Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-12-28
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON. Dec. 21.-Intcrcst con.
tinues to center at the capital. In spite
OF the holiday recess and the thought
of Santa Claus and Christmas gifts
and the festivities Of the season, PEG.
pie are pondcrin% over the great meas.
urcs pending in congress. There are
diversions in the direction of prepare.
lions for the reinuugillation of presi.
dent Mckinley and the social season
which will follow the rcasscmbling of
congress the first week in the new
year. But the anxiety of the people to
have placed in law two or three great
measures under discussion and which
the predominant party promised to
have enacted constitutes the all con
sumiug theme of discussion.
1t is vet believed that the Nicaragua
canal treaty will in some satisfactory
form be ratified. and then will follow
the adoption of the Nicaragua canal
bill. 1t is II question whether there
will be in the bill finally adopted an
outright appropriation providing for
the complete construction or whether
there will be Il pledge for the conStruc-
ton OF the canal and Il small appropri-
alton for the' requirement of all the
rights and the completion of the sur
vcy and the appointment of Il commits
sion and the making ready of every
thing for the final contract when con.
grcss meets again next December.
1t is generally felt that some provi-
must be made for the marketing
on the high seas to our new market
places Of the surplus products of our
country. The uneXampled growth of
our export markets must be not only
maintained, but continued. II the
merchant marine bill is passed and
provision made for the construction Of
the Nicaragua canal, Il new impetus
will be given to the growth of our en-
port markets, and it will not be neces-
sary to wait until each of these &C.
complishncnts has been perfected to
make Il very pcrccptible impress upon
the expansion of our markets and the
frightening of the prices for our prod
ucts. The opposition that %pcrtained in
some quarters to the adoption of the
merchant marine bill on account of the
odious name subsidy is disappearing.
III some quarters there was hesitation
ON account of the proposition to admit
to American registry foreign built
ships because of Il disposition to con
fine the construction of all ships that
would profit under the proposed law to
those constructed in American ship
yards. But now that it is understood
that the only object to be attained by
the bill is the establishment, of SliDs
under the control of American laws to
carry American products into foreign
markets and create the greatest posi-
bic amount of rivalry, thus assuring
the lowest possible freight rates. this
prejudice and hesitation are diSappcar-
ing. 1t il; proposed that the foreign
built ships shall only profit to the eX-
tent OF onc-half OF the amount OF the
ships built within the United States.
but the foreign built ships arc required
TO FURNISH! the same means of Transport
tatiOn ant enter fully as much into the
rivalry Ter tie reducing of freight
~NN~'' ~ N''HA l'''!tN't 10 oiiN II
tercstcd in getting good markets and
low freight rates. While American ship
builders and the producers of articles
which Will enter into the construction
OF ships arc fully satisfied to know that
they are given double the advantage,
while only 30 per cent of the bounty
goes to the ships built abroad. but reg
lstered unuer American laws and sub.
ject to American discipline.
It has just dawncd upon many of
those who have adversely criticised the
shipping bill that but Il very small per
centage Of our goods are not marketed
IN American ships: that more than
n1ne-tenths Of our produce goes abroad
In ships owned and controlled by for
eigners, and should any rivalry or jeal-
ousy occur Il farmers and mnnufac-
turers would be the ones to suffer and
not the United States government. But
the only question now in dispute as to
this measure lies in the question of
whether the bounty is to be paid on the
tonnage carried or on the capacity of
the ships making regular slilings to
given ports, taking our exports without
respect to their cargoeS. Just so the lat
ter are made up entirely of American
products.
President Mckinley has snufred out
the idea that he may have an extra ses-
sion of congress. \ few disappointed
lncn in each branch of congressman
who were defeated for reelection and
must on the 4th of March retire to pri.
waite life-returned to their posts of
congressional duties with the idea that
they would be dogs in the manger and
prevent legislation. Some Of them even
threatened to talk to death any meas
ure that might be proposed. In the
house there is a committee on rules
which may at any time report n reso-
luton advancing as a privileged meas
ure any bill to be discussed, and the
resolution may fix the time limit Of de-
bate and an hour when q vote will be
taken. In the senate there is an old
code Of rules which provide that so
long as any one wants to discuss q