The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-06
WHAT CONGRESS
MAY ACCOMPLISH
PACE HAS BEEN SET TO MAKE A
RECORD FOR 1900.
Republican Leaders Hope to Lower
the Peoples Taxes If Possible-The
Democratic Attempt to Initiate
Political Campaign by Assailing
Secretary Gage Proves Dismal
Failure-Folly of the Sulzer Bun
combe Resolution-Pennsy's Chat.


Special Correspondence Of The Tribune.
Washington, d. c., Jan. 5.--Congress
is here again, and the question IS.
what will 1t do, or rather how Ittie
will It do? In u presidential election
year 1t has long been the practice OF
the dominant party to do as little as
possible, and there Is every indication
at the outset of the impending session
to adhere to that practice. Republican
leaders agree that the country is doing
prodigiously we'll under existing con-
ditions. The pace Is set to make l9OO
pre-eminently the greatest and most
remarkable year in the industrial his
tory of the country. So that The new
legislation of this congress, so far as
the majority may be responsible for it,
will be shaped to that end. There will
be no money wasted this year. As al
ready indicated in this correspond
ence, there will be no river and harbor
bill, and the fellow whose very politi-
cal existence depends upon an appro-
priation to extricate him will soon be
an obscure statesman hunting for any
sort Of a job. And n like Fate waits
the member who assured his people
Of one or more public buildings in the
district.
There will be no public buildings bill
II the committee can prevent it. The
obvious policy of the Republican lead
ers Is to cut down expenses all along
the line. They intend to lower the peo-
pies taxes, If such a consummation is
possible. If affirmative legislation fails
I.g,l- a.
drastic negative policy.
There are two possible exceptions.
The shippinY subsidy bill of the last
congress is one. 1t passed the house
then and will pass again A large ex-
penditure is involved, but it has be-
come a public necessity. 1t is not q
prodigal use of the peoples money, but
a wise expenditure, necessitated by
the expanding commercial and indus
trial interests of the country. Public
enterprise demands It, The Pacific
cable Is q very important matter.
There ought not to be any question
about its authorization by congress,
but there is. "Wait until the short
session" is the fatal argument that
confronts it. All. sure enough, the
presidential election will then be q
thing of the past. And how many i'm
portant public enterprises thus sleep
the sleep of the committee room
pigeon-hole that knows no Awakening? |?
1t may have its day of resurrection
Public eXigencies imperatively demand
1t. and, in the jubilant hour of the ma
tion's triumph. following President
McKinley's reelection, it may go
through the short session with n
whOop.
A GROTESQUE FAILURE.
The house had brief session today
and until the appropriation committee
gives it something to do the sessions
will continue to be brief. The puerile
attempt to initiate a political cam
paign by assailing Secretary Gage was
a dismal and grotesque failure. The
fact that Tammany clown was se-
lected to Introduce the resolution was
enough to dscredit it. Up to the mo-
ment Of its introductions there were
even Democrats who did not believe
that Sulzer would have the effrontery
to take the initiative in the matter
But they didn't know Sulzer. There
is but one of the kind. The records
have been diligently searched and
rothing could be found that approXi-
mates him in the slightest and the
hope Is expressed that some day, when
his usefulness as Specimen" is over,
that he may be petrified i'm the interest
or posterity. There were scores of
Democrats. however, who We're eager
that Sulzer should make q fool of him.
self, hoping that the unexpected might
happen and afford an opportunity for
noisey and senseless defamation. The
average demagogue is always on the
lalert for the money monster.
- secretary Gage. it will be found, has
made no mistake in depositing govern
ment funds in certain New York banks,
The fact that it was an open transac-
ton possibly shows that he is more Of
a flnancier than scheming politician
Had he followed the questionable
methods of a politician instead of the
open, honest business method of the
head of the great fiscal affairs of the
government there would have been less
criticism. The country has discovered
long ago that the secretary of the
treasury Is essentially q business man.
There are no concealments about his
fiscal operations. Those who know him
well say that he has not the first con-
ception of politics. The thought of
serving the Republican party in the
formulation of his methods and poll
cies never crosses his mind. So utterly
lost is he to such influences, if asked
unexpectedly about party matters, he
is painfully embarrassed and perplexed
for an answer Only when he breathns
the exhilarating and gladstone sunshine
of Republican prOspprity docs to non,
ize his political status. BY some intui-
i've ratiocination he knows that it is
not Democratic atmosphere.
rNhiS trililala..s.- IL