The Washington times., 1915-02-02
F|L|DUSTER CROWDS
/: LEGISLATIVE CARD
Advocates Practically Abandon
Plan to Get important Meas
= ures Acted Upon.

The Philippine bill. the conservation
Bills, the general dam bill. and other
general legislation have probably been
made impossible for this session of Con-
gress because Of the length Of time to
which the filibuster on the ship purchase
bill stretched out, coupled with the fact
that II the ship purchase bill should be
passed, the rest of the time, up to
March 4, would be needed to pass the
appropriation bills
Even IL the ship purchase bill should
be passed now, or definitely sidetracked.
there would be little time to devote to
anything but appropriation measures be-
fore March 1. Only about four weeks
remain before the session closes. and
the Senate has thus far made only
beginning on the appropriation meas
pres. II an extra session Is to be
avoided these measures will have to be
taken up without much more delay.
! Used As Buffer.
The friends Of the ship purchase bill
charge that one Of the motives for the
filibuster on that bill has been to block
other general legislation, including the
conservation bill and the Philippine bill.
It has been a common thing at the
Capitol for years for some piece OF
proposed legislation to be used as
buffer against bills which the leaders
did not want passed. Undoubtedly the
opposition to the conservation bills the
dam bill. and the Philippine bill has
been one of the reasons for fighting the
ship purchase bill SO persistently. 1t has
not, however. been the only reason. The
opponents Of ship purchase include some
Senators who are opposed to Govern
ment ownership Of ships. some who
have heavy shipping and shipyard in
terests in their states. some who. while
for Government ownership. denounce
the Administration ship bill as farce,
not calculated to bring about perman-
who fear II the bill is passed there
will be international difficulties, and
Uncle Sam may get his fingers burned
IN the European conflagration.
Would Push BILL
lit is the purpose of the supporters of
the river and harbor bill to push this
bill to the front just as soon as ship
purclase is passed or sidetracked. They
do not intend to wait until a lot of 9TH
DR. appropriation bills get in ahead or
the pork barrel" If they do walt, they
will stand no show whatever OF having
If the river and harbor bill is thrown
ahead Of other appropriation bills the
massage of some Of the appropriation
Bills will be seriously endangered. The
Senate might debate the ship bill until
appropriation bills, If there were no con-
troversy over them.
But there will be big controversy
over the river and harbor bill. Sem
ator Burton, Senator Kenyon, and
others are preparing to fight 1t. They
hav. heard there is a purpose to fatten
the bill with some fine pieces Of pork.
and ;hey are going to block this plan
II possible. The longer the fight over
the snip purchase bill goes on. the more
easy will it be to prevent the passage
Of the river and harbor bill or force
compromise with respect to 1t, and limit
the bill to a comparatively small sum.
Another matter which may make the
legislative jam in the last days Of the
present session worse Is the trade COM
mission. The President has delayed
making the appointments to this body.
and now 1t is SO late In the session that
1t is uncertain whether they can be
confirmed II named. This is especially
the case Of F.. N. Hurley Of Illinois. who
is rated as a Roger Sullivan Democrat.
and against whom there will be hard
opposition.