The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-03-11
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FIGHT
OVER SETTLEMENT OF BIG
PROBLEMS.
LEGISLATION IS HAMPERED
Bill for Government Ownership OF
Merchant Marine, Materially
Chanqed, May Be Passed-Plans for
RAISING Revenue Still Undecided.
By GEORGE CLINTON.


our old friends elimination and re-
elimination, and the stand-bys, con-
tention and abuse, still are present.
Here is a program of the things
which the members of both parties
will wrangle 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 Filipinos.
The seamans law and attempts TO
change or repeal it.
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 1t Will be
seen, already are up for discussion.
OF course the matter of national de-
Tense is foremost and it has beer gain
ing interest and acrimony from the
fact that both on the Democratic and
Republican sides there Is to be found
a considerable number of stanch OPP
ponents of anything like preparedness.
The bill giving a definite promise OF
independence to the Philippine islands
at a certain date already has been dis
cussed at considerable length in the
senate and to some extent In the
| house. II will cause more discussion
and many hours of debate heated by
friction before it finally is disposed OF.
The announcement of the Republi-
cans in New York that it is the sense
of the party that it 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 a 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
|
will be debated at great length. Al
ready some murmurs and some ap-
plause concerning 1t 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 its
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 S5O.OOO,OO(
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 term:
the government could and probably
intended to (at least so 1t was charged
purchase merchant vessels belonging
to a belligerent European power ant
which then were and still are tied VI
, In American harbors, not being able t
, put to sea for fear of capture.
: Last year there was denial from
q government quarters that there wa
, any intention of purchasing thes
. ships. Many men hold that it woul
9 be an unneutral act for the Unite
O States to buy the vessels. Under tn
4 provisions of the bill this year tn
n purchase of such ships still might b
!. possible, but 1t Is understood to be tn
| 49, ha
!. goes through, to spend virtually a
: the money in the building of merchan
> vessels which can be used in time G
q war as feet auxiliaries.
i, The ruling majority in the house {
!" representatives as yet does not kno'
what form of revenue raising mea
ures it will report for adoption. Eve
a while things are still in doubt as
:, the extent of the preparedness pr
A gram which will be adopted, it Writ
. ally is known that something will
/. done and that the army and navy e
!, penses of the government largely wi
!, be increased. Therefore 1t will be ne
!, essary to raise money to pay the bill
" immigration Bill Again.
= New immigration bills containing
n clause which, If enacted into law, W
a. prevent the landing on these shor
"A of foreigners who cannot read ha'
;. been introduced into house and Sc
10 ate. The senate measure is father,
= by Senator Ellison d. Smith of Sou
"a Carolina, and the house measure
IN Representative John L. Burnette
,s Alabama.
40 This bill unquestionably will pa
the senate and almost unquestionah
will pass the house of representativ,
The question therefore is whether
., not President Wilson again will We
q, the measure. Last year the bill we
~ through both houses with big majo
a. ties back of it. but the house, after
or hard fight, refused to pass the bill oy
nc the veto of the president. the measu
q failing of the required two-thirds n
nv jority by only a small margin.
N. When this immigration measu
ia comes up for debate there will be Ii
low ly hours in both houses. The Anne
NO can Federation of Labor strongly 81