Evening star., 1901-11-16
WHAT is TO BE DONE
Senator Burrows Talks on Probable
Legislation.
TARIFF NOT TO Be DISTURBED
Nicaragua Canal and Pacific Gable
to Be Provided For.
BJECT OF TRUS S

The first session of the Fifty-seventh
Congress bids fair to be one of the busiest
periods of the national legislative body for
some time said Senator Burrows of Mich
igan this morning to a Star reporter as he
sat I'm front of a cracking oak fire IN the
new and handsomely furnished committee
room on privileges and elections. Under
the natural order of things Senator Bur-
rows will succeed to the craftsmanship of
this committee, which was formerly pre-
sided over by Senator Chandler of New
Hampshire before his retirement.
What is to be done? That is question
that involves a long answer. Even the
question to what is to be the most inn
portant thing to be done would be difficult
of a comprehensive answer at this time.
There are many things to be ascertaned on
important questions before definite legisla-
tl0n can be proposed. For instance, We
will have to take account of our revenues,
and the amount of national capital which
Is available for appropriation When this
is done We will have to estimate whether
this Is too much for our needs and if so,
cut down the revenue. If such action as
this should be decided upon / think the
place to take off the burden would be from
the war tax provision. In my Judgment, in
any rearrangement of the income of the
government the tariff schedules will not be
disturbed.
wv to ne IEONfueu FOr.
I'm any estimate of the amount of money
needed for legitimate expenses the work to
be done will have to be considered 1 think
it is safe TO say that in these expenditures
must be reckoned the construction of the
Nicaragua canal and the laying of Pacific
cable. These, and especially the canal, are
matters OF great national concern. and will
necessarily involve considerable outlay of
money
''Wnl canal bill be passed at the coming
session."
Il should say yes. l see no reason now,
Ii We are ever going to build a canal across
the isthmus, why We should not make pro-
vision for Jhe preparatory work at the ap-
preaching session of Congress. There is no
doubt In my mind that we are going to
build this canal, and the sooner the work is
entered upon the better
The various routes suggested and the
proposition which is contemplated by the
Panama people, were things of which Sem
ator Burrows said he was not familiar He,
however, was of the opinion that the first
thing TO be settled was the question of
route This question, in my mind, has
been the main cause OF delay in the whole
matter heretofore" he continued .sOf
course, there is the opposition of the trans
continental railways, which is said to have
been factor in the delays, and it would
seem that the matter of routes has been
brought forward by those interested in the
delays simply as a confusing element and
with no sincere desire to better the condi-
tons of the project"
On the Pacific cable ouestion Senator
Burrows expressed himself most positive
ly 1T is certainly not to be thought of
that Hawaii and the Philippines and our
"u5lylhg possessions shall remain virtually
isolated from US We not only need but
must have. a Pacific cable. Communica-
ton between the United States proper and
these Isolated possessions is a matter both
OF commercial and military necessity, and
the work of constructing a cable ought not
to be delayed day"
Sentiment on Reciprocity.
In analyzing the public sentiment on the
question of reciprocity Senator Burrows
said he had come to the conclusion that
reciprocity upon certain lines was generally
indorsed- The republican party has al
ways favored reciprocity ARRANGEMENTS
that will admit to American markets pro-
ducts which we do not and cannot pro-
duce here in exchange for free foreign
markets for our own productions. If such
trade arrangements can be embodied lrto
treaties l have no doubt that they would
be ratified, and would receive the general
approval or the country. But any trade
arrangement with any country on earth
wherein We propose to cripple our own in
dustrles or any one of them would be de-
prlv1ng our labor of employment in the in
terest OF foreign labor and industry and
would hardly receive the approving judg-
ment OF either the American people or the
dominant party in the Senate
In answer to a question as to whether he
considered any of the pending reciprocity
treaties as being in the last named class.
the senator replied: ANY trade arrange
ment, either pending or CONTEMPLATED
which does violence to the established
principles of the republican party in this
regard VIII not receive favorable action"
The senator said that discussion of any
particular treaty which was before the
Senate would not be a proper procedure
and therefore he could not predict the ul-
innate consummation or failure of any
OF these compacts.
Legislation on Trusts.
Trusts. he declared, would undoubtedly
be the subject Of legislation by the Fifty
seventh Congress. The nature or scope of
this legislation he was not prepared to
predict That the question was one which
deserved and would receive most serious
consideration was generally recognized.
Publicity was one OF the remedies pro-
posed, but whether this would be the
proper step to take. and whether there was
constitutional authority for the same were
both problemattcal. Whatever was done
10 one trust must be done to all combiua-
tions was principle which Senator Bur
rows advocated should be strictly ad-