Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-04


be overshadowed. With the demo-
Gratis looking ahead with sanguine
hope for triumph at the polls next
November, and insurgent republicans
striking out in earnest to capture
their party convention, IL possible;
every move made In either branch OF
congress from now until adjournment
will be thoroughly considered from
political as we'll as Legislative view
points. The political pot in Washing
ton will soon begin to boil, with the
republican national committee meet
ing here Dec. II, 10 be followed Jan. s
by the democratic national commit
tee.
SELECTION OF CHAIRMEN.
Selection of convention citieS choos-
ing Of committee chairmen who will
manage the big campaigns and plans
for the approaching party conventions
and the subsequent battle Of the bal
lots will attract as much attention
from the nations legislators as will
the making of the nations laws. To
enliven the political interest in both
houses there are candidates for the
presidency casting their shadows
across the horizon. Champ Clark, the
speaker Of the house, already consid-
cred among the democratic possibili-
ties, may at any time make presiden-
tial pronouncement to his colleagues !;
and Representative Oscar w. Under
- lok
leader, also is talked of throughout
the country as presidential timber In
the senate, Mr.. LaFollette already has
been proclaimed by progressive repu5.
licans as their choice to wrest the
nomination from Mr.. Taft.
In the house the political interest
will be further complicated by the
attitude Of Mr.. Bryan, who has quar-.
relied with Mr.. Underwood and brand
ed him as a reactionary, and now criti
cises Speaker Clark in what many
democrats declare is an effort to cause
breach between the speaker and the
majority leader of the house.
AWAIT TARIFF BOARD REPORT.
The tariff legislative program will
follow the long awaited report OF the
tariff board which is expected to sub
NIT the result of its Investigations or
wool and cotton before the holidays
The ways and means committee of the
house, however, under the direction
Of Chairman Underwood, will begir
at once the preparation of new tariff
bills. Throughout the recess a fore,
of clerks and experts have been a
work preparing for the committee.
President Taft has given his pledge
that, when the tarin board submits III
report on the wooden and cottoI
schedules it will be his pleasure Il
make tariff recommendations to con
gress. The subject will be treated Il
a special message.
Meantime, however, the ways an,
means committee will being prepars
ton of revised schedules to includ,
wool, cotton, iron and steel products
: sugar and other foodstuffs. An impoI
tant schedule 70 come up Is the suga
schedule and in dealing with this tn
house and the ways and means com
: mittee will be guided somewhat b.
the report of the special committee o
inquiry into the American Sugar Re
fining company, which Is expected t
report early in the session.
VIGOROUS TRUST DEBATES.
Conspicuous in the records of tn
congress will be the coming vigorou
. trust debates The fight to amen
the Sherman antitrust law already /
on. In the house the question will b
first considered by the committee O
judiciary. This committee has detel
mined also to report bills amendin
, the injunction statutes and the col
: tempt statutes. the latter to includ
!. provision for trial by jury in cases G
: indirect contempt These will b
pressed for passage before adjourn
rnent
The committee has in hand a hal
dozen bills providing amendment t
Q the Sherman antitrust law. The mos
recent bill was drafted by Represent;
: tive Henry OF Texas, providing fC
penitentiary terms for violators of tn
l. trust laws and designed to eliminat
: from the Sherman law the rule {
, reason" as interpreted by the suprem
} court. Some sort Of bill is certain I
come from the committee bearing O
this problem. In the senate the truI
q question is under consideration in th
hearings before the committee on Il
terstate commerce which will continu
for some time.
STEEL INQUIRY UP.
: In line with the trust question wi
be the determination OF the fate
e 'conuaued on Page EishtI