Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SOME OF THE THINGS CONGRESS is
DOING IN 1.-THE SHORT SESSION.

SOME OF THE THINGS CONGRESS is
DOING IN THE SHORT SESSION.
Several Important Measures Which.
Are Now Under Consideratien--A
Gay Social Season as Well as n
Bnsy Time at the Capital.
Especial Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-It would seem
that the closing will be as important
and interesting as were. the opening
days of President McKinley's first term
at the White House. When President
Mckinley was inaugurated March 4,
1897, the country was in a condition Of
commercial paralysis, end the people
threatened a revolutionary movement
against Spain. After the work of the
extraordinary session of congress call
ed by President Mckinley for the en-
authority which brought us war with
Spain and the long train of exciting
events which gave to our country the
greatest prosperity ever enjoyed by
any people in the world and within 80
days of actual fighting brought us per-
feet success in arms and the acquisi-
ton of Porto Rico, Cuba and the Phil
ippines, it would seem that there was
little more for an administration to do.
in order that it might be crowned with.
the greatest possible success. But it
appears that President McKinley's first
four wears of administration have much
more in store.
The second term of a congress is al
ways brief. 1t opens on the first Mon
day in December, takes ten days of.
holiday recess and must, by limitation
of the constitution, expire at noon on
the 18th of March. This gives only
about ten weeks for actual work. There
are all the great appropriation bills to
be passed yet and some of the most inn
portant legislation that has been pro-
posed since the advent Of President
Mckinley. The great tariff law of
1897 has performed wonders in bring
ing prosperity. It secured protection
ITO home industries and the CONNER
cial reciprocity provisions made it pos
sible for the pr~esidentsto find many
new markets fpit American products.
The currency bill fixed the gold stand
ard and placed us among the foremost
of the civilized countries. The national
banking act perfected u financial sys-
tenn and refunded the government debt
On the lowest interest basis enjoyed by
onr8 roaor1a ~ - 1N fo ~ a III r1o1n n
per cent.
And now there are before congress
two of the next greatest measures for
the future prosperity of our country
ever proposed-the merchant marine
and the. Nicaragua canal bills. If the
government will only secure the estab-
lishment of a number OF new steam
ship lines to our old and all of our new
markets, securing steady and reliable
sailings and low freight rates, we will
not only hold all Of the markets we
now have, but will be able t enlarge
them and increase our exports, which,
remarkable as it may appear, were
larger during the past three and a half
years than during all the previous ex-
istence of our republic. 1t has become
necessary, however, in order to hold
our great export markets and keep up
prices for the products Of the factory.
the mill and the farm of the United
States, to provide for the shipment Of
our surplus or the bottoms of Ameri-
can registered steamships.
The same Republican principle that
secured the adoption Of the present
tariff law and the financial bill which
fixed the gold standard and secured the
greatly enlarged circulating medium
and brought about the refunding Of
the national debt at 2 per cent promises
to secure the adoption Of the merchant.
marine bill, which will undoubtedly
open up many new markets and give
our farmers and manufacturers great,
advantages. The principle involved in
the upbuilding Of the merchant marine
is identically the same as that involved
in our American system of tariff pro-
lection. It is said that from 10 to 20
times more people will be directly in
teresred in the building OF new lines Of
merchant steamships and their mainte-
nance than We're interested in certain
articles protected by the tariff bills Of
1883, 1890 and 1897, which protected
the infant industries The tin plate,
the plate glass and the beet sugar in
dustries were established and fostered
entirely by the large duties imposed
upon them by Republican tariff laws,
and it has been proved by 80 years Of
experience-organized efforts constant
" made eyer since the civil War-that
our own lines of steamships cannot be
established or maintained except
through government support until
there have been found for a period Of
years steady markets for our products,
markets which will give profitable EN-
ployment to our steamship lines.
After the adoption of the merchant
marine and the Nicaragua canal bills
the Republican party and the Republic
an administration and congresses will
nave faithfully fulfilled all of the prom
- - 81 = LI.4S-t.x - 2A1.slS.A