The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-10
SQUEEZING STAGE
is CAUSING WORRY
Congress Is Facing Jam
of Accumulated
Business.
FEW DAYS LEFT OF
PRESENT SESSION
Bills of Past Two Years Must Be
Crowded in Little Time That
Remains and Take Chances
of Getting Through-Ap-
pointnlent Fight
Continues.

/ has reached the "squcczipg" stage OF
! the session. Important legislation that
has accumulated during the last two
years must be crowded into the work
Of the next three weeks. and must
take It's chances of success in the jam
of appropriation bills still to be con-
| sidered. Several managers OF the two
| houses who bear the responsibility of
getting things through" consequently
are wearing troubled looks and won
dcring how much actual business can
be transacted in the few remaining
working days before March 4.
| II is not an unusual situation at the
end of short scssion. but experience
of former years apparently has had
! little influence on the handling OF the
big supply measures this session. there
! remaining to be considered appropria-
tions for nearly sl.o0c, 100000 worth of
! public expenditures.
/ An important element in the end of
the sessions rush this year is the fact
! that the leaders in both houses are
ns much engrosscd with plans for the
! coming extra session as with details Of
the dying one.
/ Democrats Dominate Senate.
Democratic leaders in House and
/ Senate arc absorbed in questions Of
! rcncy and general legislative plans
! for the opening days OF the Wilson
administration. 4 Republican Presi
dent and nominal Republican ma
i.iorty In the Senate are still in con-
/ troll, but the closing days OF the ses
| the Senate by the Demcct Stic forces.
The Democrats exhibit that conf
| dence OF action which comes from a
| certain majority in the new Senate
J ard the knowledge that there will be
! little, II any. more important legisla-
/ ton enacted by Congress before they
! take charge OF affairs Little activity
has been evident for some time In the
| internal Democratic fight for control
! of the Sanate. due chiefly to the we'll
, grounded belief on the part OF the So
called Progressive Democratic ele-
ment' that IL will effect a compromise
that Will give the newer Senators q
full voice in Senate affairs.
| The fight against President Tafts
appointments continues. however. with
unabated vigor. While a compromise
may be reached ultimately as to the
Taft appointments, allowing some of
/ them to be confirmed. tho Democrats
| are unpavGring in their purpose OF
nations until March 4, when the places
would automatically become open for
appointments by President Wilson.
| His Attitude Unknown.
! Whether President Elect Wilson Is
in harmony with the action OF Demo-
! cratic leaders in this plau is not made
known. His latest discussion of the
subject has shown his unwiiiingness
, to be drawn into a declaration OF his
attitude toward the patronage fight.
! Republican threats that the appoint
inents by President Wilson after March
II a IL T..
have become open ana emphatic In the
| last week, but the development ap-
! parcntly has not weakened the Demo-
cratic opposition.
Aside from work upon the tariff bills.
now going on behind closed doors In
| the House Ways and Means Committee,
the Democrats are working upon no
definite arrangement for the early days
of the extra session. Currency and
other Legislation are under informal
| consideration, and the way is being
paved for speedy action upon any sub
jects that may be approved by Presi-
dent Wilson when he has consulted fur
ther with legislative and executive
advisers after inauguration.
i Those closest to the President-elect
in Congress reflect his determination
not to announce policies or programs
until the new administration comes
| into power. Senator'S Hoke Smith.
Gore and OGorman, Representatives
Underwood Palmer. of Pennsylvania:
Burleson and Henry. of Texas. and
| Speaker Clark are looked upon as more
intimately acquainted with the pres
ent attitude of Governor Wilson than
the majority of their colleagues. What
information they have, however, as to
hia wishes Is not being reflected openly
In their discussion of the approaching
sessions work.
Democrats mt Odds.
Rumors of sharp division within the
Democratic membership Of the Ways
and Means Committee over the franz
ing of the new tariff bills have been
curI Ient during the week, but it is be-
lievcd the committee will effect an
agreement on each bill before it Is
offered to the new Congress, so that
no substitute measure will be brought
into the fight.
There also is marked division
among Democrats in both houses over
the Panama Canal free toll question.
but the attitude of President Elect Will
son has not been brought out In the
close political associate is opposing
vigorously an effort to repeal the free
toll provision Of the law passed last
August, but his position. It is claimed,
results from the fact that he was in
strumental in having the free toll
plank put into the Democratic ma
tional platform and that he believes
the party has been definitely committed
to the policy.
Many other Democrats in both
Houses favor an Immediate repeal OF
the free toll provision against which
Great Britain has protested SO that the
new President might start with a
clean slate" and without inheriting
the British dispute from the Taft ad-
ministration. It is expected that Sem
ator OGorman will be put on the FL
nance Committee when the Senate re-
organizes, leaving his present place on
the Foreign Relations Committee. III
the new Congress this Will be the lead
1 ing Senate committee.
Plans for the Inauguration of Presi-
dent Elect Wilson already are obtrud-