Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-05
Kansas Senator Would Have
Initiative and Recall Of
Judicial Decisions Made
Part of Constitution.
FIRST SUPPLY BILL
IS REPORTED TODAY
Legislative, Executive and
Judicial Appropriation
Measure Carries Nearly
Thirty-five Million.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 4.-The in
itiative and the recall of judicial de-
cisions, as amendments to the federal
constitution were proposed today by
Senator Bristow In resolutions laid be-
fore the senate.
Senator Bristows first resolution
would permit the president to submit
to popular vote at congressional
election any measure he has recon.
mended to congress and upon which
no action has been taken for six
months.
The second would provide that III
the supreme court shall decide law
enacted by congress Is In violation OF
the provisions of the constitution of
the United States the congress at
regular session held after such decis.
ion may submit the act to the electors
at a regular congressional election.
Under each amendment it is pro.
posed that the questions submitted to
the people must have majority of
the popular vote In majority of the
state, as well as in majority of the
congressional districts of the nation.
In brief address Senator Bristow
declared the amendment affecting the
president would enable him to appeal
from dilatory or adverse congress to
the people and. that 9 the president
could not as an excuse for signing an
undesirable measure say that 1t was
the best he could get fran an unfriend-
" congress. Senator Bristow in support
Of his amendment affecting decisions
Of the supreme court declared that 1t
would "give to the people an oppor-
tunity to state whether or not they
desire the law, enacted by congress
and approved by the president, to
stand as the last expression of their
will and Judgment" The resolutions
were referred to the judiciary commit
tee.
Big Supply Bill Reported.
The first big supply bill of the pres.
ent session Of congress the legisla
tive and judicial appropriation bill was
reported to the house today by the
appropriations committee. The meas
ure carries $34,897, ,105.5o. decrease
of $319,027.8S from the corresponding
bill in the previous session. The esti.
mate Of the secretary of the treas
ury, $36,514,955.50 were cut more than
million dollars by the committee.
AS presented to the full committee
by the subcommittee which framed it
the bill included provision by Rep.
resentative Burleson of Texas, making
former presidents members at large
Of the house, with salary of $17,50O.
But full committee disapproved and
It was struck out.
Commerce Court Unprovided.
The commerce court is not provided
for in the measure. The court asked
for $54,5OO for the coming fiscal year,
but the committee would not allow the
item. The last legislative, executive
and judicial bill gave the court just
enough money to take it to March
of next year.
President-elect Wilson will probably
get the regular annual allowance Of
$4,000 for travelling expenses.
The committee included in the bill
4 provision putting the clerks Of the
members Of the house on the house
payrolls and paying them direct. At
present members draw $1,500 year
for clerk hire and. pay their own
clerks. There has been much com
plant that the full amount does not go
to the clerks. The bill omits all ap-
propriations for the mint at Carson,
New, and assay offices at Charlotte, N.
c.; Boise, Idaho; Helena, Mont, and
Salt Lake City, Utah
The bill will be considered on the
floor at once and will be the first sup
Z 49,, b j