Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-04-18
Congressional Notes


MIR. Mann OF Illinois. the minority
leader.
The senate passed the army appro-
priation bill carrying S95,314,710, or
s7,537,153 more than when it passed
the house and $2,726,925 more than
last years bill
There are excellent prospects for
good roads mix-up among house
Democrats. The committee on rules
favorably reported Leader Under
woods resolution providing for the
appointment OF a joint committee of
three senators and three representa-
tives TO Investigate the question OF
roads in general and make recommen-
dations touching possible federal aid.
With the approval Of the house lead.
ers, Representative Oldfcld of Arkan-
sas, chairman Of the house committee
on patents. introduced a bill intended
to prevent the untold evils" which
Chief Justice White. in his dissent,
said would follow the recent supreme
court decision in the patent monop-
oily case"
Joseph Sellwood, an ore mine ex
pert of Duluth. told the house steel in
vestigating committee that the Lake
Superior ore region contains 100000
900 tons of available ore, of which
about 100000 tons, including the
Hill lease ores, are controlled by the
United States Steel corporation.
The senate knocked out the house
proposal TO reduce the cavalry from
fifteen regiments to ten at the close
of a debate which took a wide range.
The senate probably will amend its
rules soon so as to permit less than a
majority of committee members to
constitute a quorum.
President Taft by executive order
modified the so-called gag rule" upon
civil service employees, which practi-
cally forbade them to petition con-
gress except under certain restricted
conditions.
The house committee on agriculture
gave a hearing on the twenty eight
pending bills aimed at so-called gam
bling in crop futures" Representa-
tives of the Association of Grain Deal
ers finished their arguments opposing
bills preventing speculation in grain.
Representative Broussard of Louis
lana (Dem.), representing a cane SUI
gar state, testified before the senate
committee on finance that the Demo-
cratic house free sugar bill was based
on ignorance. He contended that the
United States would lose S150,00O,O00
II the bill were enacted.
With every prospect of long debate,
the house began consideration of the
postoffice appropriation bill carrying
$259, S27,749. provisions for a rural
parcels post, steel mail cars after
1917, an eight hour day for clerks and
carriers in Grst and second class Of
fees. increases in pay for rural car
riers and other hard fought reforms.
A charge that Wall street and the
big corporations were controlling the
house money trust inquiry was made
by Representative Lindbergh of Min
nesota, Republican, In resolution
which would compel every member to
disclose his business and corporation
affiliations.
A favorable report on the Peters
bill for the incorporation of the Rock
efeller foundation Ito promote the
well being, and to advance the civil
lzation, of the peoples of the world"
was ordered by the judiciary commit
tee of the house.
The workmen's compensation act,
framed by the federal employers liza
bility commission, and recommended
by the senate judiciary committee,
came up in the senate for the first
time, when Senator Chamberlain of
Oregon spoke in advocacy of it.
The fight to eliminate from the In
dian appropriation bill the proviso
requiring the payment from the funds
of the five civilized tribes of the sala-
ries of tribal officials and attorneys,
broke out in the house again. Repre-
sentative Miller of Minnesota (Rep.)
sought to have it stricken from the
bill, but was defeated.
Full publicity of contributions and
expenditures in the nomination of
president and vice-president at regu-
lar intervals before the nominating
convention and q final statement with
IN thirty days after each convention
are proposed in a bill introduced by
Representative Henry of Texas, who
prepared it in collaboration with Rep
'esentative Rucker of Missouri
Huntington Wilson, assistant secre-
larry OF state, testifying before the
| senate finance committee, said the
free sugar bill would mean the abro-
cation of the agreement between the
United States and Cuba, which gives
the United States an advantage of
20 per cent preferential in Cuban su-
gar exports; that II would seriously
Affect the Cuban market, to which the
United States now exports $50, 100000
Of products annually, American -four
being the principal item affected.
The nomination of George L. Town
send to be United States marshall of
Delaware was ordered fevorably re-
ported by the judiciary committee.