The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-19

infantrymen at first. The government
has discovered that there IL in this
country a scarcity Of heavy horses ca
| pable OF doing superior service in the
cavalry or artillery arms Of the mill
| tary service. Efforts are now being
made in Kentucky. Wyoming. and 9TH
er states TO secure $4,000 horses OF stall
wart build. They are surprisingly
| scarce.
| Congress Had Plenty to DO.
The congress which but recently ad-
| journed was the first congress which
has been required to legislate for war
| with any European power since that of
| 1872. Called in special session TO enact
a revenue law TO prevent a treasury
deficit IL found itself confronted be-
fore the end of the first regular session
with constantly growing treasury de-
felt, an impending war, seacoast
poorly fortified. navy without proper
armament. ammunition, or sufficient
Eailors. and an army insufficient to man
the necessary defensive works, let alone
undertaking an offensive war on for
eign soil This summary of the things
that congress found il necessary TO
provide for in some way, shows that no
war with the southern confederacy has
been called upon to meet graver is
sues.
Under the pressure of these necessi-
ties our seacoast defenses have been put
in somewhat improved condition, the
navy has been equipped and armed to
the point OF terrible effectiveness
against the Spanish naval power, an
a Of ,-lx-
called into existence, a revenue bill
which is expected to add $50, 900 900
annually to the country's revenues has
been passed, bond issue of $500. GOO 900
has been authorized, and an important
increase of the navy, including three
new battleships, four monitors. sixteen
torpedo boat destroyers, twelve torpedo
boats and one gunboat. has been pro-
vided for.
Nearly s0OO,OOO,O0O.
The appropriations made reached
nearly 5000, coo. 900, of which $3.50, 0OO, 900
was for purely war purposes. Outside
OF war legislation congress passed a
general bankruptcy law. annexed Ha-
wall, made an appropriation to pay the
long deferred Boring sea awards, ex-
tended the territorial laws of Alaska
and adopted other legislation of an i'm
portant nature.
The thing it neglected to do was to
pass bill reforming the currency of
the country; but this was an impossi-
bility, because of the predominance of
the silver interest in the senate, and
it is not worth while to blame congress
for not doing the impossible. The peo-
pie must change the complexion of the
senate before there can be any cur
rency legislation, and this they are
likely to do before the next congress
enters upon its first regular session.
Party Lines Ignored.
Considering the conflict between the
two branches upon financial questions,
congress has met the issues with which
the country was confronted, with a
unanimity that is to be commended
On most war legislation party lines
have been ignored, and one of the
achievements of the session just closed
has been the oblteration of the sec
tionalism that has existed ever since
the close of the war of the rebellion.
The present war with Spain issustained
by the representatives of both the
north and south, and the men who op-
posed each other thirty-five years ago
are marching together to fight a COM
mon enemy under the Nag OF reunited
country.
Conditions may arise that will re-
quire congress to meet again before De-
cember. but the president can call an
extra session If this shall be found nee
essary. 1t was hardly necessary for
to sit during two of the hot
test months in the year to meet a con-
that may not arise, and there
will be little criticism of it's action in
adjourning when it did.
study Of the hospital reports Of the
regular troops in camp at Tampa for |
the month before their embarkation |
helps to account for their wonderful
endurance in Cuba. In 10,121 officers |
and men, there were 1924 admissions |
to sick report during the month, and |
the total loss of time did not average |
more than one-half a day in the month |
for each man.
Only Six Cases of Aleoho lism.
Leaving out vaccination, slight |
wounds, sprains, bois and minor surgi- |
cal affections, there is very little left |
but some 500 cases of simple diarrhoea. /
easily accounted for and generally of |
short duration. Then thousand men
at home In June would hardly escape
so well. And what is particularly not
able is that the report shows but six
cases Of alcoholism during the month
n the whole command.
DR.. Raymond, who makes the report.
says that under his personal observa-
lion at Tampa during the six weeks
here came but two or three cases of
and none of deem intoxi |
cation. 1t would be hard to find a town
IF 10000 adult male inhabitants with
such record, or with daily average
sick list OF only two-tenths of 1 per
'ent. There can be no doubt that the
of the army contributes
much to its splendid physical condition.
There Is some ground for believing
hat Germany intends to interfere
With our possession of the Philippines.
n that event the entire congress will
'e called in extraordinary session. The
writer Is informed by member of the
abinet that President MoKinfox, In /