The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-01-12
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
Washington, January s, 1912.

Legislative machinery to provide for
operation of the Panama Canal and con-
troll of the Canal Zone will be started
Tuesday, when the House Committee on
Interstate Commerce will hold its first
meeting to frame program for hearings
and other preliminary work, as basis of
the bill which will be reported out to the
House later in the session.
Chairman Adamson and his committee
have Just returned from trip to Panama,
where they conferred with Chief Engineer
Goethals and other officials who are
working to put the great ISthmian ditch
into active operation by January 1, 1915,
and perhaps, as they say, year earlier.
Adamson has voiced the opinion that the
progress and quality of the work done
there is entirely satisfactory. The inten-
tention of the committee is to seek as
much light as possible. Adamson said
Colonel Goethals might be summoned to
Washington and that if the Secretary of
War or the Secretary of the Navy could
give the committee any information they
would be asked to appear.
Two appropriation bills are about
ready to emerge from committee Of the
House The District Of Columbia bill
which last year carried SI2, 900, 900. will
be completed and reported to the House
early this week, and / will be followed
quickly by the pension appropriation bill,
which usually runs close to $50, DOC, 900
Even with this big pension supply
measure a formidable supplement to the
pension expenditures. the Sherwood So
called dollara dav bill, will be consd-
cred in the Senate Committee on Pen
sions tomorrow The Sherwood bill,
which already has passed the House. has
few friends in the Senate and the diSpo-
sition is to cut any expenditures along
that line TO at least SIS ,ooo 900 or $780,
600. 600.
Chairman McCumber. of the Senate
Committee on Pensions, has bill of his
own, embodying both age and service
features. which he will urge as SubStl
tute. His estimate OF the annual cost I'M
der his bill is approximately ST., 600, 900,
while the Sherwood bill is estimated al
about S., 900, 600. Action thus for has
been delayed to await revised cost est.
mates from the Pension Bureau.
The arbitration treaties with Great
Britain and France probably will be called
I'D in open session of the Senate within
fortnight. Friends of the treaties have
held up action pending a marshallDg OF
the strength necessary for their ratiiica
ton. This strength has not developed
sufficiently yet but there are indications
OF a gain among the Democratic Sena
tors and sentiment increasing favorablv
to Senator Roots proposal to provide
directly that nothing in the treaties shall
! be construed to bind the United States to
arbtrate such questions as the Monroe
Doctrine or control of immigration.
Senator Lorimer will testify under oath
for the first time since the Senate order
ed an invest CATION of his election Judge
HaneCv. his counsel, intends to let the
Senator tell his own story i'll his own
way. He NAV take two days 10 do SO.
Then then the cross examination will be
gin.
Some Senators on the investigating
committee intend to question Lormer at
length. Following his testimony the
committee is expected to begin work on
its report to the Senate, where the final
| fight will come.
The House Sugar Trust Investigating
Committee is scheduled to resume hear
ings, and the National Monetary Com
mission will send its final report 10 Con-
gress on Thursday.
Senator dupont will speak in the Sen
ate on bill to raise volunteer military
forces in time of actual or threatened war,
and the House Foreign Affairs Commit
tee will act on the bill making effective
the international protection of fur seal
and otter in the North Pacific.
Andrew Carnegie is expected TO testify
before the House Steel Committee on
Wednesday.
1t cost proprietor Of a skating rink at
Prescott, Ariz., just 500 to deny admit
lance to army officers in khaki uniform
last month.
The AttorneyGeneral has informed
the War Department that the District
Attorney at Tucson prosecuted this man
and upon his plea Of guilty The fine was
imposed.
A similar case, which occurred at
Tombstone, Ariz. is about to be prose-
cuted
The Commissioners of the District of
Columbia have reported adversely on
Senator Works bill making it unlawful
to publish details of crimes and accidents
in the District.
In sending their report to Senator Gal
lDyeI, Cldli llIdl vi luc lJlStIlCl commit
tee of the Senate, the Commissioners
say:
''While there are doubtless instances
in which the details of crimes are the sub.
ject of injudicious and harmful newspaper
publication, the publicity given by the
press generally tends to lessen evil cond-
tons and thus renders a useful public
service
That the dread of publicity has de-
terrent influence upon those disposed or
tempted TO the commission of crime may
reasonably be inferred from the fact that
most offenders against the law earnestly
seek to avoid exposure of the circum-
stances Of their misbehavior in newspa-
per reports of their trials
Hence. although reasonable surveil-
lance OF such publications might be de-
sirable, the Commissioners do not be
leve that the enactment of the radical
legislation contemplated by the bill is adj
visable."
Tn, Works bill provided = fine of $500
to $1,000 with imprisonment not exceed
ing one year, for violation Of the act.
New Mexico, the forty-seventh State to
enter the union. ceased to be territory
Monday, when President Taft signed the
proclamation of Statehood
-Four members of the Presidents Cab
met, the two Congress-elect from New
Mexico, dozen prominent citizens from
the new State, several White House en-
ployes and three photographers witness
ed the ceremony, which took place in the
Presidents private office.