The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-12-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., December end.

WASHINGTON, d. c., December end.
Mr.. EDIToR:-At last Congress is in
session. Promptly at noon to-day the
gaves Of Senator Frye, the new president
of the Senate and Of Alexander NJ. Dow
ell, Clerk of the House, called those bodies
to order and the opening session of the
Fifty seventh Congress was thereby in
augurated. In the Senate Senator Hanna
was promptly recognized by the Chairman
and, in few we'll chosen words, informed
his colleagues of the death Of President
Mckinley and moved adjournment out of
respect to the deceased. The motion car
ried unanimously.
In the House the members were sworn
in, the Speaker, Gen Henderson, and the
other officers elected, seats chosen by lot
with the exception of that Of eXSpeaker
Joshua A. Grow who, in accordance with
precedent, was permitted to choose his
seat before the lottery commenced. AS
soon as Speaker Hen derson had taken
possession of the chair he recognized Rep
lCSCutdtlNS "loSNSuol, VI oil', "ho
formally announced the death of the late
President and moved that the House ad-
journ out of respect for the dead until
Tuesday, his motion, Of course, carryin g
unanimously.
The democratic minority, which COM
pleted its organization in caucus on Satur-
day, though small in numbers is prepared
for vigorous action and strenuous opposi-
ton to the extravagant expenditures of
public funds which is characteristic of the
republicans when in control of both Con-
gressional chambers.
AS have already predicted in these
letters, Representative Richardson, of
Tennessee, was nominated for the Speak
ership, a purely complimentary nomina-
ton, but one that carries with it the lead
ship of the democratic forces in the cur
rent Congress. Mr.. Richardson's ability
as parliamentarian, his quiet but deter
mined methods of warfare and the gentle
and dignified manner with which he can
excoriate his opponents when their indif-
ference to the public welfare demands it,
all combine to render him exceptionally
well qualified for the responsibilities of
his position.
Republican majorities in both House
and Senate are too large to permit of the
democrats taking the initiative in the in
PRODUCTION of needed legislation, but they
will persistently and consistently urge the
reduction of the tariff, at least in so far as
its provisions are prohibitive, whether
they see that such reduction will be most
surely accomplished by the ratification of
reciprocity treaties or by change of the
tariff schedules.
An especial effort will be made to secure
the abolition of the war revenue tariff. 1t
will be remembered that the original war
revenue bill, justified only on the ground
that this country was at war with Spain,
aimed at providing an extra income of
100000 900 per annum Last session, the
republicans having announced that the
war was over, an effort was made to secure
the repeal of the law, the democrats using
every means in their power to relieve tie
people of this unnecessary burden, but
they succeeded only in so far as they com
PEELED the republicans to pass a measure
which reduced the revenues by $50, 600 900
The remaining $7O,000,000 year has con.
tinued to accumulate in the Treasury until
the surplus has assumed proportions which
the republican Secretary of the Treasury
has been forced to admit are inimcal to
the welfare of the country.
A constant effort at retrencLment in
expenditures and the curtailment of eX-
travagant appropriations will be excrted
and it is hoped that unity of action under
the direction of an able leader may accom-
plish much along these lines.
Legislation calculated to control or sup.
press the trusts will be demanded by the
democrats and the anti trust measure
which the republicans buried in a Senate
Committee last session, will be resusci-
tated and many republican Congressman
will be placed in position where they
will be compelled to vote for it or abso.
lutely stultify themselves and violate the
pledges which they made in the recent
campaign. The democrats realize that
small as may he their numbers, they have
the American people back of them in their
fight on the trusts and they will leave nc
stone unturned in their efforts to force the
republican majoritics to heed the peoples
wish.
At the democratic caucus held Saturday
morning, after Mr. Richardson had been
nominated for Speaker, Mr.. Kerr, of
Pennsylvania, for Clerk, etc, a number of
resolutions were presented and eventually
referred to a committee which was in
structed to report to a caucus to be held
on January 10th. The resolutions in
cludcd a condemnation of the highly pro-
tective features of the tariff; a condemna.
ton of the trusts, and of all legislation
which enabled American manufacturers
to sell to foreign producers more cheaply
than to American consumers; an express
sion favoring Just and generous treat
Heul Oh L UTtO hiCO anu CuDd, ana an
expression of opposition to the ship su5si-
dy bill as presented at the last session,
and to all measures designed to use the
public funds for the benefit of private in
terests. They also ex PRESSED detcrm;ua
ton to insist on the sacred force of the
fundamental American rule of democratic
self-government" and opposition to any
colonial form of government. Other reso-
lutions provided for the Internal govern
mcnt of the dem ocratic minority; con
demned the solicitation of patrona re from
the administration and opposed any
change in the existing standards of values,
the latter resolution being favored by
Eastern and opposed by Western demo
Gratis.
At the republican caucus, which was
held on Saturday afternoon and which
was attended by one hu ldred and forty
six members, the regular slate, as pre-
viously outlined in these letters, was nomi
mated and then Colonel Pete" Hepburn