The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-02
PRUNING HOOKS
SHARPENED FOR
MINOR MEASURES
Pet Bills Must Give
Way in Need for
Haste.
CAMPAIGN WORK
ESSENTIAL NOW
If Administration Program Is to
Be Carried Out, Continued Party
Supremacy Is Necessary and
Fight Must Be Waged Be
fore People-June Set
for Adjournment.

Washington, February 1.-Extension
OF arbitration treaties and a general
clearing up of the nation's foreign re-
lations, antitrust legislation. rural
credit enhancement through the estab-
lishment Of land mortgage banks for
farmers. Legislation authorizing the
government TO build or purchase a
railroad in Alaska and revision OF the
iInmigrat ton laws. appear to day as the
main guide posts for administration
leaders In the course OF the present
session of Congress. Though many
other subjects are being pressed by
Democrats for consideration. leaders of
the dominant party realize that 4 new
administration cannot reform the whole
statutory structure of the government
in day To complete their program.
they appreciate that continuation OF
party supremacy Is necessary. and that
reelection OF a Democratic Senate and
House next fall is more Important than
a long session OF Congress choked
with hastily considered legislation.
President Wilson Is known to share
this view.
Senators to the IIustings.
Increasing the necessity for early
party activity Is the seventeenth con-
stitutionalist amendments. which, for
the first time In the history of the gov
ernment, commands the people to elect
their own United States Senators.
Hence the Senate cannot, as of old. sit
content in Washington while members
OF the House strain to get into their
home districts. Senators must go out
into the highways and by-ways and.
shoulder to shoulder with members OF
the House. make joint appeal to the
people for votes.
So. with the congressional campaign
rapidly approaching. the men who
guide the dcstinies OF legislation al
ready have sharpened their pruning
hooks. and the pet measures of many
loyal Democrats must fall. Besides
regular departmental legislation and
the supply bills some OF the subjects
being urged for action are: equal sur
frage. through constitutional amend
ment: prohibition of the liquor traffic;
law to guarantee bank deposits; gov
ernment regulation of stock exchanges,
and many others. June having been
set as the probable date OF adjourn
ment. the party leaders intend. as soon
az possible. to map out a program OF
work for the remainder of the session.
and White House conferences on this
subject probably will be held this
week
Work Foreign Treaties.
Renewal of arbitration treaties, with
eight foreign nations recommended for
ratificati ton by the Foreign Relations
Committee last week, will occupy the
attention of the Senate during the
week after the passage of the aRricul-
tural extension bill. The treaties that
have expired are with Great Britain.
Japan. Italy. Spain. Norway. Sweden.
Portugal and Switzerland. President
Wilson has urged their extension as
soon as possible. as the ground work
for general readjustment of foreign
affairs. Considerable discussion is in.
evitable, but ratification of the treaties
is confidently anticipated by party
leaders.
Involved In the treaty questions will
be the Panama tolls dispute with
Great Britain and the California allen
controversy with Japan. The admin
fstraton seems to regard the latter as
practically settled, but with the rati
fication of the British arbitration,
there will follow some action In Con-
gress on the subject OF canal tolls,
either through repeal OF the section of
the Panama Canal act, which eXempts
American coastwise ships from tolls, or
by suspension of that provision for n
period of years.
Consideration of trust bills and their
perfection will continue during the
week before committees of both houses.
Hearings will begin on Senator Owens
bill to prohibit the use of the mails
and telegraph and telephone lines for
fraudulent or harmful stock exchange
transactions; and the Senate will dis
pose OF the contest over the seating of
Frank p. Glass to succeed the late
Senator Johnston. of Alabama.
Trying to Cleun Slate.
House leaders are bending every ef-
fort to clear the legislative slate in
time for tho proposed June adjourn
ment, Majority Leader Underwood and
his lietenants are pleased with the
tn, xt,hI hIrl, hn Ax Df
ply bills and other necessary measures
have been expedited. Speaker Clark,
Mr. Underwood, Republic Leader Mann
and others have been talking over the
situation, along with the sponsors for
the administration antitrust and COM
merce regulation program, and all par
ties are In accord far as the desir-
ability of getting through early Is con-
cerned.
Immigration legislation will have the
right of way this week in the House
The Burnett bill, featured by the lite
racy test, which has aroused consider
able opposition, Will be taken up again
tomorrow. Chairman Burnett said to-
day that he expected the bill to pass
substantially In It's present form. A
conference with the President on the
subject has been ordered, however, by
the Senate immigration Committee
Representative Raker, of California,
was at work to-day perfecting his BILL
through which he hopes to effect the
exclusion of the Japanese and other
Asiatics, and the certification of the
limited number OF them that may be
allowed to enter. He has waived any
attempt to amend the Burnett bill in
this direction. with view to pressing
for action as quickly as possible on
the straight issue OF exclusion. The
fight I'm the immigration COMMITTEES
over the proposition of hearings on the