The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-12-09
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5-A few more
days and congress will be in session in
Washington but that does not mean
business will Immediately begin. The
usual time will be consumed to pre-
liminaries, and not until after the holi-
days will the legislative wheels begin
to revolve regularly and steadily.
Democrats in the Senate and House
have begun their preparations for the
coming session of the Sixty fourth
congress. At both ends of the Capitol
there are evidences of desire for har-
mony, which will lead to careful
avoidance of action that will create
friction within the party.
| With many mutterings of trouble un.
der the surface, but with the conserva-
tive senators trying to keep the peace
the Senate Democratic caucus has re-
elected Senator Kern as chairman of
the caucus, with Senator Pittman, Of
Nevada, as secretary. ClOture is the
foremost of the real questions of con
troversy before the Senate. The eau
Gus sidestepped for the time being the
question whether Senator Clark of Ar
kansas, who bolted the president ship
ping bill plan last winter, shall succeed
himself as president pro tempOre of
the Senate.
| In the House, the committee on ways
and means is devoting it's efforts to the
vexatious problem of how to satisfy
every new member with his committee
assignments and to accede to the de
mand of Minority Leader Mann that
the largely increased Republican mem
bership of the House entitled that party
to a substantial increase in committee
membership. 1t is apparent that Dem
ocratic leaders in the House, fearing
insurgency as result of their greatly
diminished majority, do not intend to
encourage rebellion by materially en-
dangering their preponderating control
Of all important committees.
"National preparedness, military,
financial and industrial, is to be almost
the exclusive theme of President Viii
,son Is annual message to congress. The
been sent to the public printer. I. will
be read personally by the president at
a joint session of the Senate and House
next Tuesday. 1t is understood that
there are less than 1000 words in the
message. In order to finish it the presi-
dent saw no callers, and worked in his
study upon it from the time of his re-
turn from New York from the annual
football game between the Army and
Navy.
Permission for the two ENJOYS from
the San Francisco woman voters con-
vention to speak from the floor of the
House of Representatives upon their
arrival here for the convention of the
Congressional Union for Woman Suf.
frage is to be asked of the incoming
congress. The chances, however, are
calculated by some TO be about AIS to
against the House granting this per.
mission. The House, it is explained,
can do anything by unanimous consent.
It can even abrogate its own rigid rule
which prohibits the speaker from enter
tanning motion to permit outsiders to
address the body, but it is not likely to
do 40.
The real Christmas spirit is becoming
apparent in the shopping districts. This
week marks the beginning of the real
rush. The stores are ready for the
early shoppers, and the display of goods
in windows on counters, and on shelves
and in cases is at its best. The indiea-