The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-08

iai rt~~iou hn toVn-tfnpoftunt AL
minlstration Measures Pissed Dur
ing "Long Session--''Sliort" Scs-
sion, Ending Today, Characteriz-
ell More by what was not Done
sum Total. Looking backward"
Washington. March 3-Iu the retro
spect. the 61st Congress. which will
expire by constitutional Limitation at
noon tomorrow. appears To have been
distinguished by three things: The
revision OF the tariff ip the so-called
Payne-Aldrlch bill. which was pass
ed at an extra session In the summer
OF 1909; the large amount OF i'm
portant legislation. much of II. upon
the recommendation OF President Taft.
enacted at the regular session OF 1909
10. and the exceedingly small product
OF the short session." so-called. now
coming To a close.
The interval between the last two
sessions was marked by the political
upheaval registered at the general
election OF last November, which
changed a large Republican majority
to still larger Democratic majority
In the House; cut the Republican ma
jority in the Senate almost to the
vanishing point and incidentally eff
fected striking conditions in the Sem
ate personnel.
The failure OF this session To enact
much important legislation has re-
suited In the practical certainty that
the new 62nd Congress will be call
ed almost Immediately In extra ses-
sion especially by reason OF the strong
desire of President Taft to secure act
Ion upon the pending reciprocity
agreement with Canada. TO the con-
summation OF which the contracting
parties pledged the utmost efforts Of
the two Governments.
In strong contrast with the sup
port which the Taft administration re-
ceived from the Republican majority.
I'm the matter OF legislation in the
regular session OF 1s09-10. Is the fact
zk at the present session the ma
: 5orfty has been anything but united:
the reciprocity agreement was passed
In the House by the aid OF n large
number OF Democratic votes, while I'm
the Senate the rift I'm the majority be-
tween the regulars and the elm
surgents" has been an important fac
tor In its side-tracking and the con-
sequent summoning of the extra ses-
sion.
To this division in the majority was
largely due the most dramatic feature
of the previous long sessiou-the
protracted and sensational conflict
last spring. which ended In material
changes In the rules of the House,
generally Interpreted as "the over
throw OF the Speaker" and which,
after a bitter fight lasting many hours
and including an all-night struggle.
stopped only Just short OF the actual
M eating OF Speaker Cannon. While
the acrimony between regulars" and
insurgents neither began nor end
ed with the battle over the rules. that
was Its most conspicuous episode and
there has been little peace between
the factions since. In either House.
In the Senate the most sensational
feature OF this session was the un-
availing effort. in which the insur-
gents were most active. to unseat VIM.
Lorimer. as junior Senator from IL
hnois, on the ground OF alleged brib-
cry. In connection with his election by
the Legislature OF that State i'm the
spring OF 1909. The echoes OF that
battle are still rcverberating and it's
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 a proposed
amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States to provide for the di-
rect election OF Senators by the peo-
pie. The resolution received more
than a majority OF the Senate. but
IL needed two-thirds vote and fell
short by only four. Had the Sem
ate passed II. the House almost GER
tainly would have done so. The
friends OF this proposition entertain
ed little doubt that It would pass.
The output Of this session I'm the
way Of general measures consists
chiefly OF the appropriation bills. and
several Of those have seemed I'm
danger more than once I'm the tense
situation of the past few days. when
long hours passed away I'm flllbustcr-