The searchlight., 1912-03-29

The senate military affairs commit
tee added S275,000 for equipment of
coast artillery companies Of the mill.
tia.
Washington, ID. c. - The Demo
cratic excise bill to virtually tax
everybody's income when II IL IS, 900
or more a year passed the house $50
to 40. The Democrats voted solidly
for 1t and carried so Republican votes
with them. Forty regular Republic.
ans were the opposition.
The bill now goes to the senate
where it's fate is problematic. Many
senators declared that IL upon analy-
sis they found the house measure
would tax all classes of people alike,
they would support it. Democratic
senators with few exceptions are ex-
pected to vote for IL. Democratic
Leader Martin expressed the hope
that the Democratic senator's and the
progressive Republicans might put the
bill through. Republican leaders are
depending upon the presidents veto
to check revenue revision bills from
the house.
The excise bill though primarily in
tended to produce anywhere from $20,-
100000 to $60,000.0O0 year to make
up for the losses on free sugar is also
expected to be one of the offsets to
general pension legislation which
seems sure to be enacted.
Democratic Leader Underwood held
his majority intact through the pas
sage of the bill. Not one Democratic
vote was cast against il, and the
measure was passed exactly as
framed.
With the free sugar bill and excise
tax bills out of the way Democratic
members of the ways and means com
mittee are free to tackle again the
wool schedule which is considered the
knottiest problem they have to deal
with at this session OF congress. The
committee will begin work with the
free raw wool sentiment strong.
The house passed the rivers and
harbors appropriation bill carrying up
wards of $28.250,00O. The vote for II
was unanimous.
The senate agreed to adjourn on
Saturday in time to participate in the
Maine memorial exercises.
Washington, ID. &. The aboli-
tion of the United States senate and
the Office Of vice president with a re-
duction of the membership of the
house to 800 is proposed in a resolu.
ton which Representative Lindbergh
of Minnesota announced he would in
troduce. Mr.. Lindbergh, as one of the
advanced Republican Progressives.
forced the inquiry into the so-called
money trust.
The main feature Of Mr.. Lindbergh's
resolution provides for the creation OF
n committee at large" which would
have absolute control over the legisla.
tive activity of congress. The men,
bers of the committee would be elect
ed by the country at large for a term
of 10 years and il could prevent the
submission of bills to the president
This opposition could be overcome
only by two-thirds vote of the house.
In order to provide what Mr.. Lind
bergh called checks and balances"
in his plan. he invoked the recall OF
the members OF the committee at
large whenever their actions, In the
minds Of the people. justified their re.
moval. Presidential succession in the
absence of the vice presidential Of
fee. would be dictated by the commit
tee.
Mr.. Lindbergh's resolution will be
the first concrete plan for a change in
the existing form Of government. al
though many suggestions recently
have been made. He declared his in
tention to press early action on his
reform scheme and claimed he had a
rapidly growing support for it.
A California wine manufacturer.
opposing the bill to prohibit transport
ing liquors from wet states into dry
states, told the judiciary committee
the best cure for drunkenness was
to encourage the use of wine.
Washington. = =. i'susFec,-
of coal strike stirred members OF
both houses of congress TO action.
Senator Townsend introduced bill
to provide a federal investigation OF
any controversy affecting interstate
commerce, and Representative Esch
proposed a similar measure in the
house. Senator Townsend's bill is
similar to one he introduced when a
member of the house several years
ago.
Washington. ID. C.-Secretary Knox