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Show REVIEW OF CONGRESS Two Years of Epoch-Making Epoch-Making Struggle Within Party Ranks Recorded Washington, Man h 2 With the adjournment ad-journment of congress Tuesday noon, the end will be written to two years of epoch making struggle within par ty ranks; and to three sessions of effort only partially successful to adjust ad-just the differences between a Democratic Demo-cratic house, a senate under Denio rath Progressive control and a Republican Re-publican president. Many Important pieces of legisla-I legisla-I tlon have been enacted within that time; investigations of a peculiar significance sig-nificance to ihe public h.iw been con ducted; and many subjects of general Interest have been laid aside without action. The tariff, attacked alike I from Democratic and Republican I sources, twice during that period has been thp subject of attempted revision revi-sion but none of the proposed changes chang-es became effective. Special Session. The Sixty second congress opened In 1911 with a special session called by President Taft to consider Canadian Canadi-an reciprocity: it ends with an extra session of the Sixty-third congress only a few weeks away, to be called by President Wilson for a general revision re-vision ot the Payne-Aldrlcb tariff law National conventions, the birth of a new parly, a general election and a complete change of administration have intervened between Its begin ning aud its end. Acth itles of the short session now closing have been limited almost entirely to routine work, because of the determination to leave to the new administration all of the Important subjects of a general character Important Developments. Perhaps the most importnnt developments devel-opments of the entire congress are the following: New federal bureau of labor created cre-ated with cabinet officer at its head. Physical valuation of the property of railroads and other common carriers, car-riers, to form basis for rate making. Canadian reciprocity law passed, but rejected by Canada Wool, cotton, metal and free list tariff hills passed, but vetoed by President Pres-ident Tali Constitutional amendment for popular pop-ular election of senators submitted to the states. Shipment of liquor into prohibition states forbidden b law Arbitration treaties with Great Britain and France neogtlated, but failed of ratification because of Changes made by the senate. Termination of the treaty of 18.12 with Russia demanded by congress Notice on World. Notice served on the world by the senate that the rnited States will uo permit foreign nations to secure military mil-itary or naval footholds where they might threaten safety of this countr. Children's bureau created in depart men! of commerce and labor. Panama canal law passed, establishing estab-lishing free passage lor American coastwise ships, and barrlnc railroad owned vessels from the canal Campaign publicity laws passed, requiring re-quiring a complete public accounting of all campaign funds. William Lo rimer declared not entitled en-titled to seat as senator from Illinois Judge Archbald Impeached. Judge Robert W Archbald of com nierce court Impeached and convicted on charges of judicial misconduct. Money trust Investigation conducted, conduct-ed, disclosing detailed methods of ! present day financial operation. Campaign expenditures investigated covering campaign funds of lOn-L 1'"'-land 1'"'-land 1912; and disclosing correspond ence between John D Archbold of the Standard Oil company mid members mem-bers of congress Investigation made of formation and operation of the United Statea Steel ( oriionit ton TheeS comprise but a few of the laws passed, investigation" conducted, mm m wmm treaties p.-ssed on, and legislative subjects considered during the two years of the Sixty-second congress The two creat personal struggles, involving in-volving w liiiam Lorlmer and Judge Archbald, ran throughout the con gress; and with their interesting personal per-sonal phases helped to draw attention from the ai tual legislative work of tho two years. No Action on Three Subjects. While congress passed an right-hour right-hour law covering all government contracts except on the Panama canal, it took no action on three Important subjects; anti-Injunction, workmen's om pensatlou and anti trust legislation legisla-tion Recommendations were made by a senate committee within the last week for radical changes In the antitrust anti-trust law to restore competitive conditions condi-tions and prevent monopol) . and the) may bear fruit in legislation under the new administration. Struggle in Senate The final session, now ending, has witnessed a struggle In the senate between Republicans aud Democrats, that prevented the conf iramtion of the i greater part of President Taft's appointments' ap-pointments' W ith more than L'Jm" i appointments before the senate. Dem-ocrats Dem-ocrats declined to permit action on the great majority, and the result will j be that President Wilson will fill the places after he conies Into office This factional struggle, coupled With the internal Democratic contest I for the organization and control i senate and house under the new ad-ministration, ad-ministration, injected the political j equation into the last session's work to an unusual degree. Several bills that might have