The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-21

Within a short while the new congress
VIII be in session There is naturally a
desire TO know what fl viii DO and what
leave undone. The Chicago Record, shar-
ing the common desire and knowing Of
no better way OF having its curiosity
satisfied than by asking the congressman
what they propose to do. has sent TO a
number of them cards OF questions with
regard to the matter. The replies it has
received leaves The Record just about
where il started-wlth mighty little in
formation that amounts TO anything.
Congressman Burrows of Michigan says
he does not expect much general legisla-
ton at the approaching session. And it
would appear that he is pretty well in
formed. 10 Judge from the tangled ideas
of most of the others who responded to
the queries put to them.
The majority of the representatives re-
plying assert that something must be
done to increase the revenues. But that
is about as far as they 90 on common
ground. The high protecuonists among
them, of course, talk about piling on
tariff duties. and name wool and lumber
as the articles to be saddled with an
impost something like the Mckinley bill
put on them. There are also more or less
timid suggestions of an increased tax
on beer. The proposition to tax bank
checks seems TO have been lost in the
shuttle
While nearly every congressman has
a scheme to save the country. there is
a noticeable lack of belief by them that
congress intends to do a great deal of
saving of the country at this particular
time. And the republicans are already
trying to fix the blame of any failure
on the part Of congress upon the Presi-
dent. Senator Frye of Maine calls at
tention to the fact that while the House
will be republican, the Senate will be
"nondescript," and the President a dem
ocrat This combination, he says, does
not make a team to do heavy work.
The silver issue does not seem to cut
much of a figure in the minds of the men
who will make laws for the country dur
ing the next two years. The matters they
talk most about are Cuba. Venezuela. the
Alaska boundary. the Monroe doctrine
the Nicaragua canal. the Union Pacific
railroad, the revenues, and pensions. In
connection with pensions, Congressman
Otey of Virginia has on hand a pension
scheme which won't pass. but is interest
ing nevertheless. He wants the govern
ment TO set aside annually a sum not to ex-
coed per cent. of $27,OOOOOO for the relief
of ex-confederate soldiers. Twenty-seven
millions of dollars, Mr.. Otey says, was the
amount covered into the treasury Of the
United States from the sale of the cap
tured and abandoned property of south
erners during and after the war The
fund, he says, should be apportioned
among the southern states that them
selves make appropriations for the relief
of their ex-confederate soldiers.
a popullst member from Nebraska says
he has a number Of ideas that could be
made into bills for the present and ever
lasting good Of congress- the admins
tration and every Individual of the whole
people. But the administration, both
houses of congress and all of the courts,
from the justice of the peace to the fed
eral supreme bench, are against him
therefore he will not introduce any bills
or outline any legislation.