Evening star., 1917-03-06
MUCHLEG|SLAT|ON
IN LAST 4 YEARS
Measures Passed by Demo-
:: Gratis Cover a Wide Range
of Subjects.
TARIFF DUTIES CHANGED

The first democratic reform measure
,of consequence during the present ad-
'ministration was the overturn of the
..Payne-Aldrich tariff and the substitu-
..tion of the present tariff act, drawn by
Senator Underwood of Alabama, then
"a member of the House OF Representa-
'.tives. 1t was intended to be a tariff
for revenue" only measure, but owing
to the persistence of certain members
of the Senate and House, compromises
were made between the free traders
and protectionists. the effect of which
was tariff averaging much lower than
1.-The Payne -Aldrich schedule. One fea-
.ture of the Underwood law was an in
come tax, touching every income above
$4,000
Hand in hand with the downward
revision of the tariff. the democrats
enacted federal reserve and farm loan
act This is modern currency law, re-
vising old-time ideas of the conduct of
banks as connected with the circula-
tion of money. The law is involved
and intricate. but serves to put a check
.on money corners. panics, etc, and
to provide facilities for lending money
to farmers which they had not hitherto
enjoyed.
Some Labor Legislation.
- Labor legislation of all sorts has
been sprinkled through the enact
-ments of the four years of President
Wilson's first administration. Eight
hour riders have been tackled on to
numerous appropriation bills, provid-
ing that the government should not
accept work done under any other sys-
ten; but the principal eight-hour fea-
.ture is that known as the AdamSon
law. the elimination of a nationwide
railroad threat to strike unless a re-
vision of the former pay schedule was
adopted. After weeks of pickering,
railroads and employees could not agree
and President Wilson intervened and
effected the passage of an eight-hour
law which caused the men to call off
the threatened tie-up. Supplemental
Legislation on the railroad subject has
not been enacted by Congress, although
asked for by the President.
a federal trade commission has been
created under the present administra-
ton. with the object of acting as an
arbiter and director in matters aHect-
ing trade conditions of the country.
Unfair trade methods are to be
searched out under the authority vest
ed in the commission. The Clayton
antitrust act. supplementing proVi-
sions of the Sherman ANTITRUST act, is
one of the legislative enactments of
the present administration affecting
~big business.
80 Congress has commissioned the gov
Alaska. and the work is already pro-
eressing "seannan's law" is on the
books, revising methods and proce-
nure under which navigation companies
NAV employ men. The powers of the
bureau of markets have been enlarged.
and good roads" law places S25.-
0Oo. 900 of the governments money at
the disposal of the states in CO.
operative plan for the betterment or
highways.
THE government also gives aid to the
states in educational matters related to
The extension of agricultural science.
under the Lever agricultural act, and
under the Hughes vocational education
act grants government aid to state in
stitutions where men and women are
educated to become teachers of trades
and vocations.
The Panama tolls laws have been
changed under this administration at
The request of the President. Instead
of being free to American ships. the
Stars and Stripes must pay tolls equal
to those paid by other flags.
- Other Laws Enacted.
Other enactments of the administra-
tion are the various European war
emergency measures, such as the war
risk insurance bureau act: the resolu-
tion backing" the President in the
operation against Vera Cruz; the immi-
grafton law passed over the Presidents
veto, ana seltluR UP obstacles against
the coming rush of immigrants after
The war; law strictly limiting the
Operations of child labor in mines and
factories: the purchase of the Danish
West Indies; workmen's compensation
law. and a great amount OF prepared
ness measures On this item many
democrats showed remarkable change
of heart. In the first two years of the
administration the democratic attitude
was against an increase in the army
and navy, but the second half of the
administration has seen nearly bill
lion dollars authorized for the fighting
forces. with an evident desire to bring
the navy, at least. to foremost posi-
tion.