The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-20
Panama Bill is Discussed by
Congressman
QUESTION OF ADJOURNMENT
Action of Massachusetts, on the Popular
Election of Senators is Significant
Senator Strongly Opposed
Such Law.

Washington, May 20.-Although the
Senate was adjourned Saturday to catch
its breath, as it were, for an arduou.
week, the House which seems ever dis.
posed to labor while there is time dis.
cussed with no mean ability and with a
more populous House than might be ex.
pected the Panama bill. The discussion
is proving rather void Of sensations and
acrimony. Perhaps this is due to the
fact that it is expected that quite anoth-
| er bill will be written when the bill shall
| 90 into conference between the two
! houses. AT all events, it is regarded
as good to see this most important bill
in the final stages Of legislation. Prob
ably if it were not for politics, the leg
islation would occasion a great deal OF
public discussion, for it is of vital inn
portance to the commerce of the coun-
try, affecting as it does railroad rates
from ocean to ocean and coastwise and
interoeean water traffic as WELL
The reports from the conference COM
mittee OF both houses on the army bill
indicate reasonable compromises, and
that the committees of both houses can
get together on important legislation put
in the appropriation bills. The relation
of the number of cavalry regiments as
they now are is victory for the SEN
ates attitude, and what is probably also
the country's attitude, whereas the
House is permitted to add one year to
the length Of the army enlistments; it
had been proposed to make it five; they
are now three Deadlocks over the APP
preparation bills, resulting possibly in
the government being permitted to run
after June 80 without appropriations
authorized by Congress, are made to
seem less likely by a reasonable coming
together Of both branches of the legisla-
tive body.
The rapid action Of the House of Rep
resentatives OF the Massachusetts, legis-
lature in ratifying the amendment to the
constitution providing for the popular
election Of senators has not passed with
out notice in Washington and it is ac-
cepted that undoubtedly Massachusetts,
will now be the first state to ratify the
amendment, unless it permits the Louis
lana legislature TO do so, that body hay
ing u session presently, according to re-
port here Ii is commented that If the
late Senator Hear could know of this
celebrity in Massachusetts, he would turn
in his grave, for his extended speech
against popular election of senators, de-
livered over several days in the Senate in
April of 1898 has remained a classic on
this subject to this day Edition after
edition has been called for as a Senate
document and the circulation of the
speech must have been extensive, but
it has all proved, il is remarked, in vain,
apparently, even in the Bay state.
Word received here from Massachu-
setts indicates that Republicans there are
already giving thought for whom else
to vote in the event Of the nomination
of the third term candidate, but that
they do not want to vote for Champ
Clark as the alternative. The organized
antithird term movement naturally con-
tinues to meet with approval but it is
commented that it is not likely to ac-
crue much energy and influence over the
voters ii under the management of such
aged men as former Senator Blair. 10
is beautiful TO see their patriotism, but
the cause needs, more than anything else,
ti=s erusading fury of young men, who
so far are showing signs of little reyer-
ence for the third-term tradition.