THE AMERICAN YEAR BOOK A RECORD OF EVENTS AND PROGRESS I. AMERICAN HISTORY FRANCIS G. WICKWARE THE SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 1. Prevention of private monopoly by additional anti-trust legislation. 2. Establishment of a system of ru ral credits. 3. Provision of a national primary for the nomination of Presidential can The Legislative Programme.-Presi- relations of the United States (see dent Wilson's first annual message to The Administration, infra). A cauCongress, of Dec. 2, 1913, recommend- cus of the House Democrats on May ed the following Administration pol- 12 limited the deliberations of the reicies for legislative action: mainder of the session to the appropriation bills and three bills of the anti-trust legislation. In August the outbreak of the European conflict created a new series of problems with which Congress undertook to deal before adjournment. Two of the antitrust bills were enacted late in the session; the third was postponed to avoid further complication of a railroad situation already sufficiently difficult. Thus, at the close of the session on Oct. 24, Congress had disposed of but two of the items of the President's programme, and of them only partially. didates. 4. Extension of citizenship to Porto Rico, a further degree of self-government to Hawaii, and ultimate independ ence to the Philippines. 5. Development of the resources of Alaska, with a government system of railways as the first step, and establishment of a full territorial form of government. 6. Extension of the equipment and powers of the Bureau of Mines for the encouragement of safe and economical mining. 7. Provision of an effective employers-liability law for railway employees. 8. Alleviation of the conditions surrounding the employment of sailors. The greater part of this programme still awaits Congressional action. The second session of the Sixty-third Congress, opened on Dec. 1, 1913, was adjourned for the Christmas recess on the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act on the 23d. In the first four months after the resumption of the session on Jan. 12, Congress enacted a bill for the construction of a government railway in Alaska, but its energies were diverted from the remainder of the President's programme to questions arising out of the foreign But the legislative history of the session is of deep and permanent interest, independent of the development of the policies of the Administration. Its more important features are outlined in the following pages, and individual measures are discussed also in articles on special topics in other parts of the YEAR Book. A full list of the enactments of general interest is given in Department V, The National Administration. The Development of Alaska.-The report of the Alaska Railways Commission, submitted to Congress with a special message of approval by President Taft on Feb. 6, 1913 (A. Y. B., 1913, pp. 235, 576), recommended the construction of a government rail way system as a preliminary to the systematic development of the resources of the territory. Bills "to authorize the President of the United States to locate, construct, and operate railroads in the territory of Alaska" were introduced at the opening of the first session of the Sixty-third Congress, by Senator Chamberlain (Ore.) in the Senate (S. 48) on April 7, 1913, and by Mr. Wickersham (Alaska) in the House (H. R. 1739) on the following day. The Chamberlain bill, reported to the Senate on June 17, 1913, was taken up as unfinished business on the reassembly of Congress after the holiday recess, and passed the Senate on Jan. 24 by a vote of 46 to 16, three Democrats voting in opposition and 15 Republicans and one Progressive with the majority. In the House the Chamberlain bill was substituted for the Wickersham bill, reported on Nov. 26, 1913, and passed with certain amendments on Feb. 18 by a vote of 230 to 87, 78 Republicans and Progressives voting for the bill and 67 Democrats with the minority. The House rejected the financial provisions of the Senate bill, which ́authorized an appropriation of $40,000,000 to be derived from an issue of 30year three per cent. bonds, and introduced a less extravagant plan which finally prevailed in conference. The Act was signed by the President on March 12 (Public, No. 69). It directed him to construct, maintain and operate, with the necessary branches, feeders and telegraph and telephone lines, along a route or routes designated by him, main all necessary real or personal property, and to purchase or acquire all necessary equipment; to build or otherwise acquire all necessary docks, wharves, terminal facilities or other structures; to fix equal and uniform rates for the transportation of passengers and property; to make contracts for joint transportation with railroad and steamship companies; and to establish all necessary regulations