Fair play., 1911-06-24
Congressional Notes

| backed by other Democrats. has
served notice that after waiting a
reasonable" time for the committee TO
| act, motions will be made to have 1t
discharged from bills referred to it,
such as the free list bill and the wool
bill. which will go to it as soon as it
| goes over from the house. These
would force discussion on these
measures 10 the front and disposition
Of them in that way might be made,
but not without prolonged discussion.
The senate passed the resolution
proposing a constitutional amendment
for the direct election OF senators. The
vote was Ga to -, more than the re-
quired two-thirds. But the Bristow
amendment, which retains federal con
troll over the time, places and man
ner" of holding the elections in the
various states, was added TO the reso-
| luton. On this vote the senate di-
vided evenly-44 to 4i-and Vice
President Sherman cast the deciding
vote which resulted in the adoption of
the Bristow amendment.
Until now the first session of the
Sixty-second congress has received g.
G73 senate bills, G3 senate resolutions,
| 5 senate concurrent resolutions and
33 joint resolutions. The house rec
ord is 11,369 bills, ia joint resolu-
tians, 1917 resolutions and concurrent
resolutions. The senators and repre-
sentatives have used nearly 1000
pages of the Congressional Record to
put their thoughts before the people,
and the record is growing in volume
every day.
With a view of insuring the widest
publicity of all the expenditures of
candidates for congress, the senate
committee on privileges and elections
will complete amendments to the
house bill on this subject, which will
vastly broaden the proposed law. An
individual accounting by both candi-
dates for the senate and house will
be required An effort will be made
TO amend the law applying to corrupt
practices to extend its scope.
Speaker Clark and other house lead
ers have approved plan proposed by
Representative Frank f. Doremus of
Detroit, which seeks to establish a
public utilities commission in the Dis
trict of Columbia that also shall he a
bureau of information for the entire
United States upon matters pertain
ing to the regulation of quasi-public
corporations in municipalities.
The senate passed the Bourne reso-
luton authorizing an investigation, of
the postal system of the United States
and to determine what changes are
necessary in the present methods. The
investigation Is to be made by the
senate committee with especial atten-
ton TO the possible establishment of
of a parcels post.
An attempt to extend the legislative
program of the Democratic majority
of the house at this extra session of
congress failed completely at a eau
Gus of the Democratic representatives.
The result is a re-enforced determina-
tion OF the DEMOCRATS to confine their
legislative efforts at this session to
the tariff
Urging a favorable report on his bill
to condemn and purchase The express
companies and add them to the pos
tai system, Representative David j.
Lewis of Maryland, before the house
committee on post offices and post
roads, declared the companies are u
hindrance and an obstacle to bust
ness.
AS the result of lively colloquial
debate in the senate, Republican SEN
ators agreed that the addition of Sen
ator Roots amendment relating TO
wood pulp and print paper was abso-
lutely necessary TO carry out the
terms OF the original agreement be-
tween the United States and Canada,
A bill amending the Sherman anti.
trust law so 3s to exclude from its eff
feet all labor organizations, agricul-
tural associations and fraternal socie-
ties formed for mutual benefit was re-
introduced by Representative Martin
Of Colorado and referred to the COM
mittee on the judiciary.
Defense of the American Woolen
company, resolution for the invosti-
cation of which is pending, was made
In the house by Representative Weeks
of Massachusetts. who said the com
pany could not be considered a trust
under any definition of monopoly he
had ever heard.
An amendment to the federal consti-
tuition forbidding polygamy is pro-
posed in a memorial from the Nebras-
ka legislature presented to the house
by Speaker Clark. The memorial pro-
poses that constitutional convention
be called to submit the matter to the
states.
In the belief that million people
would subscribe for the Congressional
Record If they had the opportunity,
Representative Taylor of Colorado in.
troduced a bill in the house to make
every postmaster a subscription agent
for the daily publication Of the pro-
ceedings Of congress.
There is speculation as TO the prob
ability of adjournment, which Senator
Smoot and some other predict as ear
ly as July 81. while Democratic Lead
er Underwood says: III the extra ses-
sion continues until late summer or
scheme of tariff revision will be un.
dertaken by the house"
After fight waged by southern SEN
ators for more than two months, the
panata confirmed NVllHam III Iouie