The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-02
Party Leaders, However, Believe Rural Legislation
 Can Be Postponed
IMMIGRATION BILL IN
 SENATE THIS WEEK
Bryan Appears Today Before House Committee on Foreign Affairs to Explain Mexican Situation.
 Suffrage Fight Tuesday

Washington, March 1.--Exeepting the necessary appropriation bills. trust leg
 islation and d new law to enhance rural
 credits are the only measures on the
 must list of the administration before
 the present session of Congress. it was
 made known today However. some party
 leaders believe rural credits legislation
 might he put over until next session if
 a tangle over the trust bllls should pro-
 long the session until campaign leaders
 at home begin to cry for help. There is an earnest desire on the part of democrats to establish a system of
 rural banks before the approaching con
 gressiona1 campaign. When the curren- cy bill was passed many promises were made that 1t would be followed by leg
 islation to help the credit of the farmers
 and though no declaration was made that
 such law would be concluded at the
 present session. republican criticism of
 the free listing of farm products in the
 tariff law demands. in the opinion of
 many prominent democrats, early com
 pensatory action on behalf of farmers.
 It is probable that many other bills will be passed. but leaders In both
 houses Of Congress intend to keep the
 legislative programme short. bill to
 repeal the toll exemption provision of the Panama canal act probably will be
 introduced within 10 days by Represent
 tative Adamson, chairman of the Inter state commerce committee It will be a
 flat repeal measure and is certain to provoke opposition. The immigration bill.
 which has passed the House and will
 be reported from the Senate committee
 this week. also will be urged to a con
 clusion If 1t Is possible to pass 1t be-
 fore party managers feel that the cam
 paign demands an adjournment.
 Equal Suffrage Amendment Senator Ashurt has given notice that
 he will press the constitutional amend- naent for equal surfrage in tiae senates.
 but his efforts to fix time for yots will be opposed by democrats and repuh- | licans alike. The constitutionai amend
 ment for prohibition propabiy will not be taken up at this session
 The trust bills. it Is apparent, will re- quire considerable more time Tn perfect ing than originally anticipated. March was get as the time for beginning con
 
 one of the bills proposed is ready for consideration in either branch. 1t is prob able that either the House or senate committee on interstate commerce will report a bill to create an interstate trade commission this week or next.
 but it will be many weeks before meas
 ures to prohibit interloclSing directorates, to regulate holding companies and 10 provide for federal regulation of rail-
 road securities will be reported. Grow ing opposition to measures which sup plement the sherman act may result i1i abandoning these measures altogether.
 President WI; son is seriously considering the trust fe. islative situation and fur ther conferences between the legislative
 and executive branches on the subject are certain to be held before the pro gramme Is completed.
 Dam and Water Power Bill A general dam and water power bill is being formulated by the House in- terstate commerce committee and 1t prob- ably will be ready within fortnight to report to the House. The commit
 tee plans to keep strictly within the lines raised by President Wilson and to so frame 1t as to avoid any possibility of constitutional objections especially
 any suggestion of federal invasion into state affairs The purpose is to induce
 private capital to promote navigation In
 shallow streams through hope of profit from the use of the water power gener-
 ated. Secretary Garrison has proposed a measure under which the water power concerns on navigable waters, as pub lie utility companies. would secure au- thorty from both state and federal gov efnments.
 SpeechmalSing on variety of current questions is in sight thl- week. The agricultural appropriation bill, aggregat- ing Slg,O00,O00. shunted or tomorrow by District of Columbia legislation, will come up Tuesday, with prospect of many speeches.; the rivers aud harbors bill carrying si3, 2S9 coo. ia next. with the naval bill involving si4o.0o00O0. and the always
 debatable battleship programme follow ing.
 Plans to reorganize the scheme of gov
 ernment of Porto Rico are under way fairs, where tomorrow Delegates Rivera and Frank Martinez of San Juan, rep resenting the unonist party of the island.
 will explain the Rivera bill. designed to grant citizenship with a view of ultimate | independence Secretary Garrison has l stamped the bill as impractical and said ! that the United States has no intention
 of granting independence.
 Bryan Explains Mexican Situation | Secretary Bryan tomorrow will appear before the House committee foreign | affairs to explain the Mexican stua- | tion,
 | The project for national university |