for the control and operation of the railroad as a common carrier. The act also authorized the President to acquire by condemnation or by purchase at a price not exceeding the actual physical value any other railroad in Alaska needed to complete the government system; and at his discretion to lease all or any portion of the government system for a period not exceeding 20 years for operation under the jurisdiction and control of the interstate-commerce laws. Finally, the Act prescribed a limit of cost of $35,000,000, making $1,000,000 immediately available. The preliminary surveys for the system are already under way, in charge of an Alaskan Railroad Commission appointed by the President in May (see also XXI, Civil Engineering). A Further progress toward opening the resources of Alaska to commercial development was made in October, in the enactment of legislation which disposed of the contentious problem of the coal lands by releasing them for exploitation by private operators under a royalty system. bill "to provide for the leasing of coal lands in the Territory of Alaska,” a line or lines of railroad in the Ter- drafted by Secretary Lane, was introritory of Alaska not to exceed in the duced in the House (H. R. 14233) by aggregate 1,000 miles, to be so located Mr. Ferris (Okla.) on March 5. It as to connect one or more of the open was reported from the Committee on coast of Alaska with the navigable wa- Public Lands on March 9 but made ters in the interior of Alaska and with no further progress for nearly six a coal field or fields so as best to aid months. To meet the conditions crein the development of the agricultural and mineral or other resources of Alas- ated by the restriction of export of ka and the settlement of the public Canadian coal on the outbreak of the lands therein and so as to provide Pacific Ocean harbors on the southern transportation of coal for the Army and Navy, transportation of troops, arms, munitions of war, the mails, and for other governmental and public uses, and for the transportation of passengers and property. For this purpose it empowered him to acquire by purchase or condemnation under the power of eminent do European War, the bill was revived in August, passed after brief debate in both houses in September, and signed by the President on Oct. 20 (Public, No. 216). The Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to survey all coal lands in Alaska, beginning with the Bering River, Matanuska and Nenana fields, soon House by Mr. Jones (Va.) on Aug. The House passed the Jones bill on and appropriates $100,000 for this (H. R. 18459), introduced in the purpose. It authorizes the President to reserve 5,120 acres in the Bering River field, 7,680 in the Matanuska field, and a maximum of one-half the other coal-lands, to be mined at the discretion and under the direction of the President to supply the Navy, the government railroads and other government works and for relief from monopoly or oppressive conditions. The Secretary of the Interior may lease the unreserved lands, by advertisement, competitive bidding or otherwise, in blocks of 40 acres or multiples thereof up to a maximum of 2,560 acres, to any citizen of the United States or domestic corporation in which citizens hold a controlling interest, with the limitation that railroads may acquire only such area as may be required and used solely for its own use. Except that lessees of small contiguous blocks may, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, consolidate their holdings into one tract of not more than 2,560 acres, no person or corporation is permitted to acquire an interest in more than one lease. Leases may be for not more than 50 years and subject to renewal, are subject to a royalty of not less than two cents per ton of coal mined or an annual rental of $1 per acre on properties idle after the fifth year, and are voidable by appropriate court proceedings in the district court of Alaska if they come under the control of any unlawful trust or form the subject of a contract or conspiracy in restraint of trade in the mining or selling of coal. Leases may not be sublet or assigned without the consent of the Secretary of the Interior, and must contain provisions insuring the exercise of reasonable diligence, skill and care in operation, the prevention of undue waste and the safety and welfare of miners, including the eight-hour day for underground workers, freedom of purchase, fortnightly payments, and fair weighing or measurement. (See also VIII, Alaska; and X, Public Lands.) The Philippine Islands.