The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-08
HOW CONGRESS- ACTS.

The popular idea is that Congress is
body of statesmen, who debate and
act for the common good. The correct
diagnosis of the average statesman in
Congress is chat he is man who
simply records the will and conclu-
sions of his constituents Like the In
dian warrior, he keeps his ear to the
ground, listening for the footsteps of
his constituents, SO as to find out which
way they are marching and then he
jumps in front of them, and processes
to lead the column. Is this pessimis-
tic view of the character of our rulers?
Bishop Potter, in recent article, cited
an interview between those great men
of the revolutionary period, Gouverneur
Morris and John Jay. Said Morris:
Jay, what a set of Did scoundrels
We had in the second congress-"
YES" said Jay. knocking the ashes
out Of his pipe, that we had We
revere the memories of the same
scoundrels. They are our sainted fore
fathers. In fact, they were not such
yeritable scoundrels, but were men
who cared more for the local interests
they represented than for the national
good. The New England men were
pleased when the Spanish closed the
Mississippi TO American commerce, be-
cause it drove trade to Boston harbor.
In the end the better sense of the
people, guided by few far seeing men
prevailed
To the credit of the American char
acter Congress is not financially cor
rupt. Partisan strife gives the APP
pearance of corruption. Last week
there passed through this port three
officers of volunteer regiments, who
were declared, by an examining board
TO be physically and morally disquali
fled to serve as officers in any regi-
ment. A telegram from the secretary
of War, however, secured by the in
fiuence of two United States Senators,
directed that these three men should
be passed, and so they were passed
Such cases, exceptional it is believed
jnstifies in these days the remark of
Morris to Jay, made in the early days.
What Congress will do in any given
case is always a matter of speculation.
The old stagers make no predictions.
Legislation is, as rule, an affair of
compromise The practical men call it
"log-rolling."
In the coming session of Congress,
the disposition Of the territories will
depend, not upon what the members Of
that body may individually and priv
ately regard as the wisest disposition,
but upon what is an available dis
position, one which the people APP
prove Of
The community in these Islands
hopes that the action Of Congress, in
the regulation of our territorial affairs
will enact what our experience in the
development of political institutions
here indicates to be just and wise
measures.
But the 100000 of American
voters neglect to inform themselves
clearly about our needs, just as we
ourselves, take no interest in the new:
of any community in the States. Con
gress will therefore, act along the
general lines of the political habits o
the American people, unless there is the
strongest reason to believe that thu
people are prepared to permit new de
parture from any principles of govern
ment. Not until the next Congress de
bates; the new questions will it be pos
sible to Judge of the prevailing though
of the people in these matters.