Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-09
SENATE GETS BUSY
Upper House Manifests Dispo-
sition to Begin Work.
DIRECT ELECTIONS FIRST
Resolution Placed on Calendar as
Unfinished Business.
DEMOCRATS WILL GIVE AID
Anxious That Senate Shall Take Up
Measures Sent Over From
the House.
DIRECT ELECTIONS FIRST
DEMOCRATS WILL GIVE AID

The Senate has at last gotten down
to business. Not that 1t will hold pro-
tracted sessions each day or meet six
days week; but it Is turning its at
tention to legislative action.
The most definite step along that
line. taken late yesterday afternoon,
was to make the resolution for direct
election OF senator's the unfinished
business, to come up each day until
disposed of. The giving of this reso-
luton the place Of preference on the
Senate calendar indicates the favorable
attitude in the upper house toward
the proposed change in the manner OF
electing its members and the probable
ity that 1t will be agreed to by the
Senate before the extra session ad-
journs.
Senator Borah. who IS leading the
fight on the floor Of the Senate for its
tends to push it. although not press
ing 1t so as to Inconvenience any sena-
tors who may desire to speak on it.
Obstacles Are Overcome.
Parliamentary obstacles were easily
overcome yesterday in the Senate, to
give the direct election resolution the
place Of preference. Half an hour after
the Senate met, Senator Borah tried to
get unanimous consent to have the reso-
luton made the unfinished business. SEN
ator Hepburn. stanch opponent OF the
constitutional change, made the point
Ing the morning hour'-the first two
hours OF the days session. With Mr..
Hepburn objecting, unanimous consent
was impossible.
But Mr.. Borah was not to be outdone.
He proposed q recess until the morning
hour had expired and his motion to that
effect carried overwhelmingly. When the
Senate met. at the expiration of the re-
cess, Mr.. Borah moved to take up the di-
rect election resolution, and upon that
friends. Only five of the seventy-one
senator's who voted opposed. giving the
resolution the place Of preference. They
were Senators Burnham and Gallinger of
cut, Hepburn Of Idaho and Penrose of
Pennsylvania.
Democrats Also Anxious.
Another evidence Of the desire to get
down to business was furnished by Sen
ator Martin. democratic leader. Calling
attention to the small amount Of business
ON the calendar, Mr.. Martin asked the
prospects for committee action on the
bills passed by the democratic House
the bill for reapportionment Of congress
sional districts as q result of the recent
census and the bill for the publicity Of
campaign contributions.
Mr.. Martins first query was with re-
gard to the reapporttonment bill. and
Senator La Toilette, chairman OF the
committee on census, was called upon to
reply. .,
Il am not able to say when the bill
will be reported out" Mr.. La Toilette
said. IT expect to have a meeting Of
the committee on the census at rsa-
sonably early day and give the PHI the
consideration its Importance entities 1t
to in that committee. 1t Is very I'M
portant measure and 1t should be care
fully considered"
Special Meeting Called.
Senator Dillingham;, chairman Of the
committee on privileges and elections.
made a more definite promise with regard
to action by that committee on the cam
paign contributions measure.
1.-THE bill has not been considered by
the committee as yet" he said. but 1t
will be considered very soon. For that
purpose a special meeting Of the commit
tee has been called"
The action of Mr.. Martin, as demo-
cratic leader of the Senate, is taken to
indicate that the democratic House will
receive the active support of the Senate
democrats in its legislative program.