Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-04
WORK OF PRESENT SESSION IN.
PEpEp ~ EFFORT TO
oAlN pREsr,oE.
MAJORITY OF MEMBERS BUSY
DISCUSSING POLITICAL AFFAIRS
Labor Secures Three Important Con-
esssions in Eight Hour Bill, Match
Bill and chiIdrsn's Bureau MEASURE
Much invsstis atins by Committees Of
House and Senate.
Especial Correspondence

itics has prevented congress from ac-
complishing great deal in the way OF
important general legislation this ses-
sion. For six months. the legislative
mill has been grinding but the grist
has been light in the extreme. 1t is
small indeed when one considers the
time cinsumed and the amount OF ora
tory wasted.
1t may be that the session will close
in a riot of important legislation but
there are no symptoms Of it now. On
the contrary. members Of congress are
doing but little else than talk politics.
It is almost impossible to fasten the
attention Of members. either in mouse
or senate, to legislative questions. But
let man stand out in the corridor and
talk for five minutes in a loud voice
about Taft or Roosevelt or Clark or
Wilson of the initiative, referendum
or recall or anything of the sort ana ne
can get a large audience which will
speedily block traffic.
Last Pension Measure.
The session will long be remembered
for the enactment Of the service pen
sion Law. This measure has probably
attracted nave notice than any other
single one before congress. In view OF
the rapid disappearance Of the veter-
ans of the civil war, congress may
never again be called on to pass pen
sion measure carrying as large an IN
crease of the pension roll.
The passage Of the bill for chill
dren's bureau, of the bill abolishing
the manufacture of white phosphorus
matches. and of the eight-hour bill.
which has gore thru both houses. are
important accomplishments and con-
stitute important victories for labor
Then, there is the direct elections
This has finally been
agreed to by both houses after many
months of deadlock in conference IL
is now I'D TO the states to say whether
the country shall have direct election
OF senator's. No question probably
would exist as to the favorable out
come OF this matter were 1t not for the
Bristow amendment to the direct cleo
tons amendment which gives the FED
eral government power OF supervision
of senatorial elections
The arbitration treaties were rat'hed
by the senate but SO changed as prac-
tically to be defeated. The senate mas
ratified the treaty Of Berlin for the
regulation OF the wireless by lnterna-
tioral agreement
Metal Schedule Brief.
The bill passed early in the session
by the house for the revision OF the
metal schedule has passed the senate
with the addition Of an amendment
which repeats the reciprocity agree
ment with Canada. The house is ex-
pected to agree to this and the presi-
dent to veto the entire proposition.
Passage OF these measures and OF
part of the appropriation bills form
most Of the work Of congress as a
whole in the six months time 1t has
been in session. Each branch OF con-
gress has done a great deal Of addi-
tional work and has passed bills or
taken action of some kind on questions
before it which the other branch has
not. The house has sent the tariff bills
on wool, chemicals and sugar and the
excise bill to the senate. The senate
has still to act on these.
Much investigating.
The house committees have done
much investigating. and have enacted
much LEGISLATION on appropriation bills,
most OF WHICH tHe ScudlC "AiA eoA -
down. The senate has carried thru the
Titanic inquiry and is about to dispose
of the Lorimer case Each house has
passed a number Of bills which are i'm
portant and which are pending at the
opposite end Of the capitol to remain
pending in many cases when the ses-
sion adiourns. The house has put thru
many measures which 1t was perfectly
aware stood no show Of enactment this
session but on which it wanted for
political reasons to make record. 1t
has also refused to take up certain
matters for political reasons. Included
in these are numerous important bills
for the District Of Columbia. The indi-
cations are the meat-inspection probe
Will be .idetracked for political reasons
The highly important question OF
Panama canal tolls has been settled by
the house but not by the senate. 1t is
uncertain whether a bill will be put
thru.
On the whole, the session promises to
wind up az one Of much Legislative
thunder but little rain. The political
skies have been stormy enough but II
has been in a gusty windy fashion
The amount Of statuatory precipitation
no. haop c1iUht