The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-11
PRESENT CONGRESS- HAS GOOD RECORD
 OF ACHIEVEMENT Session Has Been Very Re markable for Amount
 of Work Done HOUSE HAS KEPT
 LATE HOURS OFTEN In Spite of the Fact That the House Is Democratic and the Senate Re-
 publican Much Legislation
 Has Been Enacted
BY C. E. STEWART.

b1 .. E. STE W AItI.
 Washington. August 10.-(special)-In some respects this has been most re- markable session of Congress, that is now rapidly nearing its close. It began December 4, 1911, and will probably close August 1T. 1912, with something like 25.ooo,- 900 of words, all kinds of words, fervent, calm and judicial bitter sarcastic and mild and gentle transcribed into the record.
 After long and gruelling fight 1t oust- ed from the Senate the member from Illinois, Senator Lorimer at a cost of probably double the amount it is alleged he spent to get into that body
 Several important investigations of trusts have been conducted, and there is no question but what they have re- suited In throwing a great deal of light upon matters of vast interest to the peo- pie The evidence submitted to the Stan ley committee and made public by the re- port of the committee with reference to the formation of the United States Steel Corporation and it's subsequent transac- tions, and particularly the purchase of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad companys property, and the part that Roosevelt played in that transaction, was something that the public wanted light shed upon in order that they might draw their own conclusions. The result may not be the dissolution of the steel cor poration, or invalidate the purchase of the Tennessee eompany's property but it was a much discussed and vexing ques- tfof1 tIaf cd fqif ifty in Orda "a the truth might be known.
 Has Hampered Work
 The house being democratic and the Senate republican has to a marked de- gree hampered legislation; In spite ot this fact the democrats fin the House and in the Senate, by the aid of the progress sive republicans in the latter body, in the first session of the Sixty-second Congress, called by the President last March to enact the Canadian reciprocity bill, also passed the wool, cotton and farmers free list bills all of which President Taft ve- toed on the score that they were made without informa ton from the tarim board.
 Administration measures have not fared well. President Taft's cherished arbtra- tion treaties with England and France were so emasculated by a combination of republican and democratic votes as to rem der their conclusion in the amended form entirely unsatisfactory to the admins- tration. The Houses action In calling for the abrogation of the treaty of 1892 with Russia as a protest against that govern ments failure to recognize the passports of American Jews forced the President to abrogate the treaty.
 Following his earnest advocacy of Can adian reciprocity, on which position it is said that the President has now Topped, the President has contented himself with submitting his recommendations and let ting Congress take its course. free from executive lobbying. series of demo- cratic investigations of the republican ad- ministration of government departments has had decidedly beneficial effect, all though the administration still strangely delays the admitted need of reorganiza tion of the Department of Agriculture.
 Economy and retrenchment have con scientious,y been striven for In the ap- propriations bills that have had the con- sideration of the House. They have all been subjected to palnstaking scrutiny. and everywhere that money could be saved to the government without hurt in the administration of public service, 1t has been withheld from the appropriation bills.
 Record of Bills Passed
 In condensed form here is the record of the session in bills passed:
 Sherwood pension bill. estimated to in- crease pension appropriations, s25,000000.
 Eight hour bill limiting hours of labor on all government work. except on board ship. and until January l. 1915. for con tracts in connection with construction work of Panama canal
 Amendment of homestead law, in effort to prevent American farmers from going to Canada.
 Children's bureau bill.
 frar and hQ ~hnr of n int, giving s6.O0O000 for work on the Missis- sippi river and also emergency flood ap- of s300.00o.
 Fertilization bill.
 Ratification treaty affecting assistance and salvage at sea.
 Constitutional amendment providing that senators shall be elected by direct vote l of the people.
 Niagara Falls bill. extending operation of present act for control of water pow CTS to March. 19l3
 Amendment of neutrality laws.
 Panama canal bill, exempting American ships from tolls.
 These mea sures are still pending.
 Postoffice appropriation bin. Parcels post provision in dispute Senate com mittee favors Bourne zone system as sub stltute for House bill.
 Abolition of commerce court and judges The houses have agreed to abolition of the court. The Senate votes to retain judges as circuit court judges.
 Federal parole bill for life prisoners
 Impeachment trial of Judge Archibald; postponed by Senate until December 8, 1912
 Impeachment trial of Judge Handford: investigation of House suspended on his resignation.
 Constitutional amendment to limit Pres ident to one term of six years
 If1 a-t.t cases of indirect contempt of court, passed the House. sp
 Workman's compensation bill. passed the House. ~
 Sundry civil bill abolishes tariff board |
 Tariff bills. most of which have been agreed to in conference, cotton bill. passed the House.
 Repeal of Canadian reciprocity tattached as amendments to metals and excise bills.)
 Anti-injunction bill passed by the House.
 House Has Been Busy
 The House has made a record in many ways during the session. While it has been the most talkative session for its length in the memory of the oldest mem bers. it has also been the busiest in other ways. A record has been made in sticking to the business in hand and not wasting time with purely political speeches.
 The House has sat on the average ot one hour and a quarter longer each day than has any proceeding Congress.
 There have been no early adjournments to allow members to attend the ball games. as has been the case in the past. The only lul was during the democratic