The morning call., 1893-11-04
ADJOURNMENT OF CONGRESS.

Contrary to general expectation the party
in power has decided to give members Of
Congress holiday OF month between the
extra and the regular session. When it
became evident that the passage of the
legislation for which the extra session was
called was going to involve delay. it was
supposed that Congress would 60 right on
with its work so as to be able to adjourn
next March and let members off in time
for the spring planting. But for reasons
not fully explained this design has been
abandoned, and the regular business ses
sion will be called to order on the usual
day. There will, however, be an extra
mileage. The Ways and Means Commit
tee, which has in hand the preparation of
the new tariff, will sis during the adjourn
ment. By agreement between Reed Of
Maine and Wilson of West Virginia. the
committee will file within ten days after
the adjournment its reports on the various
heads of the new revenue measure, and
these are to be sent by mail to every Re-
publican member. In this way, when
Congress meets, the administration will
lay its plans before the House in the shape
of majority reports. and the opposition
will be prepared to set forth its views in
minority reports. Thus the whole subject
will be in possession of the House in
digested shape, and debate may begin and
may possibly end before the holidays. In
the latter case the saving of time will be
marked. The Mckinley bill was reported
TO the House on April is. and was not
finally passed till October 1. The Mills
bill was reported on April 2, but did not
pass the House till July 81. The Morrison
bill was reported on March II, and was
killed on May 6. The whole subject of
customs revenue has been thoroughly dis
cussed since 1884, and most members are
prepared to vote without much talk.
If the revenue measure gets into the
Senate by New Year, or soon afterward-
the silver matter and the Chinese exclusion
matter being out of the way-COngresS
will have time to take up other measures,
which were crowded out at recent ses-
sions. Ground may be broken on the gen.
eral question of reclaiming the arid areas
by irriga ton. 1t is hardly likely that any
satisfactory measure will be matured by
this Congress. but something may be done
toward educating the public and their rep
resentatives on this very important sub
ject.
Ifit be possible to enact statutes which
would wean the East from the use of
paper and accustom its people to employ
silver and gold coin in preference in their
daily retail transactions, as the people Of
California. Great Britain and France do,
something would be gained for the cause
Of wholeso me currency.
An important matter for consideration
will be the proposition 10 allow the South
ern Pacific Company and the Union Pa
cific an extension of time in which TO pay
their debts to the Government. II is
hoped that Congress may be induced 10 do
something to improve the navigable rivers
of this State. California is sending gold
East by the tens of millions, and little
distribution of Federal money on this
coast would not come amiss. II Congress
should appropriate for this coast all that
is asked it would be but & small part of
the amoGnt paid by the people in the way
of custom duties and internal taxes.
II more pressing topics of legislation
were out of the way the vexed questions
of uniform laws of marriage. divorce and
testamentary provisions might be taken
up with a prospect of showing what shape
public opinion has taken on those matters
anu what legislation, constitutional or
statutory, is possible. A uniform system
of laws of hygiene and quarantine might
be proftably discussed. And above all.
Congress might render yeomen service in
discussing whether the accumulation of
wealth and the growing domination Of cor
porate power do not require some meas
ures of restraint for the protection CT
popular liberties. Thus fer antitrust
legislation has failed TO accomplish its
purpose; but it ought to be possible to de-
wise a safeguard for the ordinary citizen
against the rapacity of combined million
aires. There is ability enough in Con-
gress to solve these pro- blems; there seems
to be a prospect that the ability may now
find time to fulfill It's duty.