Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-06
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.

Aho hloI nSS0aOh VI LILO ElIly-Sl&Ln
Congress which is expected to end to-
day has had abundant opportunity to
make itself historic. Before. no Con-
gress for q quarter Of century has had
50 MANY mhtters of lasting Importance
come for settlement. Both in domestic
and foreign affairs there has been
plenty to tax the wisdom, courage and
patience of the national legislature.
How has 1t met the test7
Here Is the record Of what Congress
has accomplished:
The enactment OF the gold standard
faIw.
The passage Of the Porto Rican Tarlff
and Government measure.
The establishment OF territorial gov
eminent in Hawaii.
Tho passage OF appropriation bills ag-
greg'dting s7Oo.OOo,0O0.
1t has passed law increasing PEN
Sion expenditures.
Here ia the record of what 1t has fall
cd or refused to do:
1t has not enacted any effective anti
trust legislation.
1t has refused to pass the Nfcaraguan
Canal bill.
1t has refused to assume responsible
ity for the administration OF affairs in
uhe Philippines, leaving to the President
the powers of military dictator.
Ut has fixed no date at which the
pledge to give Cubans home-rule is to
be made good.
The Senate refused to sanction the
-Pauncefote treaty.
1t refused to pass resolution Of SYM
pdthy for the Beers in the war to main
tain their independence.
Congress. of course, passed many
minor measures of more or less i'm
portance. and refused to act on hun
dreds of others. but the above summary
makes UP its record. positively and neg
atively, on the really important mat
tens that called for treatment at this
session. These are the measures upon
the wisdom or unwisdom of which, the
gentlemen responsible for their passage
or defeat will have to face their constit-
uents.
The Republican party has had
working majority In both houses of
Congress. and according to the custom
OF this country. Will be held responsible
for what Congress did and for what it
declined to do. What is put into the
Philadelphia platform will be Of vastly
less influence than the actual record Of
the party in the administration OF the
government This record will be attack
ed by the Democrats in the approach
ing campaign; Vt will have to be de-
fended by the Republicans. AS glance
at 1t will show. it touches every issue
which will figure in tine Presidential
election. BY Its actual record OF achi-
evement the Republican party is COM
mbtted:
To gold etallism.
To the government OF territory out
side of the Constitutional guarantees.
TO the fastening of trusts, under ia
vorable tariff schedules.
To uhe postponement of Isthmian
Canal legislation.
To the 'thcory that the President may
make and prosecute war without the
Sanctlon eff Congress.
To n policy OF opportunism In refer
ence to Cuba
To the precedent that the American
people, through their representatives.
can not extend their sympathy to a
people struggling for liberty
This IS the record. It has been DELHI
erately made. By 1t the Republican
parity must stand or fall. If the intelli-
gcnce and integrity OF the American
people have not been vastly over-rated,
there ought not to be any doubt as to
they receive ttfe1rf, mo if1rrc
so perverted American principles.