The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-30
THE COMING CONGRESS.

The federal congress meets next Mon
day. A great deal of important legis-
lation will be attempted or effected in
the short session tina ends the 4th of
March next. The republican readers
appear to be well agreed as to reduce
ing the present var tax. AS mentioned
by the Messenger recently the talk is
for $50, 900, 900. But If great sums are
voted for canal digging in foreign lands
where will the chance for reduction,
come in? The statement is that there
is an accommodating great surplus. If
so, then an extravaganza administration
backed by a spendthrift congress can
easily dispose of Ii and thus remove the
danger of a huge glut. The Messenger
is not looking for severe or reasonable
economy to be practiced by either the
present or the succeeding republican
congress-. They have never shown any
disposition OF + to save the
money of the people and Tighten taxa
ton. So far from it, the taxes have
steadily increased and now the repub-
lican administration requires in a time
of peace more money each year to con-
duct public affairs than the demo-
cratic Buchanan administration ex-
pended in about seven years. In Buc-
hanan's time the population was 81 ,O00,-
900; now it is 5000, 900. If III govern
ment were truly economical it could be
carried on thoroughly and SatiSfacto-
rily with a total expenditure not ex-
ceeding $500, 600, 600. A congress of
Nathaniel Macons woul conduct it on
a basis requiring not more than $685.
00O, 0OO. But with the politicians in
1900, that is nonsense, a mere baga-l
telle.
The army will be increased to carry
on h long-protracted war in the Phil
ippines. General Miles wants a perma-l
nent standing army of LOG, 900. McKin-I
ley and set would no doubt be glad toI
have it at fully that number, if not
more. Nabobs, plutocrats and comment
cial expansionists would like to haveI
10000 to put down strikers among thel
working classes, and to prevent any
outbreaks against capital. What will
be the final outcome is uncertain. 1t isl
to be hoped that our country has not
reached that extreme point-that the
cone sinew of the land do not Gravel
Oh favor a huge standing army of quiteI
100, 900. The old army-25,0 00-wasl
large enough for patriotic. well meant
purposes. The Baltimore u avs of
this army talk:
1.-The administration regards the re-
suit of the late election as an lndorse-I
ment of it's policy in the Philippines,
and in order to establish Amer1canl
sovereignty in the islands it will bel
necessary to have an army at least as
large as the force already engaged in
the campaign in the archipelago.
Whether the permanent strength of
the regular army shall be as great as
the force now maintained or whether
it shall exceed the present limit is the
question which engages the ~attentlonl
of the republican leaders. 1t is generally
believed hat provision will be made
for a permanent regular army of at
least 100. 900 men,"
While there is an active. aggressive
minority among republicans who would
like to take revenge upon the south for
not willingly submitting to the repub-
1ican yoke, cruelty oppressive as 1t is,
and to cut down the representation of
the south in the United States house. the
probability now seems that this will
not be done. North Carolina will hold
to it's nine representatives under the
new a~pportionment, We may suppose.
1t will not be increased. The number
of members must be increased by in
crease of population in the country at
large, or the apportionment as TO d1s-l
tricts must be enlarged. The probabili-
ty is districts will be on a basis of somel
200. 900 inhabitants instead of as now
less than $50, 900.
What the purpose of the incoming
congresS-so strongly republican-will
be relative TO foreign wars and coun-
tries cannot be well anticipated. But
we suppose hat Mckinley feels SO
strongly backed now with his increaSed
maiorities, that he will larry u his
war plans and high Imperialism with
a strong and outstretched hand. The
wise will rule in equity. The ambitious
man may get a fall. The loftiest gen.
Jus who ever walked this earth put
these words in the mouth of Macbeth,
the usurping king:
Il have 10 spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but
only
vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps it
self,
And falls on the other"
The confession in SoliioQuy was not
completed, as Lady Macbeth entered,
when the usurper cried out: How now,
whot news?"
BREVTTTES.