Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-12-05
tor and representative, ten at large to
be appointed by the president.

-
Minor Acts of Legislation.
Quite n number of minor acts of leg
islation were passed, including bridge
and land bills of local interest.
Recognition of the Gettysburg semi
centennial was made in providing trans
portation for Union and Confederate
veterans of the District OF Columbia
to that famous battlefield.
Tents were loaned to the Confeder-
ate veterans for their reunion at
Brunswick. Ga.
The president was authorized to APP
point delegates to the international
Purity federation ut Minneapolis, MINI.
Provision was made for congression-
al representation at the unwilling Of
the Jefferson monument at st. Louis
and the Congress hall celebration at
Philadelphia; also the opening of the
exposition at Knoxville. Tenn.
The secretary of agriculture was au-
thorized to make an exhibit at the
corn exposition, Dallas, Tex.
A number of bills relating to public
buildings were passed.
Tho Seaman's Bill.
A bill of more than ordinary impor-
lance because 1t makes many changes
In the navigation laws was passed by
the senate, but was not considered by
the house. 1t Is known as the sea-
mans bill, although 1t makes provision
for greater safety of passengers at sea-.
The bill in some form has been pend.
ing before congress for nineteen years
and has been advocated by representa-
tives of the seamen's union. 1t is ex-
pected to pass the house during the
coming session.
Another measure of considerable im-
portance which passed the senate and
is still pending In the house makes 1t
unlawful for any member of congress
to serve on Il committee or solicit
funds for campaign purposes. That
bill is the outcome of the inyestiga-
ton made during the campaign of 1912,
when many prominent witnesses were
summoned.
The senate has agreed to take up
and consider a bill providing for the
construction and operation of railroads
In Alaska on Monday, Dec. s. but as
no time has been fixed for a vote 1t IS
quite likely that the bill will be dis
placed by the currency bill.
On the senate calendar IS a bill "re-
lating to the exclusion of traffic from
the streets and avenues of Washington
during parades.n 1t is the outgrowth
of interference with the woman suf-
frage parade on the Sd of March.
Bills Passed by the House.
Very few bills have been taken up
by the house save those mentioned, but
the Hetch-H etchy bill was passed and
Is pending in the senate with an agree
ment to consider and vote upon 1t dur
ing the first week of the regular ses-
sion.
a bill to create an additional judge
IN Pennsylvania has been doing the
shuttlecock act between the houses on
account Of q provision to create anoth-
err circuit Judge In West Virginia hav-
ing been attached to 1t. 1t now re-
poses on the house calendar.
Lobby Investigation.
BY far one of the most interesting
Investigations of the many that have
taken place during the past two or
three years was the senate lobby in
vestigation which followed a declara-
ton by the president that a lobby was
trying to defeat certain features OF
the tariff bill. About the same time
the Mulhall disclosures were publish
ed, which reflected upon both senator's
and representatives, and the lobby In
v~estigation was turned into a MuIball
investigation. the house joining with
an investigation of its own. A special
committee of the senate has taken
thousands of pages Of testimony, and
the end is not yet in sight. No report
was ever made. The investigation
was started primarily to get informa-
ton upon which to base tariff action,
but the tariff bill was out of the way
before the Investigators were ear the
end of their inquiry.
Presidential Addresses.
The special session was notable for
the introduction of an innovation liz
the matter of delivering presidentias
messages. The messages were deliv-
cred In person by the president. who
addressed congress in joint session in
the hall of the house of representa-
tives on three different occasions This
revives a custom which existed Ina she
days of Washington and Adams. but
has not been the practice since the
days of the first two presidents. The
first address related to the tariff, the
next to currency and the third to con-
ditions in Mexico. The president has
announced that he will continue to-
communicate with congress in this
way. Another innovation on the part
of the president was in visiting the
capitol building and seeing senator's
and representatives in his room, which
heretofore has been used by a presi-
don't mhan ha a-aat 70 4La aanital -.