The Monticellonian., 1916-03-09
RULED BY POLITICS
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FIGHT
OVER SETTLEMENT OF BIG
PROBLEMS.
LEGISLATION is HAMPERED
Bill for Government Ownership of
Merchant Marine, Materially
Changed, May Be Passed-Plans for
Raising Revenue Still Undecided.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


the halls of congress, stopping every
few feet, metaphorically speaking at
any rate, for fist fight. Heat, rancor,
our old friends elimination and re-
elimination, and the stand-bys, con-
tention and abuse, still are present.
Here is program of the things
which the members of both parties
will wrang1e over before the winter is
done, or now are wrangling over, as
the case may be:
National defense.
New taxation measures.
The government ownership of mer-
chant marine.
Independence for the F'ilipinos.
The seaman's law and attempts to
change or repeal 1t.
Child labor.
The appropriations.
Prohibition and woman suffrage
amendments to the constitution.
Prohibition for the District of Co
lumbia.
The Colombian and Haitian treaties.
Some of these things, as it will be
seen, already are up for discussion
Of course the matter of national de-
tense is foremost and it has been gain
ing interest and aerimony from the
! fact that both on the Democratic and
! Republican sides there is to be found
considerable number of staneh OPP
ponents of anything like preparedness.
The bill giving definite promise of
! independence to the Philippine islands
at certain date already has been dis
cussed at considerable length in the
senate and to some extent in the
house. 1t will cause more discussion
and many hours of debate heated by
friction before it finally is disposed of.
The pronouncement of the Republi-
cans in New York that 1t is the sense
OF the party that 1t would be an in
! Justice to the Filipinos. and also a
cowardly act on the part of the United
States. to turn them loose to care for
! themselves at too early date, has
made the island question figure more
largely in the public eye than other
wise would have been the case
Shipping Bill Much Changed.
The bill providing for the govern
ment ownership of merchant marine
will be debated at great length. AL
ready some murmurs and some APP
plause concerning it are being heard
In the two houses Of congress. 1t will
be remembered that last year a mer-
chant marine bill was passed by the
house of representatives, but met It's
fate in the senate. where it was talked
! to death. The measure this year is
in a much changed form. 1t provides
an appropriation of about $4,000 900
for the building or purchase of ships
to be owned, of course by the govern
ment, but to be leased to private par
ties.
One of the chief objections entered
by the opponents of the shipping bill
! of last year was that under its terms
the government could and probably
intended to Cat least so it was charged)
purchase merchant vessels belonging
to belligerent European power and
which then We're and still are tied up
in American harbors, not being able to
put to sea for fear of capture
Last year there was denial from
government quarters that there was
any intention of purchasing these
ships. Many men hold that it would
be an unneutral act for the United
States to buy the vessels. Under the
provisions of the bill this year the
purchase of such ships still might be
possible but it Is understood to be the
governments intention. if the measure
goes through, to spend virtually all
the money in the building of merchant
vessels which can be used in time of
war as fleet auxiliaries.
The ruling majority in the house of
representatives as yet does not know
what form of revenue raising meas
ures it will report for adoption Even
while things are still in doubt as to
the extent of the preparedness pro-
gram which will be adopted, it virtu-
ally Is known that something will be
done and that the army and navy ex-
penses of the government largely will
be increased. Therefore it will be nee
essary to raise money to pay the bills.
immigration Bill Again.
New immigration bills containing a
clause which. if enacted into law, will
prevent the landing on these shores
of foreigners who cannot read have
been introduced into house and SEN
ate. The senate measure is fathered
| by Senator Ellison d. Smith of South
Carolina, and the house measure by
Representative John l.. Burnette of
| A sbama.
This bill unquestiopably will pass
the senate and almost unquestionably
will pass the house of representatives
The question therefore is whether or
not President Wilson again will veto
the measure. Last year the bill went
through both houses with big majori-
ties back of it, but the house, after a
hard fight, refused to pass the bill over
the veto of the president. the measure
failing of the required two-thirds ma
| jority by only a small margin
| When this immigration measure
comes up for debate there will be live
ly hours in both houses. The Ameri-
can Federation of Labor strongly sup