Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-04
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.


Prospect III" 6lst Congress. which will
expire by constitutional limitation at
noon tomorrow, appears TO have been
distinguished by three things: The
revision Of the tariff in the so-called
Payne Aldrich bill, which was passed
at an extra session in the summer OF
1909. the large amount Of important
legislation much of il upon the recon-
mendation OF President Taft enacted
at the regular session of 1909-l0 and
the exceedingly small product of the
short session." so called, now coming
to close.
The interval between the last two
sessions vas marked by the political
upheaval registered at the general
election Of last November. which
changed a large Republican majority
into still larger Democratic majority
in the House of Representatives cut
the Republican majority in the Senate
almost to the vanishing point, and in
cidentallN effected striking changes in
! the Senate personnel
The failure of this session 10 enact
much important legislation has result
ed in the practical certainty that the
| il''N b-tl 'bilSlts~S W III Dt tdiifu almost
Immediately in cxtraordinarg session.
especially by reason Of the strong de-
| sire OF President Taft tn secure action
upon the pending reciprocity agree
ment With Canada, to the consumma-
| ton Of which the contracting parties
| pledged the utmost efforts Of III" two
Governments.
In strong contrast with the support
which tn" Taft administration feceiy-
ed from the Republican majority in
the matter of legislation in the regular
session Of l909-1a is the fact that at
| the present session thu majority has
been anything but united the reel
prnoity agreement WIS passed in the
House by the aid Of large proportion
| of Democratic votes, while i'm the SEN
at" the rift in tn" majority between
the Regulars" and insurgents" has
! been an important factor in its side
tracking ami i'll the consequent sum
monlnG of the extra session.
To this division in the ma ioritv was
largely due the most dramatic feature Of
the previous long session-the protracted
and sensational conflict last spring which
ended in material changes in the rules Of
! the House, generally interpreted as Tn"
overthrow of the Speaker" and which
after bitter fight lasting many hours
and including one all-night struggle.
stopped only Just short of the actual ul-
seating of Speaker Cannon While the
acrimOny ended with the battle over the
rules that was its most conspicuous cpl
sodc and there has been little peace be-
tween the factions since in either house.
In the senate, the most sensational
feature of this session was the unavaii-
ing effort, in which the Insurgents were
most active. to unseat William Lorimer
as junior senator from Illinois, on the
ground of alleged bribery in connection
with his election by the Legislature OF
that state in the spring of 1909. The
echoes Of that battle are still reverberat
ing, and its bitterness adds friction to
the closing hours of the Senate session.
Another important recent action of the
Senate was the defeat of the resolution
embodying proposed amendment TO the
Constitution of the United states TO pro-
vide for the direct election of senators by
the people
| This resolution received more than a
majority of the Senate, but it needed a
two-thirds vote. and fell short by only
four. Had the Senate passed it, the
House almost certainly would have done
SO. The friends of this proposition en-
terrain little doubt that it will pass the
next Congress, and go to the states for
ratification or defeat.
The output of this session in the way OF
general measures consists chiefly of the
appropriation bills, and several of those
have seemed in danger more than once
in the tense situation of the mast few
days, when long hours passed away in IL
clustering on one side or the other.
Thousands of bills have been introduced
and several thousands more came TO the
closing session as heritage from the
first and second sessions. In all there
! are between 5000 and 5000 measures he
! fore the Congress as it comes to a close.
| The failure to enact many laws was not
due to lack of raw material.
These are some of the more important
measures outside appropriation bills, that
! the final session of this Congress enacted
j into law:
| Providing for forest reserves in the
J southern Appalachian and White noun
tans.
Providing for the inspection of boilers
| on locomotives.
| Providing for the purchase or erection
! of embassies. legations ana consular
| buildings abroad
An ocean mail bill passed the Senate,
but the House did not manifest enough
liking for it to send ii on To the White
| House
Barren as the final session may have
| been of fruitful legislation, the Rcpubli-
can leaders point To the preceding ses-
| sion as more fruitful For the first or
extra session they point to:
The Payne-Aldrich tariff act. with its
| Continued on Page Twclve)