become law in the closlnR days of this session have been held back because Democratic lead . is . referred to have the subjects car rled over until a Democratic president, presi-dent, senate and house can have an opportunity to carry out definite legislative leg-islative programs. Short Session Acts. Important actions in the short session ses-sion just closing include: "Literacy test" Immigration bill passed, but vetoed by President Taft Single six-year term presidential j term amendment passed by senate. Life prisoners in federal prisons i made eligible to parole. Five-year closed season for fur seals incorporated In the International seal treaty. Federal control of water powers de- fealed in the senate. Manufacturers of foods required to Btate the net weight and contents on outside of food package. Government authorized by law to seize trust-controlled goods as soon as imported into the United States. Lincoln memorial authorized to cost I $2,000,000. Democratic Majority. The Democratic majority that took control of the house when the con gress organized insisted on going ahead with other features of tariff revision re-vision and passed wool, cotton and free list and some other bills. All three measures with the aid of the Progressive Republican forces in the senate, reached President Taft . They were vetoed on the ground that the tariff board was conducting investigations, investiga-tions, the results of which must be known before a proper revision of the tariff could be made. Legislative Work. Legislative work throughout ttw special session and the long session bi ginning in Dec ember. 1911, and running run-ning through last August, Included the following: Increase In the size of the house of representatives from .T to 435 members. mem-bers. Age and service pension law. Increasing In-creasing Civil war pensions. Fight hour law covering government govern-ment contrails Admission of Arizona and New Mexico to statehood. Use of poisonous white phosphorous phosphor-ous In match making prevented by es cesslve tax. Pure drug law amended to prevent misleading labels on patent medJ cines. Wireless communication brought under careful regulation, the law re quiring the wireless ou all ocean vessels ves-sels to be adequately manned. Government transiorts required Lo carry an ample number of lifeboats Ked Cross recognized officially as branch of government service In time of war I i Federal relief given to 1912 flood 1 1 I sufferers in lower Mississippi valley. fff Commerce court and tariff board IjHjK virtually legislated out of existence rlsH Industrial commission author!;' I, Mfflf to study relations between capital and pJIgfi labor. FSttQ Treaties Ratified. j';"? This congress has witnessed the rat- 'i-tpTyf ification of many Important treaties rj&i1-1 with foreign nations. The arbitra- :J2Hj tlon treaties with France and Great I " . Britain, negotiated by President Taft. 1- however, were not ratified, because I . i-o the senate so amended them that the uf president considered they did not car- ry out the understandings made with C". the two powers. ;.'". Agreements Perfected. 't'' In the two years, however, the fol- lowing important agreements ha,ve ' been perfected: f i'.v Pecuniary claims treaty with Great w.V Britain. North Atlantic coast fisheries agreement with tircat Britain. I I Fur seal treaty with Great Britain, I Russia and Japan. . .; International wireless treaty with . . leading foreign nations. ) I International war prize agreement. i International agreement covering I in sanitary measures for the control of epidemics. I General arbitration treaty with I I I France extended to 1918. f Copyright treaty with Hungary'- I International agreement covering as- I slstance and salvage at sea. I Investigations Conducted. I I Investigations covering a wldo range of Important subjects were con- I ducted. In addition to those enumer-ated enumer-ated (the "money trust," campaign expenditures ex-penditures and steel Inquiries), spe- j clal committees and the regular ' , standing committees of the two hous- J es have conducted the following: Tariff hearings, by ways and means i . 'ominlttee. in preparation for new Democratic tariff bills. Currency hearings, preparatory to " I framing monetary reforms. , Investigation of affairs of American 11 ' Sugar Refining company and Its al- j leped domination of the market inquiry into the Titanic disaster ) ': Investication of conditions along I , the Mexican border and alleged fi i oani Ing of Mexican revolutionists by jj Americans. "Shipping trust" Inquiry, to detor-mine detor-mine extent of the common control of ocean routes. Investigations of Indian affairs, on j various reservations and at Washing ton. Investigations of aericuTtural, treas- ury and other government depart- , mcnts JJ Land Grants. I Investigation of land grants about fl Controller Bay, Alaska j President Taft has used the veto I power freely throughout the congress. Fully 20 bills have met his dlsapprov-al, dlsapprov-al, Including Democratic tariff bills; appropriation bills which contained commerce court, civil service and army reorganization and legislation of which he did not approve; waterpow-er waterpow-er bills in which the principle of fed-era! fed-era! control was not recognized, and j the Immigration bill containing the ,j "literacy test" feature. vM |