The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-06
wnAr coscnEss SHOULD DO.

WHAT CONGRESS SHOULD DO.
There is little prospect that congress
will accomplish anything OF import
ance during the session which has Just
begun. There viii be disposition to
leave the settlement q pending ques-
lions 10 the Fifty-6rss congress, both !
in order to relieve Harrlsons admin r
ixtration Of eini,arrassmentandt TO hold
Il safely responsible for the settlement
az the questions upon which the M
coming presidens was elected.
its not often that important legs
lation Il enacted BY a congress ~
which the senate is controlled BY one
politicaI party and the house py an
other. Almost every important qaes-
ton with which congress IS called
upon TO deal partakes more OF iess %
n political nature, and IS vieNea "
tbe members from behind the pa-..y !
brea,twofks. Itisfor this rea.,of tbst |
vast majority OF the .neasafes pre-
scented 70 divided congress are de-
tined to fail in adissgreement between
the houses. 1t Is for this reason that
no tariff legislation has been enacted
since the Republicans controked both
branches OF congress seven years ago.
It's for thi. reason that ell efforts 70
secure the admission OF eligible terri
tories into the Union Rave failed. 1t
is for this reason THAR Fiftieth con
gress was able To accomplish nothing
but routine work tlkring the first ses-
sion, tfsough that session was the long
est In The history Of the country.
III Ss. therefore, highly probable that
no tking of Importance viii be accom-
plIyhed during. the present session.
Tp.e Democrats. smarting under an
ssy erwhefraing defeat. will scarcely
venture upon decided policy, and
the Republicans viii evince dispod-
ton ~ TO approach the consideration
Of IMPORTANT questions until both
iioiix 5 are ander their control.
p, cause no important legislation is
tote expected, however, it Is not - be
NJ derstood that none is needed There
arc many questions pressing Tea settle
sp.ent. and their consideration should
mot be postponed until. the advent of q
new administration or for sfny other
reason. One Of the mos, snpoften'
questions demanding xrscnticn. al
least 10 the eyes OF the people OF the
northwest, Is that of the admission oi
the territories which have long beer
prepared for statehood. This question
win be promptly takeR up by the sen
ate, which has already passed a bill
for the admission al South Dakota
and which will speedily pass Hills fol
the admission OF Washington. North
Dakota, and Montana. II Is altogeth.
err probable, however, that the Demo
Gratis of the house, DESTROYS of saving
from the wreck of their party hope
all that can be saved, will insist npor
the admission OF New Mexico, and o.
Dakota as one State. or course tn,
Republican senate will not agree 4
this, and the whole question viii prob
ably 20 over 10 the next congress. ]
is not impossible thatthe Democrats
knowing that the admission OF tn,
territories cannot possibly be delaye,
for more than a few months. ant
anxious 70 regain the ground which
they have lost in the northwest. viii
abandon their position and offer NJ
further objection 10 the admission o
Washington. Montana. and the tw'
Dakotas. This. however, must be re
garded as among the possibilities
rather than among the probabilities
II is much more likely that the session
will end without justice being done {,
the territories.
The tariff question should also b'
dealt with. The Republican party 4
n pledged to an adequate reduction o
the revenue without injury to the pro
tected industries of the country
There is no doubt that the Republican
senators and representatives will max
an effort 10 redeem this pledge at once
The senate tariff bill has already beer
called up. and that bill. either "a il 1
or in a modified form. will unqucs
tionably be passed by the upper house
The Democratic representatives, how
ever, will as unqucstionably defea, il
The PresideIns, in his recent message
virtually calls upon them to stan.
firmly for the principles contained II
the Mills bill. Snd there Is little doub
that they will take his advice. The re
suit will be > disagreement between
the two houses. and the whole ques
ton of tariff legislation and surplus
reduction will 60 over until the meet
ing Of the next congress.
A satisfactory settlement OF the fish
cries question is also highly desirable
but il is not probable that this import
ant question will even he touched upoi
during the preSest session. Thi
question was TO certain extent ar
issue In the campaign. and it is rccog
nixed as highly proper that its settle.
ment should he left 20 the adminlstra
ton of President Harrison
As has been said there is much thai
the present congress might vet do with
profit 60 the country, bat the proha.
bility tina, Il will do anything Is ex.
tremely small
The rising tide Of Socialistic idea.
among the German people ans in the
ranks Of the German army must d.,