Semi-weekly herald., 1913-03-10
poINGs OF PAST CONGRESS.

WAShlNGlO4N, ~. N', mar =" ''
The Sixty-second congress when it
closed Tuesday had been in almost
continuous session since early in the
summer of 1911. There were three
sessions in all, the first in 1911-a
special session for consideration of the
Canadian reciprocity treaty-the tar
iff session from Dec. 4, 1911, to Aug.
"a, 1912, and the session ending Tues
day, which began Dec. 2, 1912.
Principal accomplishments of the
Sixty-second congress included:
Abrogation of Russian passport
treaty.
Admission of New Mexico and Ari-
zona to statehood.
Custer of Senator William Lorimer
of Illinois.
Impeachment of Commerce Court
Judge Robert w. Archibald.
Establishment of the parcel post.
Enactment of the Panama canal bill.
Reapportionment of congress.
Investigation of the Ballinger-Pin-
chot controversy.
Investigations of the steel, beef,
money. and shipping trusts.
Enactment of the Sherwood $1-a-
day pension bill.
Raising of the battleship Maine in
Havana harbor.
A dozen treaties were negotiated
during the life of the congress. The
reciprocity pact was rejected by Can
ada and the emasculated peace treat
les" with Great Britain France and
Germany were authorized, but never
presented to the foreign powers.
During the last session in 1911,
President Taft vetoed bills to revise
the wool, cotton and steel tariffs and
bill to put agricultural machinery
on the free list.
The second session was devoted al
| most entirely to tariff, six bills pass
| ing the house and two by the senate.
The latter, revising duties on wool and
cotton manufactures, were vetoed. At
tempts to pass them over the vetoes
| failed.
Little was accomplished during the
! last season except passage of the ap-
| preparation bills. The resolution of
Senator Works limiting tenure of
presidents to single term of six
years passed the senate, but died
in the house. The house also sent to
the senate the bill of Representative
Atamson of Georgia for physical val
uation of all railroads.
The principal public enactments OF
the first session of the last congress
were:
Canadian reciprocity treaty.
| Increase of representation in the
house from 1893 to 435.
| Publicity of campaign contributions
Admission of Arizona and New
Mexico to statehood.
4 Extradition treaty with Salvador.
Second investigation ordered of Sen
ator Lorimer.
Appropriation of s250,OOO to raise
the battleship Maine
Vetoes of wool, cotton, steel, and
free farm machinery tariff bills.
In the second session the princi-
pal legislation was:
Establishment of the child labor
bureau.
Making naval cadets ensigns upon
graduation.
Prohibiting manufacture of white
phosphorus matches.
i Appropriations for Mississippi flood
victims.
Sherwood pension law.
i Prohibiting interstate commerce in
prize fight moving picture films.
Radio legislation.
Establishing commission on indus
trial relations.
Providing territorial assembly for
Alaska,
Panama canal tolls and administra-
tion act.
Granting medal to Capt. Arthur H.
Rostron of steamship Carpathia for
services sescuing Titanic survivors.
Appointing Mexican war claims
commission.
Lengthening army enlistment to
four years.
Adjustment of tariff commission
and limiting appropriations for COM
merce court
Declaring vacant the senate seat
of William Lorimer.
Ordering investigation of Commerce
Court Judge Archibald
Negotiation of peace, wireless and
fishing treaties.
Steel, money, shipping and beef
trust Investigations and Clapp COM
mittee's campaign contributions in
quiry.
The impeachment trial of Judge
Archibald practically monopolized the
senate's time from Dec. 3, 1912, until