Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-12-05
many ISSUES FACE
| SESSION OF CONGRESS

SESSION OF CONGRESS
Continued from Page One)
Murdoch, Of Kansas City, and many
others.
New Democrats.
New Democrats in the Senate are
Mr.. Underwood Of Alabama; James
D. Phelan, Of California; J. c. Beck
ham, of Kentucky; Mr.. Broussard, of
Louisiana; Edwin S. Johnson, of
South Dakota; and Paul o. Husting.
of Wisconsin. On the Republican side
the new senators are Charles Curtis,
of Kansas, formerly member; James
w. Wadsworth, Jr., of New York;
and Warren G. Harding, of Ohio.
Senators who have retired after years
of service include Root, of New York,
Burton of Ohio; Perkins, of Caligor-
mia; Thornton, of louisiana; Bris.
tow, of Kansas; Crawford, Of South
Dakota and Stephenson, of Wisconsin.
Others who retired after short SER
vice are White. of Alabama, and Cam
den, of Kentucky.
In relative importance on the ad.
ministratiOn's Legislative program the
army and navy increases In the five
year plan for perfecting the national
defenses come first. Allied with them
is the revenue problem which in
wolves consideration of many subjects.
Re-enactment Of the war tax which
expires by limitation, increasing the
income tax, amending the tariff to re.
tain the duty on sugar which other
wise would 60 on the free list next
year, bond issues, some sort of tax
on incomes from the manufacture OF
munitions. Of war; and an inheritance
tax, all involve serious problems and
there is great diversity of opinion as
to what should be done.
Republican leaders who are expect
ed to favor generally a large army
and navy increase, will seek to re-
store protective tariff rates and pro.
longed discussion and vigorous politi-
cal scheming is expected when once
the tariff is opened. Some Democrats
think the duty on vol should be re-
stored. it,' $,
The Inheritance tax has many advo-
Gates and there are some who would
amend the war+tax materially by as
sessing all liquors heavily. Others
would revive the agitation to tax gas
oline and automobiles.
Already. Democratic opposition to
the Presidents army and navy pro-
gram has developed, and the detection
of Majority Leader Kitchen, who will
succeed Mr.. Underwood as head of
the majority party in the House, has
been widely sheralded. THE admins
tration,' howsveE win snbt be embar-
raised for adequate marshals on the
floor of the House. Chairman Hay, Of
the Military committee, will lead the
fight for the army bill; Representa-.
tive Padgett will guide the destinies
of naval appropriations, and they will
be aided by Representatives Sherley.
chairman of the Notifications commit
tee, Fitzgerald, ofiappropriations, and
Speaker Clark himself, who is stead.
lastly an advocate Of reasonable pre-
paredness. fs@l
Preparedness Program.
In connection with the prepared.
ness program complications are ex-
pected to involve proposed investiga-
ton of organizations which are urg-
ing Congress to make heavy appro-
priations. Lobby EhMhtttees of Sen
ate and House expect to have plenty
to d. Their inquiries may lead into
the realm of foreign relations. for
there have been predictions that Con.
gress would demand information OF
the governments Investigations into
bomb plots, attempts to cripple mum.
tion plants in this country, and Of
other operations growing out of the
European war.
Important measures which will be
urged upon Congress include:
Laws to extend the american mer.
chant marine; rural credit improve
ment through establishment of farm
loan banks, upon which a joint COM
mittee has been working for many
Philippine self.government
and ultimate independence; revision
of the trust laws to prevent dumping
of cheap foreign products in Amert-
can markets after the war and to per-
NIT American manufacturers to estab-
lish collective selling agencies
abroad; national prohibition, prohibi-
ton for the District of Columbia, a
federal amendment for woman suf-
frage, amendments to the bank law,
of the seaman's law. a
child labor law, conservation
legislation to provide a new system
for water power sites and mineral re.
sources of the country; a law to pro.
vide for regulation by the Interstate
Commerce Commission of the issu.
ance of railroad securities and many
other measures
The majority in the Senate will try
to overturn precedent and establish a
cloture rule, thus making endless fill
clustering impossible. Senator Owen.
chairman of special committee to
revise the rules, will submit report
at the outset of the session and an ef-
fort will be made to adopt a mndified
cloture bill before anything else is
done.
The long delayed treaty with Col
umbia. including an expression Of re.
greet, for the partition of Panama, and
for payment of $25 900, 900 is
still pending. The Nicaraguan treaty
payment by the . United
States Of $3,OOO,O0O for another canal
strip and naval station rights is in the
Senate and the new treaty for a finan.