Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-03-08
PASSING OF THE e1sT CONGRESS

FASSlNG OF HE 61S1 CONCKE.SS
The 61st congress concluded it's ex-
istence and passed into history shortly
after noon last Saturday, the closing
hours in the house being marked by
wild confusion. the democrats having
started a we'll organized filibuster
which resulted in defeating the
passage Of the bill for a tariff board.
which had previously passed the senate
and which was one Of the presidents
most desired measures.
Many important measures that
it had been hoped would pass were
shelved in the last days Of the session
greatly to the disappointment of the
president. The most important of
these, from his point of view, was the
Canadian reciprocity pact, which had
passed the house by a big majority,
but which failed to get any action in
the senate. Tt was reported out from
the senate committee without recon-
mendation, went to the foot of the
calendar, and died there without a
vote upon it having been reached.
In accordance with warning is
sued several days previous from the
White House that if the Senate failed
to pass this measure he would call
special session to take action upon it.
President Taft has issued a call for a
special sessio on Of the 62d congress to
convene on April 4.
The new congress will have a
strong democratic majority in the
house and will be closely divided in
the senate, the republican margin
being very close. "Uncle Joe" Can
non steps down and out from the
speakers chair and the speakership
will pass to Champ Clark of Mis-
sOuri, who has long coveted the posi-
ton but had no hope that it would
come to him SO soon, and now vainly
regrets that he labored so Industrious
ly in coalition with the insurgent
republicans last summer to curtail
the speaker s powers.
Among the important measures that
have fallen by the waysde and
failed to become laws are the Sui
loway pension bill, Limitation of in
junction. ship subsidy and reform in
judicial procedure so as to hasten
determination of litigation.
This Congress has a number of
meritorious measures to its credit,
however, among which may briefly be
mentioned the Payne tariff law the
railroad rate law creating a commerce
court, postal savings banks, submits
sion to the states of a constitutional
amendment for an income tax,
publicity of campaign contributions
IN national and congressional cleo
tions, provision for. the completion of |
existing irrigation projects, a bureau
of mines the Notification of the |
Panama canal, ratification of new
treaty with Japan, bill to prevent |
waite slavery, a reduction of rates for
Pullman car berths and many others
eof lesser Importance,
The country never welcomes the
necessity of a special session Of con-
gress, but such a necessity exists, and |
the president gave to the senate fair
notice that unless action was taken |
upon certain measures the RESPONSE
bility for such a course must rest |
upon it, There seems but little doubt |
that the new congress will pass the
reciprocity bill. The tariff question
will again be opened up and we may
look for several months wrangling |
over that ancient question and the
enactment of a new law upon that
subject The indications are however
that the democratic ideas will be car
Tied out along the lines advocated by
the president-revision Of separate
schedules, where revision seems parti-
cularly needed, rather than by a
general revision all along the line.