Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-25


Special Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, D. c., November "a.
One thing appears to be settled in the
minds of the leaders of the majority in
the Fifty-sixth Congress, which con-
yenes one week from Monday next, and
that is its deliberations will continue
to be governed by the so-cailed Reed
rules. This was foreseen by many
from the outset. The Reed rules have
been developed during long course OF
parliamentary evolution for the sole
purpose of giving the majority full
command over the course of legisla-
tion. Their aim was to put down the
filibuster and to throw upon the ma
iority the complete responsibility for
the procedure OF the House. NO
scheme has ever been devised so effect
i've in getting business done against
the opposition Of a large minority. To
have abandoned it in the face II the
greatly increased minority in the pres
emit house would have been to give the
Democrats every opportunity to block
Republican legislation. With their
slender majority of thirteen or there
abouts the Republicans would find it
impossible to control the House against
active Democratic opposition without
the application CT the gag which the
Reed rules enable them to apply. For
this reason the Reed rules will stand,
and Henderson viii undoubtedly be
called upon to enforce them in all sever
ity in order to effectually suppress op-
position to administration legislation.
Predictions are VIGOROUSLY without
value, yet there are signs pointing to
the probable course Of the majority in
Congress worthy or note for the pur-
pose of waking public sentiment.
Whatever his faults may have been,
Reed often stood in the way of lavish
appropriations from the public treas
ury. With Reed absent, the opportun-
ity is a splendid one for raiding the
national funds. That it will be taken
advantage of seems in every way prob
able. 1t looks very much as if the reck-
less record Of the Fifty-frst Congress
would be surpassed in this. There is
A CONSIDERABLE SURPLUS
in the treasury as there was in 1890,
and in spite of the heavy war eXpen-
ditures the revenue is very nearly keep
ing pace with them. This being the
financial situation, a very much better
one than anybody expected a few
months ago, the pressure for large pub
lie expenditures will be enormous. Most
of this expenditure will come from the
imperialistic crowd, whose plans for
making what they conceive to be a
''world-power" out of the United States
will be pushed for all they are worth,
and they will be worth lot of money
to those interested. First come the
army ana navy estimates, exceeding
those Of any European power. Secre-
tary Long, instead of asking for six
new cruisers, as originally intended, will
ask for eighteen vessels, dozen being
small gunboats for policing out insu-
lar possessions. Then there is the
steamship subsidy bill, involving an
annual expenditure of 100000, and
the Pacific scheme, costing no one
knows how much. Add to these
schemes the Nicaragua canal project,
coast defenses in the dependencies, ma
val stations there, and the greatly in
creased cost of the military establish
inert, and an appalling total will be
reached. And the administration is
oora N, Tod tn ovnrv ono of thpcn nro-