The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-01-13
CONGRESS HAS
CLEAR ROAD
AHEAD.
Though Great Volume Of Business
Has Been Disposed Of at Wash.
ington' During the Autumn
Months, Department Heads
Still Have Much Mapped Out
for the Winter Season NOW On.
BY Ernest o. walker.

i, NNiaii !, 9peelal 70 ING Aqvertlser')
! WASHINGTON, December f9-Big
government business Of the winter is
not waiting altogether on President
Wilson's retain or the reassembling of
congress, with recovery from the holi-
days, for which Washington always re.
quircs little time, there is 20 be much
driving ahead. II will be the first pc.
Rod since the administration begun
when there has been some Opportunity
all down the line for clearing desks and
getting abreast of prospective demands
Something like clear road is ahead Of
congress. And congressman, many of
whom are staying here, are collecting
their thoughts and getting IN readiness
| A very great volume OF public bust
ness'has been disposed of in the depart.
mepts under this administration. All
members of the cabinet are working
men, who have stuck very closely TO
their desks. The routine work OF the
autumn has been well disposed of, but
there remains very much to do during
the winter months. Practically every
one of the many thousand bills intro
dueed in congress is referred for de.
| partmental recommendation. This en-
tails vast deal of investigation and
inquiry, about which the public knows
| little. pa kFt HtH M
Department heads and their subordi.
mates are now spTinging to these tasks
of getting information and making up
conclusions. Some Of these matters are
of large Importance and the President
as well as congress must be kept in
formed. There are endless questions,
touching army and navy appropria.
tons, the postal service, public lands,
and internal improvements. The gov.
ernment machinery is larger today than
ever and constantly increasing in mag.
nitude. It's operations are being modi-
| fed this winterin countless ways. An
thorizatiOn therefor is generally, first
worked out in the offices down town
and then passed on to the Capitol for
the action that is final. Methods of
\ doing the public business are also be,
ing overhauled and at this season that
kind OF effort Is in full swing, y.
Inaugurating Hearings. WIZ"
Secretaries MeAdoo and Houston are
to be on the Eihg this week, inaugu.
rating ire heaAnes for location of re-.
gional reserYe,Ibanks.Y Attorney Gen.
eral McReynolds returns to town, cen
termg interest upon parleys before the
department. OF Justice for settlement
out Nof court Of several large trust
cases. Secretary bryan will come up
soon from his winter home in Florida,
but the state department for the mo.
ment is verv quiescent. ar n
| Secretary Of the Interior Lane has
just Informed California Democrats he
VIII not be candidate for Governor
next autumn They would gladly riomi
nate him If he would but assem-. There
Is not little activity here in seek
ing from the federal roster candidates
for prominent places In the November
running. 1t PROMISES, at this distance
to be very hot campaign. ~.
The swing of recess talk at Wash.
ington is toward a slowing up of
congress. That kind of sentiment as
to trust legislation was being voiced
some days ago 1t now extends 10
other things, indeed to most matters
Of legislation that would greatly
agitate the country. The Alaskan
railroad bill is TO be defeated. GOV.
eminent ownership Is too radical a
step. Requirement Of long distance
telephone lines is to be STAYED OF. II
would cost too much money. The
times are not ready for such n de.
parture. H.. y
Lawmakers Lettering,
Thus conversation runs In committee
rooms and in sunny hooks around the
Capitol. 1t may mean very little. AZ
Ter such a pace as congress has been
setting in recent months, il liz natural
that lawmakers, lettering for the holt
days, should look ahead for restful
prospects. There is always some dan.
/ ger of going too fast and too far.
The country is known to be In a de.
eidedly radical mood but perhaps II
will be satisfied with what has been
accomplished. Threats of tighter times
will make congress pause, il a pause
is likely to coax n business revival.
| A few Democratic representatives
want TO give President Wilson a tussle
on the Alaskan railroad bin. They
argue that he should not have champ.
Toned Il as an administration measure.
some food judges say the tBiIli cannot
pass the house. They are probably
in error if the President insists as he
can be depended upon to do, That
certainly is not an issue to affect
mainland prosperity. Never before
since his administration began has the
President been in better position TO
obtain what he wanted Of congress.
His party has gone through two hard
Legislative campaigns and emerged
/ without decentralization.
Democrats in congress know. too,
that the President is quite as strong
as his party. He is possibly much
stronger. He wants the Alaska bill
and the country will want him to have
it. The spirit of compliance will pro,
sumably rest upon those senators and
representatives, now home consulting
with their constituents. Their views
rather than views of the holiday so,
journers at Washington, will likely
prevail rs congress- resIImes In mid