The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-20

Special Dispatch to the Post -rutelligencer.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 19-The necessity
OF legislation affecting the new possessions
OF the United States. the practical certain.
~ OF the enactment Of new finance law.
tho reappearance of the Nicaragua canal
question. the probability that the statutes
controlling the organization and represen-
ta,on OF the navy will he materially
amended and the possibility that there may
he new army reorganization legislation.
are some OF the questions which will make
the coming session OF congress one Of tina
most eventful and important in many
years. Porto Rico already ia American
territory, and congress may properly enact
laws Affecting II without waiting for the
development OF conditions IN the Phil
ppines the fulfliment Of this country's
pledge to the Cuhans. Hawaii has become
an integral part OF the United States since
tho last session of congress although, ow-
Ing to the failure OF the Hawaiian code.
tho people OF those islands have been
compelled to struggle along under q sort
OF nondescript form OF government. Alaska.
although not a fully organized territory
being without a legislature-has a gov-
ernmcnt practically similar to that OF
Arizona and New Mexico. II Is governed
under the same tariff laws and Its inhabi-
tants are free 10 migrate to any part Of
the United States. There will be an at
tempt made To extend the immigration
laws Of the United States. at least so far
as they affec. labor. TO Hawaii. and somo
delicate questions will arise ,s TO the right
OF congress to impose tariff restrictions up.
AZ the products and residents Of those is
lands. as we'll as Of Porto Rico and the
Philippines.
Finance Legislation.
1t Ia regarded As practically certain that
some positive finance legislation will 10
enacted. and upon the main features OF this
legislation there fs substantially an agree
men, among the Republican leaders There
IL small doubt that one Of the essential
features OF the new finance law will he
the plan suggested by President Mckinley.
by which. when greenhacks are paid into
the treasury in exchange for gold they
shall be placed In a separate fund and not
again paid out. except in exchange for
gold. This would be most effective means
Of protecting the gold reserve and Of pre-
venting the so-caiied "endless chain"
while. az the same time. no contraction of
the circulating medium would result, II
Is also probable that the organization Of
smaller national banks and the issuing Of
national hank notes to the face value of
what II upon deposit. will be authorized.
That there will he sorne specific gold STAN
dard declaration In TO he expected The
nature cf this declaration was foreshad-
owed by Senator Allison in a recent speech
at Waterloo Iowa. when he said, referring
10 the gold standard: THE laws upon
our statute hooks upon this subject will
ne irvigorated and strengthened 20 MAIN
tain II and preserve IL. and 30 make II I'm
possible fer any secretary OF the treasury
or any president. ny his own fat. and with
out positive affirmative legislation by con-
gress, 70 force upon the people. In some
hour OF temporary depression or of ma
t,onal slumber. the deprecated standard of
silver money. or place any OF our money
a. a premium or discount"
CInssiarmtion I'm tho Navy.
In au probability there Will be an atnena-
ment of m" lava nnder which the snips
of the navy ars classified. for this ciaasin-
cation has not kept pace with the develop.
ruent ard the radical change in the De-
signs. arnamen, and operation os the yes-
seis. The nsw navy IF the United siases
IL governed ty the same Classification laws
which existed In the days of frigases and
line II ssa',ieships with wooden hu,is and
rDzxi@-loafirK guns. IN rating ships ths
law sftii states that steamships Of forty
Euns or more fret rate. stoss of twenty
or more second rate ard all Of tess than
twenty guns third rat. Under such
strict Interpretation Of the law none OF
TIE hat,isshigs would ba eiassef a. afst
rate and few of the cruisers would - en-.
titled 10 higher rank TRAN ssc0nd or third
rate. although auy ~ st~Me shtra would
clearly ootrark the best vessels % the cid
service. TIE changes which have taken
place IN naval construction during the tat.
ter half Ct the present eensury have been
~ radical that the foregoing classification
II shlgs ot war pre&c~iAsd by Iaw
scarcely ssiY years O, ags. has become OBJ
soiete-
Ola and ssw style ships.
TIE tine-o.-hassls ship. which uadey the
classification would have ranked ~ "nrst
rate" with tfs wooden null, tier on tier %
usaxZiA-io sSuR guns ani lofty spara h~srs
ii.tls resemblance to bastiesnip ~ the
nr-t-easss 81 ere pse@sat tIuas. with i.s
revolving surre,s. email runs5er ce pownY-
fui hrsech-scadsrx guns saf military
uasts Under sns cIsassnrasion no proper
place eAn - found for ssaA . hAsaiauAAA