The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-03-20
Revie,O Of Things Accomplished
BY the Siety-Second Congress
Work Of Short Session.

Important actions in the short ses-
sion just closing includes:
"Literacy test" immigration a bill
passed, but vetoed by President Taft. Z
single six-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 powers de-
feated in the senate. III. XXI
Manufacturers Of foods required TO
state the net weight and contents ON
outside Of foo package. &a,
Government authorized by law to
seize trust controlled goods az soon an
imported into the United States.
Lincoln memorial authorized to cost
81, ZOO, 900. G#E
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 tho
ground that the tariff board was con-
Quoting Investigations, the results of
which must be known before q proper
revision OF b tariff could be made.
Work of Long Session.
Legislative work throughout the spe-
ctal session, and the long session begin
ming n December. 1911, and running
through last August, included the fol-
lowing: ..
Increase in the size OF the House OF
Representatives, from 396 to ABS mem
bers. ~
Age and service pension law, increas-
ing civil war pensions.
E~ight-hour law covering government
contracts.
Admission Of Arizona and New Next
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 on patent medicines.
Wireless communication brought un-
der careful regulation, the law reQuir-
ing the wireless on all ocean vessels
to be adequately manned. a%
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 vtr- q,
tually l~egislated out Of existence. Fl
Industrial commission authorized to
study relations between capital and la
Dor.
- Treaties Ratified. -.
This congress has witnessed the rat
ilcation OF many important treaties
with foreign nations. The arbitration
treaties with France and Great Brit
ain, negotiated by President Taft, how.
ever, were not ratified, because tho
Senate 80 amended them tina the presi-
dent considered they did not carry out
the understandings made with the two
powers.
In the two years. however, the fol-
lowing important agreements ave been
perfected: a.
Pecuniary claims treaty with Great
Britain. J..
North Atlantic coast fisheries agree
ment with Great Britain.
Fur seal treaty with Great Britain,
Russia and Japan.
International wireless treaty with
leading foreign powers.
International war prize agreement.
International agreement covering;
sanitary measures for the control Of
epidemics.
General arbitration treaty with
France extended to 1918.
Copyright treaty with Hungary.
International agreement covering as
slstance and salvage at Sea.
Inquiries Begun.
Investigation covering a wide range
OF important subjects were conducted.
In addition to those enumerated (the,
money trust" campaign expenditures;
n steel lnquirtes), special committees.
and the regular standing committees OF
the two houses have conducted the fol-
lowing:
Tariff hearings by ways and means
in preparation for new DEM
oCra1c tariff bills.
Currency hearings. preparatory to
framing 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 revolutionists by Ameri-
q
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 and grants about
Controller bay. Alaska.
President Taft has used the veto
power freely throughout the congress-.
Fully 20 bills have met his d~isapproval,
including democratic tariff bills, appro-
priat1on 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.