Evening star., 1899-03-04
The Etftx-Fffth Congress.

The Fffty-fifth Congress is no more. 1t
left undone some things which 1t ought 10
have done and il did some things which 1t
ought not to have done. But 1t will never
theless go into history as one OF the most
notable OF the Congresses in the Wnole
American record up to the present time. 1t
enjoyed the unique distinction of officiating
during the preliminaries. the actual hap
penings and the aftermath of a war with
foreign nation, a war which not only
brought glorious victory to this country,
but wrought the most stupendous changes
In the worlds economy.
This Wa Congress- as it is popularity
called, may be judged IN many minds as
having failed to grasp the full opportunity
offered to profit by the lessons of the war.
The failure of the Nicaragua canal prop
ositIon to reach the stage of defnitive en-
actment, the loss of the Hawaiian cable
amendment from the sundry civil bill, the
passage of compromise army bill in lieu
of a stroag measure of permanent reform,
all stand tokens of this failure.
What the Congress did was rather more
a matter of necessity than of choice. The
war was itself forced upon the country
through a combination of eliminating
circumstances, the discovery of de Lome's
duplicity and the destruction of the Maine
otherwise have been indefinitely avoided.
The enactments which marked the war
time session of the houses were matters of
need enforced by the progress of the cam
paigns
The ratification of the treaty and the ap-
preparation of s2O,OOO,U00 to meet the gov
ernment's obligations thereby incurred were
likewise matters of routine. No other
cour-e was open In the eleventh hour the
houses managed to meet many of the most
pressing requirements brought about by the
strife and its resultants, but in some cases
In spirit of compromise which promises in
its results a minimum of direct benefit to
the country.
But in one respect this Congress has writ
ten record of which it's members should
be lastingly proud. In the annexation of
Hawaii step forward was taken which
demonstrated the ability of this country to
appreciate both duty and opportunity. 1t
may he questioned whether the annexation
would have been accomplished when it was
mad 1t not been for the urgent demand of
the army and the navy for a midway STOP
ping point in the Pacific ocean But what
ever the motive or the method, the accom-
plishment OF this long delayed project for
the hetterment Of both republics was a
thing for which the houses which have lust
been dissolved will deserve the thanks of
the country foreyermore
IN Its relation to the domestic affairs of
the land the Congress stands about half
way between accomplishment and neglect
The enactment of bankruptcy law was a
step ahead toward a desirable solution of
a growing problem In the abandonment
OF the currency reform program until the
next Congress the houses contributed some-
what to the uncertainty of business copdi-
tons In this matter the Judgment of the
country will rest largely upon the degree
OF faith with which the promises of united
action By the houses during the next Con-
gress are received
But whatever its faults, whatever its
omissions or its mistakes the Fffty-fftb
congress, now gone into the background.
VIII be entitled to credit for having been
faithful to the trust in times of great ener-
sency, when the call to arms was sounded
When the time came to provide means for
strengthening the governments fighting
1orce, when the crisis arrived which tested
the capacity Of the nation to enforce its
Judgments and to administer a needed les
son to government of tyranny which had
fouIed the shores of this continent.