Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-01-19
DANGER AHEAD
FOR RIVER BILL
Senate Amendments Add New
Projects to Measure.

Scores OF different amendments for
new projects have been offered to the
river and harbor bin In the senate.
The committee fs wrestling
with the problem as to whether q com
p%arativeiy moderate bin, such as pass
ed the house, shall be reported or
whether these senate amendments
shall be added, which will make the
bill SO large that it will not meet the
approval of President Taft.
Then there is also the possibility
that a large bill may be talked to
death by a few senators who do not
like it. There is danger that q bin
which does not provide all that diff
ferent senators ask may be defeated
by those who are disappointed as well
ss by those who think 1t is too extrava-
CANT
1t Will not DO very hard to defeat 4
river and harbor bill at this stage OF
the session with so much other bust
ness OF Importance to transact.
A Favorable Tins.
Those who are pressing forward the
resolution for the election Of senators
by direct vote have selected q favor
able time because there are many Re-
publican senators who believe that II
they could have submitted themselves
to the people at the last election they
would have been successful. They
think the landslide would not have
caught them as IT did the state leg
h~latures.
But even aside from the selfish rea-
son there Ia no doubt that the senti-
ment In favor Of giving greater power
to the people has impressed b SEN
ate. A few years ego IT would have
been Impossible to get \ favorable re-
port from a committee for the election
OF senators by direct vote. Now the
change Is III to come.
'f3 Attention In tbs House.
"How can he talk when no one pays
my attention to him. asked q wom-
In the gallery when a member OF
the house was making a speech. She
informed that the man was re- !
ceiyfng as much attention as fs USUAL
ly accorded a member. In fact, the
house had a quorum present, and
were running hither and
thitfier intent upon their own affairs
and not concerned about the legisla-
Hon under consideration
1t happened That the bill which the
aaember WAS trying to explain to the
house was one which would cost the
government $45. 1000 a ear. 1t was
he new pension bill. While men diff
erred as to it's merits, many honestly
,elieving 1t should LOT pass, about
OF the members had de-
ermfned ia vote for the bin, and they
either cared for reasons why 1t
hould pass o for objections to It
zhieh were1presented.
CAM Eem. yOne Lins. L
Ii liz not at all likely that the bfH
by Congressman CDrk Of
fer separate cars for white
md colered people In tina District OF
Columbia will pass. The states adj
ching the District, Virginia and
Maryland, have laws OF that kind.
md, though trolley cars operated In
he District and running into the tive
do not have separHts cornpart-
ments, the negroes ars compealsd {
move lnto the rear seats when tbs
a cross the state lines.
-isf~ wnfts residents u xns 1ns |
trlct would be glad to hnva the races
segregated on cars within the Els
trict, they have no idea that congress
will pass any such law.
Ia F~oiisttsss Prediction.
As the election Of senators shows
that many /. progressive Republicans
and Democrats have been elected to
sueceed regulars Senator La Toilette
rejoiees.
~ once said in the senate he re-
marked. sthat there weuld be many
Yeats then occupied vacated and other
men elected to fill them. l did not
have any Idea that my prediction
would be verified 80 soon. / thought
1t would take more time for the peo-
pie 70 become educated and Informed.
+ do moi expect to see Il return to old
conditions In the senate. The pro-
gressiyes will continue to make gains
Should Governors MsddIsf
just as legislatures are getting ready
to choose United States senators in a
xMmber OF states the question arises.
should governors meddlege The
question was brought forward promf-
rsertly in Washington by Perry Bel
mont of New York, who spends the
winters In Washington working for
Iasfsfattan rsefa f1np To election reforms.
According to Belmont. the interest
which governors take I'm senatorial
elections is entirely beyond their prov
ince. He thinks that state legislatures
should be free to- make a choice OF sen
ators without suggestion from gov
ernors. One cas- for opposing In
reference by governors In that they
hava tina state patronage at their coma
mand and can undnly influence mem