-The policy of the Administration toward the Philippine Islands, as defined by President Wilson in his first annual message of Dec. 2, 1913 (A. Y. B., 1913. p. 18), was embodied in a bill How better, in this time of anxious questioning and perplexed policy, could we show our confidence in the principles of liberty, as the source as well as the expression of life, how better could we demonstrate our own self-possession and steadfastness in the course thus going calmly forward to fulfill our of justice and disinterestedness than by promises to a dependent people, who will now look more anxiously than ever to see whether we have indeed the liberality, the unselfishness, the courage. the faith we have boasted and professed? The Seamen's Bill.-A substitute for the La Follette Seamen's bill (S. 136) passed by the Senate on Oct. 23, 1913 (A. Y. B., 1913, p. 23), drafted by Mr. Alexander (Mo.), was passed by the House on Aug. 27. The Alexander bill is substantially similar to the La Follette measure, but is somewhat less rigorous in its requirements of lifeboat accommodations. It abolishes arrest and imprisonment as penalty for desertion and provides for the abrogation of treaties with foreign governments under which deserting seamen are arrested, detained and surrendered back to the vessel. The provisions of the bill are not specifically restricted to vessels of the United States, and since the regulations it establishes are more stringent than those of the London Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, the Senate | by the House on Dec. 3, 1913. The resolution of ratification of the Con- Senate on April 20 anticipated Presivention of Dec. 16 contained a pro- dent Wilson's request for authorizaviso reserving to the United States tion to employ armed force in Mexico the right to abrogate treaties in con- by passing the bill with certain minor flict with the pending legislation (see amendments, most of which were elimXX, The Merchant Marine). The Sea-inated from the conference report men's bill was still in conference at the close of the year. agreed to in both houses on April 24. The Act was approved by the President on April 25 (Public, No. 90). It empowers the President, during the existence of war or while war is imminent, to raise such volunteer forces as Congress may authorize. The period of enlistment is four years, "the same as that for the Regular Army, exclusive of reserve periods," but it is provided that all officers and enlisted men of the volunteer forces shall be mustered out as soon as practicable the passing of the imminence thereof. So far as practicable volunteer forces are to be taken from the several states in proportion to population. Any unit of the Organized Militia volunteering as such in three-fourths of its prescribed minimum strength is given the right to be received into the volunteer forces in advance of the raising of other organizations of the same arm or class. The President is authorized, with the consent of the Senate, to appoint all volunteer officers, which may be drawn, under certain restrictions, from the Regular Army, the Organized Militia and the country at large. Future Dealings in Cotton.-The regulation of future dealings in cotton, a subject which has been before Congress for many years, was finally disposed of in August by the enactment of legislation essentially similar to the amendment proposed by Senator Smith (S. C.) and Mr. Lever (S. C.) to the Underwood Tariff Act of 1913 (A. Y. B., 1913, pp. 35, 37, 343). A bill "to regulate trading in cotton futures and provide for the standard-after the termination of the war or ization of 'upland' and 'gulf' cottons separately," introduced by Senator Smith on April 7, 1913 (S. 110), was passed by the Senate on March 28. Mr. Lever introduced on April 2 a bill (H. R. 15318) "to tax the privilege of dealing in exchanges, boards of trade and similar places in contracts of sale of cotton for future delivery, and for other purposes," which was substituted for the Senate bill and passed by the House on June 29. On the following day the Senate rejected the amended bill and the conflicting measures were sent to conference. Both had the same purpose, but they proposed to attain the end by different means, the Smith bill by forbidding The Immigration Bill.-The immithe use of the mails or telegraph lines gration bill vetoed by President Taft for the transmission of quotations or on Feb. 14, 1913 (4. Y. B., 1913, p. contracts not complying with specified 3), was introduced in the Sixty-third regulations, and the Lever bill by Congress on June 13, 1913, by its levying a prohibitive tax on trans-author, Mr. Burnett (Ala.), in pracactions not in accordance with the prescribed conditions. In conference the Lever measure was adopted with certain amendments, and President Wilson signed the bill on Aug. 18 (Public, No. 174). Its provisions are summarized on another page (see XIII, The Conduct of Business). tically identical form (H. R. 6060). The measure was a comprehensive codification and revision of the laws regulating "the immigration of aliens to and the residence of aliens in the United States." The chief of the new provisions