Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-12-02
BROKE ALL RECORDS.
Extra Session Just Closed Longest
Conqress Has Known.

The extraordinary session of con-
grcSS ended yesterday morning. 1t end
ed actually last Friday night; but tech
nically did not come to a close until
Yesterday Il few minutes before the
COnvening of the regular session. rms
was in accordance with the desire OF
the president, backed by the support of
Democratic congressman.
Two great projects have held the
attention of congress and the country
throughout the unprecedented work
of the year. One of these, tarin re-
vision, crystaliZed into law in Sep
tember. The other. currency reform,
still is the chief subject of legislative
interest, and will remain SO, until dis
posed of in the regular session.
The special session, opening a
month after the Democratic forces
took complete control of the govern
ment, began with reorganization OF
party leadership in the senate when
overthrew precedent and brought the
So-called progressive forces into con-
troll. Throughout the contest on tariff
and currency the session has been
marked by SolidifiCation of the Demo-
cratic ranks.
Demand of the Democratic leaders
that the currency bill be passed ut
once brings the extra session To a
stirring close. Day and night ses-
Sons of the Democratic currency con-
ference have marked the last week,
and day and night sessions of the
senate are promised for the new ses-
sion until currency legislation is con-
Cluded
Although President Wilson urged
the congress just closing to hold itself
Ia. chi
currency, several other matters of
general Importance have been con-
Sidered. One important legislative act
was the So-called Newlands law for
mediation and Cancellation in labor
disputes Under this enactment, Fed
eral arbitratorS were able to aver the
threatened strike of trainmen on east
ern railroads last summer which
threatened to tie up American COM
merce.
The abolishment of the United
States commerce court also was ac-
complished, through an amendment
to the deficiency appropriation bill.
Another appropriation bill rider
took out of the classified civil service
most of the deputy United States
marshals and deputy collectors of in
ternal revenue. Exemption of labor
union from prosecution under the
antitrust laws, so far as certain funds
We're concerned, also was accomplish
ed.
Many Legislative acts aside from the
readjustment of import duties were
embraced in the tariff bill. Most i'm
portant of these was the section pro-
Viding for the levying of an income
tax. Other provisions included the
prohibition against the importation of
feathers of birds, special rebate on
goods brought in American ships. an
act designed to encourage American
Shipbuilding and to strengthen the
american merchant marine.
The long fight over the proposed
tax on cotton futures, to prevent cot
ton gambling" failed in the final de-
velopmentS prior to the passage of
the tariff bill. The cotton tax subject
was so thoroughly discussed however,
and the advocates of it came to such
an understanding, that it is expected
that measure TO regulate trading in
futures will be passed before the new
session ends
Many other bills which underwent
preliminary preparation in the COM
mittee rooms will be pushed to con-
clusion in the new congress. These
include the 'Scaman's servitude bill, "
which passed the senate; the Hetch-
Hctchy bill to grant San Francisco
water supply rights in that valley,
which passed the house and is to he
voted on by the senate December g.,
and the Alaskan railroad bill, which
the senate has agreed to take up in
December.
The investigating activities of the
special session were confined chiefly
To the probing of lobbying activities
and to the inquiry into cause and con-
duct of the strike in the West Vir-
ginia coal fields. The special commit
tee that conducted these investiga-
tionS have not completed their work
and will not report until early next
year.