Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-04

places at four desks that were never
before in the United States Senate til
this week.
The roll call of that legislative
ranch has accordingly been lengthen-
d and now includes o. senators. When
TWO vacancies, caused By death--one in
colorado and one in Tennessee-haVe
seen filed this roll call will include
s. names. Anyhow the United States
Senate is at present the largest body
nutlsrically in the history OF the Sow
erament.
81 1t is now Senator'S Marcus A.
5uith and Henry Ashurst. of the State
II Arizona, and Senators A. B. Fall and
Thomas Catron of New Mexico. The
Arizona senators are democrats and
the New Mexico senators are Repubii-
cans and the influx accordingly makes
nange in the political status IF the
naie. The swearing in af these sem
ators was about the last act that CON-
pIeled the statehood of those new sis
tiers In the Union. Their members of
f,3nszfeSs have been in Washington for
weeks serving in their representative
caaaei.s since early in the year. but
tte senators could not be elected
t3il after the legislatures had as
sembled and there had been legal
opportunity for the oaiieting.
Nj So many years sgo the Senate
consisted Of only 10 mcnibcrs There
vas All accession with the several new
states which came in during Harrison's
sdninistration. Oklahoma entered the
nien while Roosevelt vas President
nd that brought two more Democratic
senators. II is now likely ID lie MANY
years before the me nbership Of the
9. tai. is Increased This ran not be
II Il more srete are ad nitted and more
states can hardly be admitted with
ut making states from the territories
nlside of the Unitei States proper
There is already talk about states in
Hawaii Alaska and Porto Rico but this
IS not sa ne thought of seriously fer
org tine If ever
Texas hrs the authority to divide in
o four states, each of which, of course,
would be entitled to two senator's, but
Texas is not at all likely to divide in
to quarters. Every little while there
Is agitation in California for a division
into two states one north and the
other south. But while excellent argu-
ments can be advanced for such a d.
vision, there is too strong a sentiment
in opposition. The large states gen.
erolly have some pride in their size
and their people are not disposed to
make any governmental change.
The eternal tariff is looming more
and more prominently this week in
both branches of Congress. In some
aspects Republicans are driving the
Democrats rather hard and making
the situation a little uncomfortable.
They are getting some good campaign
speeches on record in that connection
Representative Nicholas Longworth OF
Cincinnati, the ex- Presidents son-in-
law and member of Ways and Means,
came forth with an effort, which was
plainly for consumption in the cam
paign.
Much of the strife Just now is over
the continuation of the tariff board,
which the President has made distinct
ly part of his tariff programme The
Democrats have decided to choke the
tariff board TO death by cutting off APP
prnpriations. Chairman Underwood has
board. in the course of a tariff speech
10 the House. House Republicans have
squarely accepted that challenge. They
propose TO carry it TO the country.
Meanwhile the tariff board is prepar-
Ing to wind up its activities and its
Eve members expect to terminate their
services June 81 This. however. may
be premature for there is to be a bit
ter struggle in the Senate toward tar
~ hoard appropriations for another
year
The delivery Of some good politi- !
cal speeches bv House Republicans is
about the first sign Of vigorous party
activity or the minority side at this
session. Representative E. j. Hill of
CONNECTICUT, who. as Sneaker Clark
said some months ago, has more tar
ifr inform tion under his crown than
any other member Of Congress-" also
spoke cencretelv and comprehensively
ngaiust the Democratic wooden bill IF
that measure is not taken OUT of poll
tics bv SUBSEQUENT action AT this ses-
sion % Congress, the Hill speech win
be used as a campaign document. II
IS in language that the average man
wifi find fairly readable.
The report of the Presidents tariff
board. recommending considerable re-
auctions in the cotton schedule. has
virtually compelled the Democrats Of
the House IN bring in another cotton
revision AT this session. They had not
Intended doing 50. However, from this
limo on the heavy tariff cannonading
-fll be I'm the Senate. The decks have
been pretty well cleared for action
here. The pension Hill has been voted
lnon and is cut of the way for the
ime being. The case of Senator