The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-04-14
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Observation-Disclosures in congress
are still busy with long-distance fore
casts concerning the day of adjourn
ment Some of the prophets will be
without honor in Washington and in
the country. The more hopeful ones
declare that it will all be over by In
dependence day, while the others, less
hopeful, notably Speaker Champ Clark,
say that senate and house will be in
| session until summer has been dis
missed.
There is long legislative program
full OF items as yet uncanceled. The
preparedness bill framed by the COM
m1ttee on military affairs has passed
the house, but the senate still is de-
batting the Chamberlain measure on its
own account. The -erate bill provides
for a much greater degree of army
preparedness than does the one ia
| thered by the representatives. 1t is
| probable that the senate will stick to
its own measure and that long sessions
on the part of the conferees of the
two houses will be necessary before an
agreement can be reached.
The navy preparedness bill has not
been passed by either house. The
committee on naval affairs of the
hous has been discussing sea matters
for weeks
Senate Favors Big Navy.
In the senate the naval committee is
inclined to favor larger measure of
naval preparedness than is the case in
the house. So it seems likely that the
! conferees on naval matters will have
long-continued sessions before the two
houses will agree upon the form which
the legislation shall take
Not long ago the administration al
lowed it to become known that it was
in favor of tariff commission legisla-
ton. Bills have been prepared to meet
the presidents wishes in this matter
and it is expected that before con-
gress adjourns legal authority will be
given for the establishment of a COM
mission with advisory powers. to study
al things relating to the schedules and
to make reports thereon to congress.
A good-roads bill has passed the
house of representatives, carrying with
it appropriations for the extension of
the work of highway building. The
measure is now on the calendar of the
senate, but it does not resemble in all
its parts the bill that passed the
house. 1t is probable that good roads
discussion will consume some days Of
debate in the upper house.
The bill giving the Philippines indie
pendence on certain date, and pro-
viding for various changes in the gov
ernmental system now in vogue in the
islands, is still under consideration. No
one definitely can tell when it will re-
ceive the final vote Rural credit leg
islation, the great government shio-
ping bill and the immigration measure
are yet in allegiance Add to these the
majority of the great appropriation
| bills and all OF the revenue-raising
| bills AMI t will be seen that il con-
gress is to adjourn by the Fourth of
July speed must be maintained and
that there must be an absence of sur
prises in the way of injected legisla-
ton concerning which no one knows
anything at the present hour.
Interest in Revenue Bills.
The revenue-raising bills are those
which are attracting perhaps the
sharpest attention from the country,
if one eliminates from consideration
the great preparedness measures. 1t
is virtually certain that good many
more millions of dollars must be raised
in the next year than it was neces-
sary to raise in the past year. The
army and navy are to be increased,
and other necessary expenses are to
be added to.the debit page of the gov
ernment's ledger.
1t seems likely that provision will
be made to raise some additional mil
lions by means of an increase in the
income tax. 1t does not seem at all
likely that any change will be made in
the paragraphs which exempt $4,000
incomes of married persons al $4,000
incomes of unmarried persons. The
additional taxes in all probability will
be laid on incomes of a greater
amount Money may also be raised
by form of inheritance tax, and 1t is
probable that tax may be levied on
the profits of concerns engaged in max
ing munitions of war.
Valuable Work for Farmers.
Every American citizen who re-
ceives government publications
through the mail and who reads
them. knows something about the bio
logical survey of the department of ag-
riculture. 1t is Uncle Sans biologists
who tell the agriculturists what birds
and animals are injurious to the crops
and which of them are beneficial
They do their valuable work in con-
nection with their constant field study
of the habits of American mammal and
bird life.
All OF the biologists. Of course. are
scientists and ordinarily people look
on scientists as belonging to rather
an aloof species of mainline O. 60