Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-12-09
WORK
OF a Week at the
Capital
OF THE NATION
Congress is Getting Down to
Work
HAS PLENTY OF BUSINESS
On Hands Shipping Bill and Treaty In
'pOrtant Subjects,
HAS PLENTY OF BUSINESS
On Hands Shipping Bill and Treaty In
.pOrtant Subjects.

Special to the Leader.
Washington, D. c.. Dec. S.-Presi-
dent Mckinley has taken occasion to
express his pleasure at the business
like manner in which Congress has got
down to work, to Senators and Repre-
sentatives who have called on him.
The House has been especially active.
One of the big appropriation bills
Legislative, Judicial and Executive
has been reported; the Army reorgani-
zation bill, providing for a regular ar
my of from $500 to 100000 men in the
discretion of the President. has been
reported and passed; the Oleomarga
rine bill has been passed. and the Rev.
enue reduction bill has been reported
from the Ways and Means committee.
In the Senate the Ship Subsidy Bill.
which was taken up by a vote of SO to
20, the affirmative votes being all re-
publican is being considered. and un-
less the democrats resort to filibu5tor-
ing tactics will shortly be passed; pro-
gress has been made. in executive ses-
sion, toward the ratification of the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. and the Army
bill has been introduced and referred
to the Military Committee. These are
only the outward accomplishments.
There has, in addition. been an enor-
nous amount of work by the commit.
tees of both House and Senate toward
preparing other measures. All in all
it is remarkable beginning for the
session, and reflects credit upon both
branches of Congress.
The men who are directing the work
of Congress are thoroughly in accord
with the advice in the Presidents mes
sage concerning the danger of being
tempted into making extravagant ap-
preparations by the prosperous condi-
tion of the national Treasury. The
tempters are on hand in the persons of
those who are asking for eXtravagant
appropriations for all sorts of things,
but there will be no extravaganza. The
country is rich enough and prosperous
enough for liberality. but the reDubli-
cans do not believe that any country is
ever rich enough or prosperous enough
to justify extravaganza, and no extra
vagance will be authorized by Con-
gress.
Senator Wellington declares that he
is still a republican, but in every vote
taken since the Senate reassembled in
which party lines were drawn he has
voted with the democrats. consequent
ly he is judged by his acts and not his
words. While Mr.. Wellington has not
exactly been cut by the republican
Senators, it must be clearly evident to
him that they shun him.
No stranger observing the case of
Senator Dolliver. of Iowa. would be-
| lieve that he only became member Of
that dignified and august body during
the present week Mr.. Delivers long
and conspicuous service in the House
and his close friendship with many
Senators made him feel at home where
most new Senators feel restrained and
awed for a time.
The report of the Isthmian Canal
Commission favors the Nicaraguan
route, as expected, and there is no
doubt that the bill for the construction
Of the Nicaraguan Canal will become a
law at this session of Congress, al
though the Hepburn bill which passed
the House at the last session and is now
pending in the Senate may be amended
before 1t is passed. Owing to the num-
Der of Senators who believe that the
treaty negotiated with England by Sec
retary Hay during the last session of
Congress providing for the abrogation
of that portion of the Clayton-B Bulwer
treaty which pledges the United States
and England not to construct an 18TH
mian Canal without the consent of
both, should be ratified before the bill
is passed, Senator Lodge, who has
charge of the treaty. is pushing 1t so
as to clear the way for the canal bill.