The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-01-01

of president, although he soon announced
his purpose of turning over the executive
function to a provisional substitute and
himself becoming a candidate.
On September % Villa declared war up
on the provisional president The consti
tutionallsts held a meeting at Mexico
City on October 4 and refused to accept
their chiefs resignation. At conven-
tion Of the party held at Aguas Calientes
on October IA, Carranza again presented
his resignation and a few days later Villa
promised to support a provisional presi-
dent named by the convention. At that,
Gen. Eulalio Gutierrez was appointed by
the convention. but Carranza refused to
recognize him. The new president APP
pointed Villa commander in chief of the
government forces and ordered him to
proceed at once against CarranZa. AS
villa and his men neared the capital,
Carranza and his soldiers withdrew.
On November % the American forces
were withdrawn from Vera Cruz and
soon afterward Carranza and his follow
ers took possession OF the seaport villa
and Zapata united In support of the
Gutierrez interests, and the prospect Of
peace In the immediate future is far from
encouraging.
On December Is, 5000 United States
troops were sent to Naco to stop continued
firing by the Mexican factions into United
States territory. The struggle between
the combatants in northern Mexico con-
tinues undated.
Longest Congressional Session.
The first regular session of the Sixty
third congress was the longest since that
great law-making body came into exist
ence-from December 1. 1918, to October
"a, 1914 After the holiday recess both
branches were addressed by President
Wilson upon the regulation of corpora
lions. In his address the president recon-
mended the formation OF trade commits
sion. the doing away with lnterlOcking di-
| rectorates and holding companies, and an
antitrust law. On January "a the senate
passed bill authorizing the government
to construct n railroad in Alaska. On
February Is the house passed the bill.
During this month. also, the admins
traton introduced measure into both
houses to establish rural credit system
by means of cooperative banks. On Feb
ruary bill was introduced into both
branches which provided that the govern
ment might mine or lease on royalty
basis certain coal lands in Alaska.
On March 8 the president delivered an
other address to congress In the house
chamber, in which he urged the repeal
of the provision In the Panama Canal act
of August 1912, eXemptng vessels en-
gagged In cOastwise trade from the pay
ment OF tolls. With senate amendment
to the effect that the United States re-
| linquished no rights under treaties with
! Great Britain and with Panama. the tolls
repeal bill became law.
! On April 20 the president again ad.
| 1rpa piNyinU tho faptQ In tbf
Tampico affair and asking authority tC
use force in compelling settlement Botf
! houses passed the necessary measures
| without delay. On June s the three
measures prominent In the presidents an
| thrust legislation-the creation of a trad,
commission. the Clayton bill, and the rail
road capitalization bill-were passed, bu
it was not until August that the senate
adopted the measure creating n fedora
trade commission. The Clayton antitrus
bill did not become law until October.
August both houses unanimously
adopted an amendment to the federal re
serve act. by which the secretary of tn
treasury was given power to issue add
tional bank currency In such amount a
would be necessary to protect the bust
ness situation and avoid financial panic
On September the president once NOR
addressed congress, pointing ont the nee'
of raising additional revenue to meet tn
deficit causd by the decline in import
due to the European war.
The closing days of the congress passe
in an active effort conducted by member
from the cotton growing states to obtai
legislation for the retail of the grower
of the staple.
On October "a the first regular session
of the SiXty-third congress came to al
end.
American Government and Politics.
On January Secretary McAdoo an,
Secretary Houston began a series o
hearings to determine where the new fed
eral reserve banks were to be established
The federal reserve bank system went in
to effect November 16. On January /
the Washington authorities and the New
York. New Haven and Hartford railroad
officials came to an agreement by which
the railroad relinq1ished its trolley lines
Its control of the Boston and Maine ant
most of it's steamship lines. in order L
avoid further conflict with the Sherman
antitrust law. President Wilson nomi
mated John Shelton Williams then assis
tant secretary of the treasury, to bt
comptroller of the currency and ex-officiC
member Of the new federal reserve board
On January q the president signed ar
| important order which established a per.
manent civil government in the Panama
Canal Zone, to go into effect April l. A
few days later he nominated Col. George
| w. Cocktails to he first governor. on
February II the government brought suit
at Salt Lake City to compel the Southern
Pacific railroad to relinquish its control
of the Central Pacific.
In March government proceedings were
| begun against two railroads. The inter
| state commerce commission accused the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul road
with overstatement of income and other
I financial irregularities. and suit was
brought against the Lehigh Valley road
under the charge that II was monopoliz-
ing the anthracite coal industry through
subsidiary companies. In this month also.
the department OF justice announced that
a plan for breaking UP the transportation
monopoly practced by the New York,
New Haven and Hartford had been ar
ranged satisfactory to all parties.
Early in April the government met with
defeat In Its attempt to prove that the
| Delaware. Lackawanna and Western road
and the coal-mining company of the Same
name existed as an Illegal and monopolis-
| tic combination. On April the commit
tee appointed for the purpose announced
that It had selected twelve federal re-
serve districts. with their central bank
ing cities, under the new currency law
~. T,,a