The Meeker herald., 1913-11-29
The Congressional Program

" bbuluktOus
''The regular session of the 68rd
congress will convene next Monday
and no one anticipates an adjourn-
ment before August l, 1914.
In those eight months Of law mak-
ing the majority In both houses will
either make or break the Democratic
party.
"We have been in control Of the
government since March 4th. ID
that time Woodrow Wilson has
succeeded in making good with tho
American people. But the Demo-
cratic congress Is still on trial We
have passed real tariff bill-a splens
did redemption Of platform pledges,
We have pushed a real banking and
currency bill through the House but
1t is blocked In the Senate = and
blocked by Democratic votes. OF
course, the Republicans assisted Ia
the blocking to the limit Of their
ability, but the fact remains that
they could have been swept aside
had 1t not been for the wObbling OF :
minority of the majority. 'Wobbling',
seems too mild term and Treason,
must and will be substituted II the
wobblers don't wobble into line In
the very near future. H
Every genuine Democrat feels the
keenest chargrin over the senAte's
failure to enact the currency bill
during the extra session. With the
tariff and currency question out Of
the way the decks will have been
cleared for the consideration of .
stupendous legislative program. A.
1t is, only the house is prepared to
take up the new work, while the
senate will probably drool over the
currency for the next two months.
"At the end of that time, the Will
SON. Bryan bill will go through. Thers
is no doubt about that in the mind Of
any well informed observer. Tho
interests can annoy the president,
they can subject his plans to vexa-
tious delays but when the test comes
they haven't the votes to control
either house. II they were dealing
with weaker leader their Fabian
tactics might secure important oon-
cessions, but Wilson is cold gray
granite when . principle is at stake,
1.-THE following are some Of thu
grsat pIQhlans aside. from the .aesf
rency, which Congress will be called
upon to consider during the regular
session:
Regulation OF trusts.
Good roads.
Rural credits.
Naval and military program.
The unlocking Of the natural re-
sources Of Alaska, and possibly the
construction Of our first government
owned railroad.
Legislation affecting the relations
of employer and employee.
OF course, there will be many
others. Mexico promises to trouble
our statesmen for some time and at
any moment may become q perplex-
ing and time consuming problem.
Then every appropriation bill carries,
In addition to huge sums of money,
legislation of the most important
character.
On the trust question, Congress
looks to the president for guidence.
This matter will be made a party
measure. The Progressives have
prepared some interesting bills touch
ing this question, and In subsequent
letter will endeavor to compare the
Bull Moose and the Democratic rem
edies far an admitted evil. OF course,
the Republicans will present no REM
edy.
The roads bill which will receive
most consideration was presented in
the House the other day by Congress
man Dorsey Shackleford. 1t will be
fathered in the Senate by Senator
Hoke Smith of Georgia. 1t provides
for the expenditure Of $25, 100000 a
year by the federal government. OF
this amount 5000, 900 is to be spent
by the secretary Of agriculture In
conjunction with the state highway
commissions, the states contributing
two dollars for every dollar advanced
by Uncle Sam. The remaining $2O,-
900, 600 is to be paid to the states in
the form Of compensation for the use
by the national government Of the
state roads for the transportation Of
the mail.
For the two-fold purpose of encour-
aging the construction Of the very
best type Of roads and determining
each states just proportion Of this
fund, the bill provides that the roads
Of the country used for star routes or
rural free delivery, shall be divided