Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03
SUNDAY. .....DECEMBER 3. 1899.
CONGRESS TOMORROW.

The first session Of the Fifty-sixth Con-
eress will begin at noon tomorrow.
Though It's Proceedings are likely TO be
of vast consequence 10 the country, II
IS not probable they VIII have any I'M
mediate effect upon business conditions.
Neither the tariff nor the free-silver ques-
ton VIII be sufficiently prominent TO eN-
cite the banking and industrial world.
True. the free-silver senators might enter
upon a long season of filibustering when
they are asked to vote FOR the House
resolution committing the country TO the
gold standard. but the indications are
that they will not do so.
We may expect that the national bank
ing law will be liboralzed to some extent.
and that provision win be made for
getting the lcgal-tonder notes out Of the
way.
The banking legislation proposed by the
Republicans is a patching and Fostering
up Of the present misunderstanding sys-
tenn. Should it be enacted into law ana
fail to meet the just expectations Of the
people. the country may then hope for
n State-bank system after the order OF
that which has proved so successful IN
Canada.
The recommendations Of the President
with respect to Porto Rico, Cuba, and the
Philippines will be awaited with interest
The policy which he urges will become the
party policy of the Republicans. MI.
Mckinley has been prudent enough 10
consult the leaders in advance, and he
will have nearly all of them on his side.
There would seem TO be no reason for
delay in providing a government Tor
Porto Rico. The island is ours. unques-
tionably. The people are peaceable ana
tolerably we'll disposed 10 as. In short
the time seems to have come when clVil
government may be trusted to take the
place of the military government. Con-
pressional action with respect 10 Porto
Rico will be of Importance as setting an
example which IS likely to be followed
AS to our other insular possessions.
In Cuba a fair degree of quiet prevails,
but II Is known that the people Of that
island are split into several bitter fac
lions. and that If they were now asked
TO form a civil government they would
have the biggest sort Of row among them
selves Yet, a start must be made sooner
or later. After the census that is now
being taken Is completed. our government
will have no excuse for further delay.
However, II may be doubted 81 Congress,
at this session, will take decisive action
on the subject. The appointment Of a
committee 10 frame a bill to settle the
status of Cuba we should think likely.
As for the philippines. the collapse Of
the "insurrection" IS momentarily expect
ed. and then there will b. a grand whoop
of 10y. And then. too will come the tug
Of war between the two great political
parties in this country a. TO what we
ought 10 do with our scmi-savage fellow
citizens.
Turning from ponderous Federal ques-
tons. we have in Congross-that Is. IN
the House-a subject which interests
nearly everybody-me ard women. young
and old. the pious and the frivolous, law
yers and laymen. This subject, or object
rather. is Mr.; Brigham H. Roberts, who
comes TO Washington holding certificate
OF election az a member OF the House
from one Of the Utah districts.
MIR. Roberts is one OF the leaders in tho
polvgamous religion which was promul
gated by those desperate old sinncrs-Jc
smith and Brigham Young. He has three
wives. and he doesn't care who knows IL
II he is admitted to the House he will b'
entitled 60 bring them all to Washington
And IN the official society OF the capita
they would be entitled to the same consid
Grafton that Is shown other members
wives. However. Mr.. Roberts has not
been admitted yet. IL is possible he nevel
will be. The general hope IS that good
sound law may be found which will no
only authorize but compel the House t'
send Roberts back 20 Utah.
In the Senate there is TO be a greai con
troversy as 10 the right of Boss quay 4
have IA seat in that chamber. He couldn
get the Legislature OF Pennsylvania 4
re-elect him. and would not allow 1t u
elect anybody else. so the two houses
adjourned without action, and Quay nov
hobs up serenely with a certificate Of az
pointment from the Governor of his state
In the House, the seat OF Mr.. Rhea, o
the Ninth ,irginia District, will BE- con
tested by General James 4. Walker. Al
M The. lfxr.t,