was the literacy test prescribed for immigrants and the excluThe Volunteer Army Act. The sion of all aliens over 16 years of age Mexican crisis in April (see infra) unable to read words in common use hastened the enactment of the Volun- in English or some other language, teer Army bill, introduced by Mr. with certain exemptions for near relaHay (Va.), "to provide for raising tives of citizens. This provision, the volunteer forces of the United strongly supported by organized laStates in time of actual or threatened bor, was held by President Taft to war" (H. R. 7138), which was passed "violate a principle which ought to be upheld in dealing with our immigra- | authorization by the legislature, for tion." the unexpired term of a Senator in office at the time the amendment went into effect. The question arose in the case of the Alabama senatorship vacated by the death of Senator Joseph F. Johnston (Dem.) on Aug. 8, 1913. Resting his assumption of the right on the prohibition in the Seventeenth Amendment of a construction such as to "affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it became valid as part of the Constitution," Governor O'Neal appointed Representative Henry D. Clayton, and, on his resignation, Frank P. Glass, for the balance of Senator Johnston's term, ex The House began debate on the Burnett bill on Jan. 30 under a special rule. Most of the debate dealt with the literacy test, which was strongly opposed on both sides, particularly by Representatives from large cities, but the House declined to eliminate it by a vote on a motion to recommit of 239 to 140, 85 Republicans voting with the majority and 97 Democrats with the minority. Members from the Pacific Coast pressed an amendment to exclude all persons of native Asiatic or African race, and a clause was tentatively adopted on the 2d, by a vote of 110 to 90, extending the exclu-piring March 3, 1915 (A. Y. B., 1913, sion provisions to "Hindus and all persons of the Mongolian or yellow race, of the Malay or brown race, and of the African or black race, unless otherwise provided for" by treaty. But on the following day, in response to an appeal by the Administration for the avoidance of all legislation tending to embarrass the pending negotiations with Japan on the California land law of 1913 (A. Y. B., 1913, pp. 16, 86), the House rejected the amendment by a non-partisan vote of 203 to 54. The bill was passed without material change on Feb. 4 by a vote of 252 to 126. p. 25). It was held, on the other hand, that the intent of the amendment was to abolish immediately and absolutely the procedure of the original provisions of the Constitution, and this interpretation was confirmed by the Senate on Feb. 4 by a vote of 34 to 30, eight Democrats voting with the majority, on a report of the Committee on Privileges and Elections adverse to the seating of Mr. Glass. The vacant senatorship was filled on May 22 by the seating of Francis S. White (Dem.), chosen in a special election on May 11. The arguments favorable to the The Senate Committee on Immigra- seating of Mr. Glass were opposed to tion, to whom the bill was referred on the admission of Blair Lee (Dem.), Feb. 5, reported it favorably with for the unexpired term of Senator Isicertain minor amendments on March dor Rayner (Dem.) of Maryland, who 19. Its acceptance by the Senate was died on Nov. 25, 1912. Governor practically assured. But the Senate Goldsborough filled the vacancy temleaders, doubtful of the attitude of porarily by the appointment of Wilthe President toward the literacy test liam P. Jackson (Rep.) on Nov. 29, and confronted with the possibility of 1912, and after the proclamation of raising an embarrassing issue in the the Seventeenth Amendment, issued a Congressional campaign, allowed the writ for a special election on Nov. 4, bill to rest during the remainder of 1913, in which Mr. Lee was chosen the session. It was made unfinished for the balance of Senator Rayner's business of the Senate on Dec. 9, and term, expiring March 3, 1917. The at the close of the year was still under Senate Committee on Privileges and discussion. On Dec. 31 the Senate re- Elections on Jan. 17 approved the jected by a vote of 47 to 12 an amend-procedure of the Maryland election, ment to eliminate the literacy test, to which President Wilson has announced his opposition. Direct Election of Senators.-The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections on Jan. 17 interpreted the Seventeenth Amendment to invalidate an appointment to the Senate by the governor of a state, without special and the Senate on Jan. 28 agreed to a resolution seating Mr. Lee by a vote of 58 to 13, 14 Republicans voting with the majority. A bill "providing a temporary method of conducting the nomination and election of United States Senators" for those states failing to enact special legislation prescribing the mode |