The Globe-republican., 1897-12-02
washington letter.

washington Letter.
In about a fortnight the Fifty-sixth
congress of the United States will be
in session with a Republican working
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 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 will 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 ma
tons.
The most difficult question to be
dealt with is that relating to Cuba. It
has been intimated from time to time
that congress, when convened, would
not stand the indefinite and proc:asti-
mating policy pursued by Spain in con-
nection with this governments in
quiries relative to Cuba, and even that
SPANS attitude toward the United
States in the matter has not been sat
isfactory to the President. 1t is gener-
ticns to come up after congress con-
venes will be Cuba, and the state de-
partment correspondence, which has
been accommodating to certain extent,
will be published and the whole situa-
ton placed before the country, as we'll
as congress. Then it remains to see
what action will be taken as to the rec
ognition of belligerent rights in that
island. It is known that the President
is strongly in favor of peaceful s0lu-
ton of the problem if that be possible,
but that it 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 large majority, in sympathy
with the Cubans and desire to see, in
some way, the freedom of the island
accomplished.
Then there is the almost as import
ant question of the annexation of Ha-
waii. 1t is safe to say also that the
people OF the United States, by as great
a majority, favor the annexation Of the
islands in territorial form of govern
ment. The annexation treaty was pro-
claimed by the President comparative
ly early in the administration and has
been ratified by the Hawaiian congress.
Our own senate will undoubtedly take
reasonably prompt action upon it after
action upon the Cuban matter.
Neither of these questions are party
questions, and neither will divide con-
gress on party lines, but nevertheless
it is unfortunate that the Republicans
have not majority in the senate. The
foreign policy 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 major
ity in the senate. will have to bear the
burden of responsibility for whatever
action is taken, so that to secure their
best results they should have no OBJ
structive opposition. In any case ac-
ton of some sort is probable very
early in the session on these two ques-
tons.
The Democrats who have been trying
to make capital against the new tariff
law by pointing to the monthly treas
ury deGc.t will soon be obliged to turn
their attention to other fields. While
che receipts from customs under the
oew law have heretofore been less than
she expenditures. or even than the re-
ceipts Of the Wilson law during the
corresponding period Of las: year. for
very good reasons. they have been