Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-05
CONGRESS CLOSES
TWO YEARS. WORK
Fading Hours of Session Are
Eniivened by Strenuous
Scenes.
WILSON is WELL PLEASED
Congratulatcs Members, Making
No Reference to Projects
That Failed.

Years OF almost continuous session. the
Sixtythird Congress. which revised
the tariff and the currency system OF
tho nation, supplemented the trust
laws. created an income tax, and dem
onstrated the first popular election OF
United States Senators, ended at noon
to-day.
When ravcls fcll in the House and
Senate signalling the adjournment.
they marked the close OF halr Of Presi-
dent Wilson'S administration. the first
under domination or tho Democratic
party since 1898.
Strenuous scenes cnllvcncd tho fad
ing hours. devoted chiefly to completing
the appropria tons for subsistence OF
the government; Two important
measures. tho post office and Indian
supply bills. failed In the final lcgisla-
tive crush. after desperate efforts had
been made TO save them. In the crner-
gency caused by their failure. joint
resolutions were passed and signed b.
the President continuing In force APP
preparations of the presen, year.
MAKES NO REFERENCE
no FAILED PROJECTS
While tho tired Senators and Repre-
TO fina, essentials. President Wilson
spent more than an hour in his room at
the Capitol. surrounded by his Cabi-
not. signing tho last fragments of leg
islation. The President found time in
the midst of this task 10 greet Sena-
tors and Representatives,. and he made
the occasion entirely ono OF congratu-
lationH. making no reference to pro-
jccts which had failed
Scores OF members OF both houses
tonight left Washiugto ton. taking with
them assurances that no extra session
OF Congrcas would be called. at least
before fall. Despite the fact that
many important bills failed Of consid-
Grafton. because OF the long iilibustcr
against tho ship purchase bill. II WAS
generally understood Congress would
be given n rest and the country re-
spite from legislation. !, was re-
rRrdcd as extremely probable, how
ever. that the sixty fourth Congress
would be summoned In October. in or
der to be able to adjourn for the poiitl-
cal conventions and national campaign
OF 1916
Important measures which died with
the end OF Congress. along with tho
ship purchase bill. were tho Philippine
enlarged scif-Eovcrnmcnt bill. rural
credits legislation. the bill to prohibit
Interstate commerce in goods manu-
faciured by child labor, and the con-
servaiion bills. u resolution which
contemplated an investigation into
senatorial campaigns in Pennsylvania
illinois and other States, which had
been recommended by Senate com
mittec. also failed.
VERY LITTLE GENERAL
LEGISLATION CARRIES
While much was proposed very little
general legislation was carried In the
appropriation bills, most OF the meas
ures practically being cleared of such
provisions by points OF order The
post office bill. which failed 10 pass.
contained more new legislation than
any other.
Before adjournment. Congress rro-
ridcd for several important invcstira-
tons TO he carried on during recess. \
committee Will continue tho inquiry
into alleged lobbying In connection
with tho ship purchase bill: "A commits
sion VIII study rural credits lcgsla-
non, ana Democrats OF the Senate an
pointed special committee to recon-
mend revision of Senate rules. with a
view to establishing cloture Of debate
10 prevent nlibustcrs
mass of miscellaneous lcgisla tion.
hurried through in the last days. in
Guided claim bills. public buildings.
fish cultural station and bridge hills
and minor amendments to various Fed
cral statutes. Most of these were nut
through on the initiative OF the indi
vidual members, and passed without
objection
The Appropriations Committee to-day
began the work ot tabuiatinE the
amounts OF The various bills Which
took money out OF the Treasury during
The session II viii be several days
before an accurate statement is made
but the total appropriations are esti-
mated al about S1,i20 J00,0 ,00G
The annual appropriation bills which
failed caused considera bile trouble
After the Indian bill had made its
devious way through the Senate oppo-
siuon. It reached the House just ten
iniputes before final adjournment
iGbustcr Immediately was initiated by
tho Republicans. ard II forced the
withdrawal of the conference report on
the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE MOON
PROTESTS VIGOROUSLY
The joint resolution which continued
the current post-offlce appropriation
bills brought forth protest from Rem
rescntative Moon. Of Tennessee. chair
man of the Post-Ofice Committee. He
declared his committee had not been
consulted regarding the decision of
the leaders TO abandon the bill. and
that the joint resolution had been put
through the House In his absence.
Representatives Of railroad inter
ests and railroad attorneys" he said.
have boen active at both ends of the
Capitol in their efforts to prevent the
passage of this bill"
Representative Fitzgerald held the
decision to abandon the measure had
been reached only after 1t became an
parent that ii could not pass, and Rep
resentatve Moon was fully cognizant
OF the circumstances
Just before the Senate adjourned,
resolutions thanking Vice President
Continued on Third Page.)