALL EFFORTS
With Failure to Overthrow Presi- dents Veto Messages Leaders Determine On Adjournment.
 Brief Review of Session

tomorrow and the most strenuous session of recent years will pass into political nis- tory. The net results of the session. in comparison with the ambitious pro- eramme adopted at the outset, were not large.
 Canadian reciprocity was brought as near reality as the executive and legisla- tive departments would advance it, state hood was assured for New Mexico and ArizoI a; campaign publicity legislation was enacted in a form satisfactory to Us most earnest advocates; provision was made for an enlarged House of Repse- sentatives based upon the last census, and a few other measures of minor inl- portance were passed.
 A democratic House, the first since 1905, seized upon this session as vehicle to convey to the country the views of de- mocracy on the subject of tariff revision, but executive disapproval rendered futile all efforts to impress these views upon the statute books.
 Two tariff bills. one materially reducing the existing duties on wool and woole., goods of all classes and the other placing on the free list articles of machinery and tools used by farmers and amended to include many other items. were vetoed by President Taft. He based his disappro9al upon the grounds that the bills had no. been scientifically prepared and that tariff revision should wait until reports on the different schedules has been made by the tariff board A cotton revision bill awaits a similar fate The House, under the leadership of Representative Under wood of Alabama, chairman of the ways and means committee, and Speaker Clark, endeavored to pass the bills over the veto. but the necessary two-thirds vote could not be mustered.
 Failure to overthrow President Tafts veto messages was strong factor in determining the leaders to bring the ex- tra session to g. close and it is not likely Congress will be in session to receite like message relating to the cotton re- vision measure
 Trust investigations, almost without number, were instituted during the ses- sion and some of them, notably those bearing upon monoplies in the steel and sugar industries, were prosecuted with vigor and still are in progress.
 
 eral regulation of corporations is regarded as certain to come as result of the Inquiries and plans already instituted to revise the antitrust laws.
 Charges were revived that Senator LOT liner was elected by the Illinois legis- lature through the medium of bribery, and a second investigation by the Senate was got well under way. A Senate in quiry into the election of Senator stephen son of Wisconsin was ordered.
 General arbitration treaties with Great Britain and France were sent to the Sen ate by President Taft, but they received frigid welcome because the upper house contended that one provision of the treat les usurped its constitutional preroga- tives. Presentation of the treaties strained s hitherto cordial relations between the for eign relations committee and the state department and as result President Taft has made It plain that an issue has been raised which he will carry to the coun- try with the hope of procuring ratification when Congress reconvenss.
 Friction in the department of agri- culture over the enforcement of the pure food laws has ben aided by one of many investigations originating in the democratic House, and country wide issue is raised over the qestion of whether the activities of pr. Harvey w Wiley, the governments pure food expert, have been made ineffective
 Proceedings in the House under cau- GUS rule led by Mir Underwood, pre- cipitated sharp controversy between MT. Underwood and William J. Bryan Mr. Bryan was aroused because of fail- ure of the House caucus to include in its tariff programme at the outset the revision of the iron and steel sched- ule. He attacked Mr. Underwood on this ground. but the latter was given on overwhelming vote of confidence when the matter was made an issue on the floor of the House.
 During the controversy the ways and means committee was at work on an iron and steel revision plan but 1t re- mained for the Senate to act upon the schedule. With the acquiescence of iron and steel schedule. upon the cot ton bill. It vii be concurred in by the House tomorrow regardless of the death it Is certain to meet when it reaches the White House. v 4S t
 Legislative decks in both houses have f been cleared except for disposition of the cotton tariff revision bill and the bill to terminate the national monetary commission.
 When the special session convened April { the House was organized by the demo- cratic ways and means committee, and this body made the committee dssi8H- ments. The new system eliminated what wes known for many years as the czar- dom of the speaker The committee also directed the deliberations of the demo- cratic caucus and framed the Legislative programme of the session. .t The programme adopted. and rigidly ad- hered to by the House until the closing weeks of the session, included action on Canadian reciprocity. a farmers free list Ill, reduction of duties on the wool and cotton schedules, increasing the member 2 ship of the House from 391 to 433. provid jna for a constitutional amendment look ing to the election of United States sen- ators by direct vote of the people, a re- vision of the campaign publicity law and statehood for New Mexico and Arizona.
 While the House was successful in car- rying out it's plans, few of the measures wil. reach the statute books The resolr- ton relating to popular election of sen ators was amended by the. Senate and was sent to conference. from which 1t cannot emerge this session. The state hnot bill was vetoed by President Taft o4eause the Arizona constitution ratified the recall of the Judiciary, but . sub-reso-
 
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