Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-12
LONG SESSION OF CONGRESS.
1t Probably Will Last Until Mid
summer.
With Reciprocity Bearings Seems
Paramount-Trusts, the Ship Sub
sidy. Isthmian Canal, and Reduc-
ton Of Taxes-One of the Most
Important Sessions for Years,

The first session of the ffty-scvouth
Congress will probably last till midsuIu-
mcr, and will be, unless all signs fail, 81
session of momCntous interest, says Il
Washington special to the Boston Tran
sript.
In many respects this winters work VIII
ne as important as the work of amy scs-
sion in the history OF the country, politi-
'ully, economically end industriallv it viii
nave far-roaChinr effects. Party managers
luol. to this Congress to maltD tho iSsu S
Tor future campaigns, CouSr ssloual ia
ZOE and presidential in i.Oi Tn. busing-s
interests are looking to this Congress for
the solution of great problems before
thcm-questions of the tariff, revenue
subsidy, besides the eVer-prcsent trust
sphinx.
The tariff, with it's reciprocity bearings,
appears at present to be the subject IF
paramount interest. Its discussion wil lie
academic; few persons expect to see amy
thing done, but many Interesting Qucs-
ti0ns will be raised, the bearing of which
VIII largely be for future reference. tlr
example, here are two congressional COM
undrums to which tho guessing skill Of
members will be invited. % Why should
the United States have a duty on tin
plate, when at the Same time the trans
Tortation charge on that article from
swansea in Wales to Chicago in Illinois
is less than the published rate betw IN
Pittsburg and Chicago? Tho supreme
Court has decided that rates for the
longer haul are not forbidden whore thnre
is an ocean attachment either in export
or import. This situation applies to many
articles. and is one of the phases of the
academic discussion of the Cullom hill
that may occasion interest.
A second conundrum is this. Since the
prosperity of the United States depends
50 largely on it's export market for Ger
Gals. why should we sell steel rails to
Russia, to open up her wheat proucing
areas to Competc with our own, at a low
~ cost than our own people can buy the
same rails? In other words. We pay Rus
sla u bonus to enlarge the sphere of her
competitive rivalry This situation VIII
come up under the BabcoCk bill.
The trusts will be another great sub
joct. Many of tho old party leaders feel
that the time has come when there must
be congressional action, They btIlrNe in
legislation looking to Federal supervision
and control of corporations who's" inter-
ests are not confined to State boundaries,
and they urge publicity of accounts.
A shipping subsidy bill will be %r,irtro-
duced and the fight will be resumed 9rac-
tically where it was left off last Mar II.
Opposed to the general principle of SUD-
sides will be a large section of the middle
West; favoring the subsidy will be the
shipbuilders. and the shipping interests,
with their railroad allies. A division among
those who favor the general subsidy prin-
ciple is occasioned by demand Of certain
mt rests for a subsidy for freight-carrNn =
vessels, while the proprietOrs of transat-
iautic passenger liners want the subsidy
for speed.
An isthmian canal bill will probably b,
passed. The fight will be renewed b.
" f.-