The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-04

washington, g. -
the sixty second congress convened al
noon TO-DAY. Practically every member
of each house was in his seat. The gal
leries were crowded and hundreds OF
persons we're unable to gain admission
The expected speech of Representative
Iittleton, of New York, regarding the
steel trust question, was the sensation
al incident featuring the opening day
washington Dec. 4.-"The most i'm
ro-tant session since the civil war is
the prediction made by many Demo-
cratic leaders for the first regular seS-
sion Of the Sixty second congress whlch
opened today.
stirring days ahead are forecast
BY Republican members, and on both
sides of the big party line mem oeIs
In the house and senate are drawn up
to fight out weighty problems Of leg
islation in a session that viii leaG up
to the presidential campaign OF lslz-
OF Importance as to the bearing II
win have on the approaching po1tlcai
contest in the nation; OF particular IN
ferest because of party differenccs-reg-
MARS and insurgents on the Republican
side. reactiOnaries and prOgreSSlNeS
among the DemOcratS-and OF unusual
significance because of the heavy leg
isIative program, it is at least certain
that this will be one of the hVeilest
sessions of congress in many years
The Work Ahead.
With the gavels falling in the house
And senate at noon, the tarln ana the
Nusts stood out as the most lmport ant
subjects for legisl3tiOn with Dig Ignl
assured in both houses. Many other
great questions confronting the cor
gress all of them to be appro5cneu
vigorously, include monetary relo i;4l,
ra+ifcat ton of arbitration treaties with
Great Britain and France, and the loan
treaties with Nicaragua and Honduras;
Al skan legislation. the election OF SEN
atcrs by dill ect vote OF the people, pen
sion bills and the regular and perTnan-
ert annual appropriations, to be under
4Fqe direction this time in the house OF
Democratic committee
While the legislative struggles are
T., progress. politics is certain not to be
overshadowed- With the Democrats
looking ahead with sanguine hope Tor
triumph at the polls next November,
and insurgent Republicans strlKlns gu
~ earnest to capture their party con-
ventfOn if possible; every move maze
In either branch of congress from now
until adjournment will be thoroughly
considered from political as Wen as leg
{sfative viewpoints The pollticai pot
b, washington will soon begin TO DOLL
with the Republican national COMMIT
tee meeting here Decembe L, to pc
followed January by the Democratic
national committee Selection or con-
vention cities, choosing OF committee
chair1nen who will manage the Dig cam
raiens and plans for the Approaching
hattie Of the ballots will attract as
mich attention from the nations legls-
iators as Will the making of the ma
tons laws
Cast shadows Before
To enliven the political interest in
- t,oIses there are candidates for /
the presidency casting their shadows
across the horizon
Champ Clark, the speaker OF the
hoI,se already considered among the
De19ocratic possibilities, may at any |
time make presidential pronouncemenp |
to his colleagues. and Represehtat1lNEe |
Oscar w. Underwood OF Alaps1tndt me
democratic floor leader, also IS taxed
Of throughout the country as presIden-
tial timber. 49,, :,
ready has been proclaimed by pro
greesive Republicans as their choice
fo wrest the nomination from MI
Aa n 4 the house the political interest
VII he further com plicated by the at
titude of Mr. Bryan VINO mas quar-
relied with Mr.. Underwood and brand
ed him as a reactionary ana now
eri4icises Speaker Clark in what many
democrats declare is an effort to cause
a breach betw cen the speaker and the
ma ioritv leader of the house
The tariff legislation program VIII
o--;ef hoard which is expected to sub
nit the result of its investigations on
wool and cotton before the holdays-
a
boTse however. under the direction
If chairman Underwood. Will begin at
-. tl7e DreparatiOn of new tariff
bSI1s throughout the recess a force
Of clerks and experts have been at
work preparing for the committee.
That Special Message.
President Taft has given his pledge
that. when the tariff board submits its
-a1ort on the wooden and cotton
-cbedules it will be his pleasure to
make tariff recommendations to con-
vreSs The subject will be treated in
special message
Meantime however, the ways ana
means committee Will begin prepara-
lion Of revised schedules to include
wool cotton. iron and steel products
-upar and other foOdStuffs- An i'm
nor+aDt schedule to come up is the
surar schedule and in dealing with
-bis the house and the ways and
means committee will be guided some
what nv the report of the special
,or11r7ittee of inquiry into the Ameri-
IAN sugar Refining company, which
9 expected to report early II the ses-
sion
congress will be the coming vigorous
-r,1st debates The fight to amend the
sherman antitrust law already is on,
= the house the question viii be first
bv the committee on judi
,sSs,-x- This committee has determined
- TO report bills amending the in
junction statutes and the eontenpt
statutes the latter to include provi-
sion for trial by jury in cases of in
street CONTEMPT These will be press
ID for massage before adjournment
sherman Antitrust Law
The committee has in hand a half
iozen bills providing amendment 70
he Sherman antitrust law Inc most