The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-12-09
IMPORTANT WORK
70 COME BEFORD THE FIFTY
SIXTH CONGRESS.

to Come Up at an Early Date-Gov-
r,ment tn Re Protected in the Kan
sas Pacific Railroad.
E.F.PARsoNs, Special Correspondent.
Washington, D. C.-The Goth session
of congress of the United States will
soon be in session with good Repub-
lican majority in the lower house, but
With minority in the senate. 1t is
unfortunate that the party In control
of the executive branch of the govern
ment 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 IN
action 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 day after the con-
vening of congress. They will affect
this country's relations with Spain and
Japan, and are national and interna-
tional 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. 1t
has been intimated from time to time
that congress, when convened, would
not stand the indefinite and procras-
tinating policy pursued by Spain in
connection with this governments in
auiries relative to Cuba, and even that
Spain's attitude toward the United
States in the matter has not been salts
factory to the president. 1t is general
" thought that one of the first ques'
tons to come up after congress convenes
will be Cuba, and the-state department
correspondence, which has been &C
cumulating to a certain extent, will
be published and the whole situation
placed before the country, as we'll as
congress. Then it remains to be seen
what action will be taken as to the
recognition of belligerent 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 it is not the desire of the adj
ministration that Cuba shall be devas-
tated and destroyed by continuance
of Weylerism. There is no question
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 important
question of the annexation of Hawaii.
1t is safe to say also that the people of
the United States, as great majority,
favor the annexation of the islands, in
a territorial form OF government. The
annexation treaty was proclaimed by
the president paratively early in
the administration and has been rati-
fed by the Hawaiian congress. Our
own senate will undoubtedly take rea-
sonably 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 a majority in the senate. The
foreign policy of the Republicans have
always been clear and vigorous, the
Democrats being the conservatives and
the liberals, and, as above stated, the
Republicans, although not in majority
in the senate, will have to bear the bur-
den of responsibility for whatever action
is taken, SO that to secure their best re-
suits they should have no obstructive
opposition. In any case action of some
sort is probable very early in the session
On these two questions.
The Democrats who have been trying
to make capital against the new tariff
law by pointing to the monthly treasury
deficit will soon be obliged to turn their
attention to other fields. While the re-
ceipts from custom under the new law
have heretofore been less than the ex-
penditures, or even then the receipts OF
the Wilson law during the correspond
ing period of last year, for very good
reasons, they have been steadily gain
ing week by week, and now, according
to the treasury figures, they are larger
than they we're year ago. The pre-
diction that the new year will see a
wiping out of monthly deficits seems
likely to be fulfilled. cit is simply 2
question of time, greater or less. which
cannot be told exactly said treasury
official, when the new law will ge,
into normal working order and will
produce surplus instead of deficit
1t is doing remarkably we'll considering
the way it was handicapped by exces
sive importations, many of which ART
still in the country"
According to Attorney General Nc
Kenna. the government will be as FULLY
protected in the matter of the Kansa
Pacific Railroad as was the case in tn,
Union Pacific transaction. The owner
ship of the Kansas Pacific is part of tn,
scheme Of the reorganization commit
tee. The committee holds certain
liens on the road which it is bound t,
protect. 1t can only protect them b,
getting possession of the road, and thi!
can only come through its making bid
which will clear the road of all indebt
edness to the government. The gov
eminent is master of the situation ant
everybody who knows anything abou
the facts knows this, none better thai
the reorganization committee. TIL
same vigilance aud intelligence will b,
displayed in the management of tn
branch road as was shown in the sal,
OF the main road, which everybody nov
comedies redounded to the credit of tn,
officials managing the sale.
Significance of q Clamor.
The clamor for cheaper sleeping ca
Al = L