The Penn's Grove record., 1899-11-17
NLAt YOU
PRUBLEMS F6R CONGRESS-
The Effect Of the Elections on Our
Commercial Policy.
INTERESTS IN CHINA.

Action Likely to Be Taken by Congress
for tho Government OF Porto Rico
The Problem of Free Sugar and To.
bacco From Cuba-The Revenue and
Currency 'situation-Other Questions.
WASHINGTON, D. G. Especial .-signs Of
the approaching session OF Congress are
multiplying. Senators and Representatives
living In Washington are already returning
to the city. Many appear on Pennsylvania
avenue In the autumn sunlight while max
ing the rounds OF the departments and at
tending to thanYspts OF their constituents
The conf@YE8{ 1s NSpeakership attracts
no attentS S33ause already settled. All
know thai avid B. Henderson, of Iowa
viii 81 rhomas B. HeedA
The Hpf the eiections will probably
make y ssor the Administration to &C
forward NHn<ganization of civil gov.
eminent and definite Commercial relations
In the dependencies. President Mckinley
will feel able to carry out the programme
already made public for the protection OF
American Interests 10 China and for the
participation OF the United States In the
struggle for the commerce OF the unde-
veloped countries. His recent action Ia
regard to China was the result OF gradual.
ly ripening conviction and OF the earnest
advice OF Secretary Hay, who learned to
appreciate at London the Importance Mt.
tached In England to the extension of CON.
mercial opportunities. 1t is not probable
that any legislation will he called for in
regard to China. or even any resolution BY
Congress, except thesgeneral step involved
In strengthening the navy and making 1t
capable Of sustaining with dignity the pro.
nJf ~ IA fafAn .aI-A Lao
snce with Chinese sovereignty by Russia,
Germany, France or Italy.
The conservative legislation required 10
the case OF the dependencies, however
will be extensive and more or less trouble.
some. There Is no reason apparently why
legislation should not be enacted fol
Porto Rico which would lead to the grad
ual creation OF a complete civil govern.
ment In the island. The situation In Cuba
Is more complicated, because OF the pledge
that the United States might Withdraw
when a stable government had been es.
tablished. The most bitter conflict In
Congress over both these islands promises
to come upon the question OF tariffs. The
Ways and Means Committee will have tc
deal with the question first and may de-
eide to throw down all tariff barriers be.
tween Porto Rico and the United States
This will cause violent resistance from the
tobacco interests and the sugar-growlng
interests. The volume OF imports Of to
bacco and sugar from Porto Rico into the
the United States will not be such a factor
as to greatly imperil the American pro
ducers, but the contest over Porto Rice
will be the skirmish line OF the contest
over Cuba, II that island seeks admission
to the United States.
The currency and revenue problems will
present themselves in several forms before
the session Is over. The Republican lead.
ers In the House are preparing to pass the
Atlantic City bill before the appointment
OF most OF the committees and before the
Christmas. holidays. The measure OF ths
Senate Finance Committee is looked upon
with someA Rnxiety by a few Republican
Senators frs.h-the extreme West, and they
will probably protest against II In caucus.
The revenue problem will not be taken up
II 1t can be avoided. Provision may be
made In one of the financial bills for ex.
changing the bonds which mature In 1901
and 1907 for new issues at a lower rate. 1t
will be- necessary to pay a premium for the
old bonds, but the Government will save a
large amount In interest In the long run.
The banking problem is becoming more
pressing rs the country feels the right
limits OF the present currency pressing
tighter and tighter upon the limbs OF com-
merce. Senators and Representatives from
the West are declaring thnt something
must be lone and are likely to find support
among Eastern members, whose local in.
terests have suffered by the high interest
rates In New York.
nHaskher imSHntant business projects
which No. Come before Congress will be
the Shipping bill and the amendment OF
the Bankruptcy laws. Barring the acct
dents which often defent action by Con.
sgress, there Is reason to believe that both
these measures will be acted upon. The
advocates of amendments to the Bank.
ruptcy laws lave reduced their proposition
to the simplest form In order to secure con.
sideration and action.
The Shipping bill will be put through
under the orders OF party leaders unless
there ara more Republicans who refuse to
support It than now seems probable.
Just what will be done In reference to an
fnter-oceanic canal Is something OF a pro-
blem. The natural order OF events would
involve the postponemeut OF action until
after the report OF the commission which
was directed to Investigate the subject by
the last Congress. Some effort may be
made, however, to secure the Endorsement
OF the Nlcaraguan project by the Govern
ment without whiting for the report Of the
commission. 1t will be represented that
the French canal is being pushed rapidly,
at least on paper, and that the United
States ought not to postpone indefinitely
the creation OF a route under their own
control. There Is a bare possibility that
authority to make u new treaty with
Nicaragua and beg n the construction of a
canal under the engineer officers OF the
army will be granted by Congress.