Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-03-21
Work of Short Session

Work OF Short Session.
important actions in the short SEES
sion just closing include:
"Literacy test immigration bin
passed. but vetoed by President Taft.
Single s~ix-year presidential term
amendment passed by Senate
Life prisoners in federal prisons made
eligible to parole.
Five-year closed season for fur seals
Incorporated in the International seal
treaty.
Federal control of water bowers de-
feated in the senate.
Manufacturers of foods required to
state the net weight and contents ON
outside of food package.
Government authorized by law to
seize trust controlled goods az soon as
Imported into the United States.
Lincoln memorial authorized to cost
81, OOO, 600.
The democratic majority that took
control OF the House when congress or
ganized 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 republican
forces in the Senate. reached Presi-
dent Taft. They Were vetoed on the
ground that the tariff board was CON
Quoting Investigations. the results of
which must be known before a proper
revision of the tariff could be made.
Work Of Long Session.
Legislative work throughout the spe-
cial session. and the long session begin
ming In December. 1911, and running
through last August, included the fol-
lowing:
Increase in the size of the House of
Representatives. from 1896 to 435 mem
bers.
Age and service pension law, increas-
ing civil war pensions.
E~ight-hour law covering government
contracts
Admission of Arizona and New Mexi-
co to statehood.
Use of poisonous White PHOSPHORUS
in match making prevented by the ex-
cessive tax.
Pure drug Law amended to prevent
misleading labels or patent medicines.
Wireless communication brought UNI
der careful regulation. the law requir-
ing. the wireless on all 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-
ferers in lower Mississippi valley.
Commerce court and tariff board vir-
tually %legislated out OF existence.
Industrial commission authorized to
study relations tive capital and la
Dor.
Treaties Ratified.
This congress has witnessed the rat
%ification of many important treaties
with foreign nations. The arbitration
treaties with France and Great Brit
ain. negotiated by President Taft, how
ever. We're not ratified. because the
Senate so amended them that the presi-
Gent considered theytHaidt not carry out
\ ia a. ~ ~ n1S 4 n nd ~ ere ~ Ia att1 t1NA t,-,
powers
In the two years. however. the fol-
lowing important agreements have been
perfected:
Pecuniar3 claims treaty with Great
Britain.
North Atlantic coast fisheries agree
merit with Great britain.
f@l' seal treaty with Great Britain,
Russia and Japan.
international wireless treaty with
ie:'diil.s foreign powers.
l~micrnationa WAY prize agreement.
international agreement covering
sanitary measures Tor the control OF
cyl emics.
General arbitration treaty with
IAN, extende 10 1a1S.
Sopyiieht treatE Nth Hungary.
International agreement covering as
slatanec n SALVAGE at sea.
Inquiries Begun.
investigation covering Il wide range
on important subjects Mere conducted.
In addition to these enumerated (the
money trust campaign expenditures
and steel inquiries). special committees
and the regular standing committees of
the two houses have conducted the fol-
lowing:
Tariff hearings by ways means
committee. in preparation for new DEM
%ocratic tariff bills.
Currency hearings. preparatory to
raining monetary reforms.
Investigation of affairs of American
Sugar Refining company. and it's AL
legged domination of the market.
Inquiry into the Titanic disaster.
Investigation of conditions along
Mexican border and alleged financing
of Mexican r~evolutionists by Ameri
cans.
shipping trust inquiry to deter
mine extent OF the common control OF
ocean routes.
investigation of Indian affairs on
various reservations and at Washing-
ton.
investigation of agricultural. treas
ury and other government departments.
Investigation of land grants about
Controller bay. Alaska.
President Taft has used he veto
power freely throughout the congress-.
Fully 20 bills have met his disapproval,
including democratic tariff bills. appro-
priation bills which contained com
merce court. civil service and army
reorganization and legislation of which
he did not approve: water power bills
In which the principle Of federal con-
troll was not recognized. and the immi-
grafton bill containing the "literacy
test" feature.