The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-12-07
CONGRESS BEGINS
REGULAR SESSION
Leaders Predict That It viii Be
Busy and interesting.
LAWS AND POLITICS MIXED
Proceedings. May Make and unmake
Presidential candidates--Trustsa
and Tariff Occupy Chief ~ -.
Place.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

by SE0hoE SLlNI YIN.
Washington, Dec. 4-Congress hal
started once more to travel the patti
Of busy and interesting regular ses
sion. '.- .r'
The two words busy" and Inter
esting" as forecast Of the proceed
ings are used on high authority. lr
the rush of the opening the comment
Of the leaders was brief.
1t will be an interesting session.
Senator La Toilette.
1t will be busy session.-Speakei
Clark.
The lower house OF congress today
for the first time In many years at a
regular session, is in control Of the
Democrats. 1t may not be necessary
to remind the country that the last
session was a special one convened
by the call of the president, and that
its time was given up largely to the
discussion Of two subjects, the tariff
and reciprocity, subjects so nearly
akin as to be almost one flesh.
House and senate claimed the pres
ence Of nearly full membership when
Speaker Clark and Vice.President
Sherman gave the authoritative
thumps of the gavel, and the authori
tatlve words that consideration Of leg
islation was in order.
This Session 10 Critical.
The galleries were filed with sight
seers, for an intense interest attaches
to what is to be done at this session
1t may be that presidential candidates
will be made or unmade' by the pro
ceedings. A slip Of the tongue OF
some party leader may do damage be-
yond repair to the party's prospects
President Taft from this hour will
watch the proceedings OF house and
senate with keen and at times anX'
iOus eye. II tariff legislation based
on the reports Of the tariff board be
passed. the president will hold that
his vetoes of last summer have been
INDICATED and will feel perhaps that
the prospect OF reelection has been
cleared of overhanging clouds.
AS for the Democratic leaders, they
seem to be determined that il the tar
if boards report on wool is in &C
cordance with the information gained
by members of the ways and means
committee, which, of course, Is dom
mated by the Democrats, legislation
based on the boards report must be
passed. The party leaders, however
seem to be determined that II the
tariff boards report has in il suspi-
cion Of leaning toward the side OF du'
ties which are too high, bill cutting
those duties shall be passed and sent
over to the Republican senate for
commentator or condemnation.
Trust Problem to the Fore.
No sooner had congress opened
than the trust matter again put its
Interrogation to the lawmakers. Sew.
ersl bills have been drawn already
which represent the varying views OF
what ought to be done to the Sher,
man law. This matter will be thrashed
out thoroughly before June comes, and
with the tariff it will occupy the chief
place of interest and debate.
rouse Leaders are frineo.
Representative Underwood, Demo
crat, of Alabama, the leader Of the
house Democracy and chairman OF
the committee on ways and means, is
ready to combat on the tariff and the
trust questions, and other questions
for that matter, James r. Mann, the
floor leader Of the Republican minor.
ity.
In the senate within a day or two
the controversy will start anew over
the election OF a president pro TEN
Senator Frye Of Maine, who held the
Office for many years, resigned it at a
late day in the extraordinary session
Mr. Frye has since died
The senate Is Republican In its ma.
jority, but it is divided into two fac.
lions, regulars and insurgents, or II
you will, reactionaries and progress.
sives. Senator Gallinger OF New
Hampshire Is candidate OF the stand.
patters for president pro TEN. Mr.
Galiinger is opposed by the progress.
sives, but they are not willing to vote
for a Democrat, and today an attempt
Is being made to compromise, on a
Republican senator who will be CRATE
full to both factions OF Republicans,
The two senators, most prominently
named as compromise candidates are
Nelson OF Minnesota and Lodge OF
Massachusetts,. ts b.
H