Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-02
THE NEXT CONGRESS.
SOON TO CONVENE; MUCH TO
DO.
The Cuban and the Hawaiian Questions
Likely to BE shr FIRST AMI Most Inn
portrait to Come Up for Consideration
Republicans Control the House but
Not the Senate.
lMashington Letterl

~ GC1SiOA Will u AlCyt1ttIdu WI AiA5
majority in the lower house, but with
a minority in the senate. 1t is unfor-
tunate that the party in control of the
executive branch OF the government is
not in a majority in the senate as well
as in the house, as questions of great
importance are to be considered and
the responsibility for action or mac
ton viii be laid upon the shoulders
of the Republicans, even though they
may be powerless to fully carry their
points in the upper branch of congress.
Matters of great interest and concern
will undoubtedly be presented and dis
cussed at an early date after conven-
ton Of congress. They will affect this
country's relations with Spain and ia
pan, and are national and international
in character, rather than partisan in
any sense, so that their adjustment
will be closely watched by foreign IA
tions.
The most difficult question TO be
dealt with is that relating to Cuba. 1t
has been animated from time to time
that congress, when convened, would
not stand the indefinite and procrasti-
mating policy pursued by Spain in on
quiries relative to Cuba, and even that
SPANS attitude toward the United
States in the matter has not been sat
isfac.ery 10 the President. 1t is gener-
ally thought that one of the first ques-
tions TO come UP after congress con-
venes will be Cuba. and the state de-
partment correspondence. which has
been accommodating to a certain extent,
will be published and the whole situa-
ton placed before the country. as well
as congress. Then ii remains TO see
what action will be taken as to the rec
ognition Of b~elligerent rights in that
island. 1t is known that the President
is strongly in favor of a peaceful solu-
ton of the problem If that be possible.
but that ii is not the desire Of the adj
ministration that Cuba shall be devas-
tated and destroyed by the continuance
OF Weylerism. There is no question
but that the people of the United States
are, by a. large majority, in sympathy
with the Cubans and desire to see. in
some way, the freedom Of the Island
accomplish ID.
Then there is the almost as import
ant question of the annexation of Ha-
waii. II is safe to say also that the
people Of the United States, by as great
a ms io~itv favor +ba orvavr4oo - 4ro
islands in a territorial form of govern
ment. The annexation treaty was pro-
claimed by the President comparative
+, ~ early - ..he administration and has
been ratified by the Hawaiian congress,
Our own senate viii u~r5@9tte .ly take
reasonably prompt sc.icn upon 1t af,er
: action upon the Cuban matter.
Neither of these questions are party
questions, and neither will divide cen
gress On party lines, but nevertheless
il is unfortunate that the Republicans
have not a majority in the senate. The
foreign polcy OF the Republicans has
always been clear and vigorous, the
Democrats being the conservatives and
the illiberals, and. as above stated, the
Republicans, although not in a MAJOR
fty in the senate, will have to bear the
burden Of responsibility for whatever
action is taken, SO that to secure their
best results thy should have no OBJ
structiye opposition. In any case ac-
ton OF some sort is probable very
early in the session on these two ques-
tons.
h Democrats who have been trying
to make capital against the new tariff
law by pointing to the monthly treas
ury defc.t will soon be obliged to turn
their attention to other fields. While
the receipts from customs under the
new law have heretofore been less than
the expenditures, or even than the re-
ceipts Of the Wilson law during the
corresponding period Of last year. for
very good reasons. they have been
steadily gaining week by week. and
now, according to the treasury figures.
they are larger than they were a year
ago. The prediction that the new rear
will see a wiping out of monthly de-
ficits seems likely to be fulfilled. cit
Is simply a question of time, greater
or less. which cannot be told exactly"
said a treasury official. when the new
law will get into normal working or
der and will produce a surplus instead
of a deficit. 1t is doing remarkably
well considering the way ii was handi-
capped by excessive importations.
many of which are still in the coun-
try"
According to Acknowledgement Nc
Kenna. the Government will be as fully
protected in the matter Of the Kansas
Pacific Railroad as was the case in the
Union Pacific transaction. The owner
ship OF the Kansas Pacific Is part OF
the scheme Of tie reorganization COM
mittee. The committee holds certain
liens on the road which it Ii bound
to protect. 1t car only protect them by
getting possession Of the road, ard this
can only come through its making bids
which will clear the road of all in
debtedness TO the Government. The
Government Is master Of the situation
and everybody who knows ANYTHING