Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-03
Work Accomplished by the cd
Congress in Its Three Sessions.

control OF the House when the Con-
gress- organized insisted On going ahead
with other features of tariff revision,
and passed wool, cotton. free list and
some other bills. All three measures
with the aid of the Progressive Repub-
lican forces in the Senate reached
President Taft. They were vetoed ON
the ground that the tariff board was
conducting inVestigat tons. the results
of which must be known before Il pro-
per rev lSion of the tariff could be made.
Legislative work throughout the spe-
eial session, and the long session he
ginning in December, 1911. and running
through last August. included the fol-
lowing:
Increase in the size of the House of
Representatives. from 29G To f3i mem
bers.
Age and service pension law, incrcas-
ing Civil War pensions.
I1ight-hour law covering government
contracts.
Admission of Arizona and New Mexi-
co to Statehood.
Use Of poisonous white phosphorus in
! match making prevented by excessive
tax.
Pure drug law amended to prevent
! misleading labels on patent medicines.
Wireless communication brought I'M
der careful regulation, the Law requir-
ing the wireless on al ocean vessels To
be adequately manned.
Government transports required to
carry an ample number Of lifeboats
Red Cross recognized officially as
branch of Government service in time
of war.
Federal relief given to 1912 food suf-
fcrers in lower Mississippi Valley.
Commerce Court and Tariff Board
virtually lesislated ont Of existence.
Industrial Commission authorized, to
study relations between capital and la-
Dor
This Congress has witnessed the rat
ificat:on of many important treaties
with foreign nations. The arbitra ton
treaties with France and Great Britain.
negotiated by President Taft. however,
were not ratified, because the Senate
so amended them that the President
| considered they did, not carry ont the
understandings made with the two
powers.
In the two years, however, the fol-
| lowing important agreements have been
| perfected
Peeuniary Claims treaty with Great
| Britain.
North Atlantic Coast Fisheries agree
ment with Great Britain.
Fur seal treaty with Great Britain,
Russia and Japan.
International wireless treaty with
| leading foreign nations.
Il nc
International agreement covering
sanitary measures for the control OF
epidemics.
General arbitration treaty with
| France extended TO 1913.
Copyright treaty with Hungary
International agreement covering as
| sistance aud salvage at sea.
Investigations covering a wide range
| of important subjects were conducted.
| In addition to those enumerated tthe
money trust campaign expenditures
and steel nquiries), special committees
and the regular standing committees
| of the two houses have conducted the
| following:
! Tariff hearings. by Ways and Means
| Committee, in preparation fer new
| Democratic tariff bills.
| Currency hearings, preparatory To-
| framing monetary reforms.
| Investigation of affairs of American
! Sugar Refining Company, and its al
| legged domination of the market.
| Inquiry into the Titanic disaster.
Investigation of conditions along
| Mexican border and alleged financing
of Mexican revolutionists by Ameri-
| cans.
| Shipping trust" inquiry, TO determine
| extent of the common control Of ocean
! routes.
| Investigations of Indian affairs, on
| various reservations, and at Washing
| ton.
| Investigations of agricultural treas
ury. and other government depart
| ments.
| Investigation of land grants about
Controller Bay, Alaska.
| President Taft has used the veto
| mower freely throughout the Congress
| Fully 30 bills have met his disapproNai.
| including Democratic tariff bills, APP
| propriation bills which contained Com
merce Court, civil service and army re-
oreaniza ton and legislation of which
he did not approve; water power bills
| in which the principal of federal con-
| troll was not recognized: and the immi-
| grafton bill containing the 'literacy
| test" feature.