Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-12-14
NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL.
An Interesting Letter From Our C0rre-
spOndent at Washington.

The coming together of the members
of congress for their regular session
brings to Washington some intVesting
news from all parts of the country.
The average member of congress is a
| ter barometer in relation to the con-
ditions in his own state and district
than perhaps any other man, and when
you get an aggregation of members
from all parts of the country you get
an excellent view of conditions in this
great country of ours.
And they come with very favorable
reports. Whether from the north or
the south, the Atlantic Seaboard, the
Mississippi Valley, or the Pacific Slope,
there are reports of improved condi-
tons. Increased earnings among
farmers, increased earnings by rail
roads and railroad men, increased
earnings among mine operators and
mine workers, increased earnings
among manufacturers, these are the
reports which members bring from
every part of the country. From Kan
sas alone comes an official report piac-
ing the value of farm products in that
state this year at over S66, 100000, an
increase of more than thirty per cent.
as compared with last year, while the
reports of mortgages cancelled in that
and all of the farming states are equal
ly gratifying From the manufacture
ing and mining sections the reports are
quite as favorable. Members from the
manufacturing sections of New Eng
land and the Ohio Valley report large
Increases in the number of people en-
ployed, and that an increase in wages
is now also being had i'm many cases.
Naturally the first effect of a protective
| tariff is to increase the number of peo-
pie employed, and it is not until the
| second stage of its work has been
reached that the effect is felt in the in
,rease in wages. This is now making
tself apparent, for reports of increased
wages come not alone from the manu-
.cturing centers, but from the great
ron mines of Pennsylvania, Michigan
and elsewhere.
The good reports which members
| bring regarding the improvement of
| business under the new tariff are met
with equally favorable news as to the
w ork of that law since congress placed
| it upon the statute books and left it to
| begin its career in the face of adverse
conditions. With a hundred million
dollars worth ofsurplus foreign impor-
tations upon the markets of the country
the conditions under which it entered
upon its work were, of course, extreme
| ly unfavOrable. In the face of that
fact, however, its earnings have stead
lily increased, beginning with little
over $40 100000 in the first month, and
now reaching more than $4,000, 900
in November. In each month
since the tariff bill was placed
upon the statute books the earn
ing have increased, and the treas
ury officials who have been studying
the new law carefully are thoroughly
satisfied with its prospects as a revenue
producer. Probably no man in the
treasury department is better capable
to Judge of these matters than Assist.
ant Secretary Howell, who has grown
up in the customs service from subor-
dinate position to the position which
he now holds-Assistant Secretary of
Treasury. He says frankly that he
thinks the earnings of the new law will
be sufficient after the opening month
of the coming year to meet running eX-
penses. 1.-THE enormous stock ofsugar,
| wool, and other articles which had
been brought into the country before
the new law went into etfect,n said
Mr.. Howell, talking to your CORE
spondent, .'will have been pretty we'll
used up by the end of the present year,
and the importations will be resumed.
When this is done, / think the earn
ings of the new law will be very satis-
factory. We are now getting $50, ,000,
600 a month, and the revenue from
sugar alone will be about $1,000, 900,
while the increase from other sources
will also be very considerable. So, it
seems to me, that congress, when it
looks over the Helu anu sees Wudt tne
new law has done and what it Is likely
to do in the near future, will have no
occasion to regret its action or to enter
upon any further revenue legislation
at present, at least"
Members of congress learn on their
return here that all American prison
ers in Cuba are at liberty. 1t will be
remembered that this administration,
when it came into office nine months
ago, found that very large number of
American citizens were confined in
Cuban prisons and had been so con-
fined, in many cases, for months.
Within less than single month many
of these were released, and now con-
gress finds upon reassembling that
through the firm, but conservative,
course of the administration, every
American citizen who was thus con-
fined in Cuban prisons and had been
so confined for months, if not years,
has been set at liberty. This fact is al
ready having its effect in modifying
the disposition on the part of certain
people to criticise the course of the ad-
ministration in regard to Cuban affairs
and to lead to feeling that the presi-
dent and his advisers, if permitted to
| an -cu ont thair nlopG will Shana tha