El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-12
ADJOURNMENT
May HAPPEN
THIS WEEK
Majority Leader Underwood
Predicts This Has Been
in Session Over $50 Days.
SOME OF MEASURES
PASSED AND PENDING

Washington, D c. Aug 12.-Naiority
, leader Underwood Of the house predicts
I an adjournment OF congress this week,
unless president Taft Yetoes the Iegis-
lattYe, executive and judicial bill. Mr..
Taft said he would veto the measure
because of its amendments to abolish
the commerce court and limit the ten
ure of office of civil service employees
to seven years
Mr. Underwood will attempt to pass
the wool revision Dill over the preSl-
dents Veto Failing in this he viii not
attempt to press any more tariff leg
iSlatiOn.
President Taft told chairman Fftz-
gerald of the house appropriations com
mittee he would veto the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill If 1t came to him with the amend
ments referred to. Mr. Fitzgerald is
said to have replied that an attempt to
pass it over the veto surely would be
made. Mr. Fitzgerald predicted con-
gress would not soon adjourn, if things
turned out that way.
Fear for Sugar and Excise Bills.
Failure of the sugar tariff bill and
DAY by Democratic leaders of the house.
Both bills are in conference House
cOnfereeS insist upon a sugar tariff
reduction much below the basis the SEN
hope of the deadlock being broken.
Want Reilly Bill Paid.
The state department again has
asked Cuba to pay 100000 remaining
due on the Reilly contract for the wa
ter works and sanitation of Cienfuegos-
The Cuban congress has appropriated
for the payment and several requests
have been made for it by this govern
ment. 1t is denied that the request has
taken the form of an ultimatum-
Substitute Parcels Post Bills Carries.
Without a word of debate the senate
today adopted the Bourne-BrlstoW
parcels post plan as a substitute for the
house parcels post provision in the
pOstoffice appropriation bill.
80 .Nrn~. al =
vide the country into eight zones.
Within a so mile radius the rate would
be fixed at cents for the first pound
and cents for each additional pound
of fourth class matter. \ graduated rate
to cover the other zones would increase
to u cents a pound in the eighth zone,
covering points more than 1900 miles
apart.
The house provision outlined a
straight y cent rate on parcels weigh
ing up to II pounds
Session Has Lasted $50 Days.
Congress is about to terminate
session which has now run over $50
days. The session has not been fruit
ful OF much genuine legislation; but
from the standpoint of great issues
fought and great policies outlined 1t
has been Of more than usual interest
Political activities have helped to
prolong it, and political difficulties be-
tween the house and senate, the one
Democratic and the other controlled by
an Independent element of the Repub-
lican party, has served to tie up ap-
preparation bills and impede much gen
Uine legislation
Appropriation Bills Still Pending.
Many annual appropriation bills that
should have become effective July 1 |
still are at issue between the two |
houses. Minor legislation and import /
ant questions of general interest are /
to be laid aside in an effort to bring /
about adjournment by next Saturday. !
or at least by the end of the following |
week.
Some of Developments.
The more important developments /
that have marked the session are the J
decision Of the senate that William /
Lor1mer had not legally been elected !
senator from Illinois; the beginning of (
proceedings against judge /
Robert w. Archibald of the commerce
court; abrogation Of the Russian treaty
following agitation over the Jewish {
passport question; substantial defeat /
by amendment of presidents arbitra-
ton treaties with Great Britain and
France; notice by the senate to foreign
nations that the United States will per-
nit none to acquire naval or military
sites IN the western hemisphere. ap-
proVal of a constitutional amendment
for direct election of senator's; decision
OF both houses in favor of free passage
FOR American ships at Panama in face
OF Great Brltalns protest that this
would be a violation of treaty rights; |
of New Mexico and Arizona I
to statehood; veto by president Taft of
tariff bills passed by DemOcratic-PrO-
gressive alliance; creation of chill
dren's bureau in the department of
and labor; increase of civil
war pensions through the Sherwood
service pension law.
Questions Pending.
Important questions remaining to be
settled between the two houses or be-
tween congress and the president are:
Proposed abolition of the tariff COM
mission and the commerce court; bat
tleship building program for 1913; re-
plans for the army, partly
rejected by the president when he We
toed the army appropriation bill; estab-
-ishment Of a parcels post; restriction
Of civil service employees TO seven year !