The evening times., 1898-12-05
The Meeting of Congress.

active work Of legislation and after di-
rect contact with the people, the MEM
bers of the National Congress return to
Washington. Not since the civil war
has so much transpired in the time of
recess to affect their labors AS
rule the closing session of a Congress is
chiefly devoted by the majority to evad-
ing positive action. The time is COM
paratively short, even to take up the
threads of the preceding session. In
this instance much that interested the
members in the past has been overshad-
owed by the Intervention of war and
the many concerns that grow out of it.
These exceed in number and Importance
anything we have known since the re-
construction period and in some re-
spects they are not unlike those of that
time Then there was the problem OF
establishing form of government for
the Southern States, and there was an
army of place-see kers eager TO make
the most of the opportunity. Now we
are to face the problem of devisins a
system of administration for new de-
Dtl4ANllNitNs AItt NOi4lEAiblio VI ''iiANAi 80
still To- be determined. 1t is probable,
however, that owing to the immediate
necessity OF military rule in the islands,
Congress will go only So far during the
snort session as the situation compels it
to go. A fair estimate of the President
sentiments has been made in advance Of
his message which outlines the ac-
tion required for carrying out his
scheme of temporary administration.
We may hope that he will escape for
time the pressure of the politicians, who
see in the civil government of the new
colonies the chance of their lives for
plunder. Soon or late that Will have to
be met. but the longer it is delayed the
stronger will become the public seni-
ment in favor of clean administration.
Since Congress adjourned the war
that the Democratic minority-with the
aid of minority of the Republicans
forced the laggard Administration to
undertake. has been carried TO a sue
4 G ssful end out Of its maladminiStra-
ton has grown gigantic scandals that
call for impartial investigation. In
spite OF the effort To forestall and pre-
vent a Congressional inquiry. patient
but Indignant people look confidently to
their representa- atives to probe the cruel
bIfsiness To the bottom. Out of the re-
suits of the war has come the question
( of national expansion. After study
/ of popular opinion that was certainly
/ long enough 10 be thorough. the Presi-
dent decided in favor of assuming the
burdens and benefits of American rule
in the Philippines. His decision has
I been effective in obtaining from Spain
. a surrender of all title to the archipel-
! ago in treaty that is in course of COM
pletion. On the Senate is imposed the
duty of ratifyinS the treaty and on the
House the necessity of whatever legis-
lation the possession Of the islands in
wolves In response TO the personal ap-
peal of the President, the people have
stood by him in every step, regardless
( Of the hysterical anguish of an un-
American minority Of foreign birth or
sympathies What the people them
selves have done they viii expect their
legislative agents to<-do. As certainly
as the results of the November cleo
tiens were an Endorsement of the Presi-
dents policy. just as certainly they are
a command 70 Congress to support that
policy 1t is about this that the strong
4 est interest centers
An intelligent forecast of the session
does not encourage the idea of any
drastic legislation in respect Of either
the tariff or the finances. If the blind
est Of the protectionists refuse to see in
our new conditions and relations the
end of the policy of favor to special
classes, at least they realize that the
problem is not as simple as formerly.
Some light is bound to penetrate their
| understanding even before this Con-
! gress passes away.