Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-01-17
HAS BIG WORK AHEAD |
FIVE GREAT MEASURES BEFORE
CONGRESS.
Prodigious Amount of Labor Will BE
Required for the National Law MAX
ing Body to Dispose of the Business
Now I'm Sight.

greSs when the members resumed their
public duties after the holiday recess.
They were: 1. The Shipping bill. 2.
The Army Reorganization bill. 3. The
Nicaragua Canal Construction bill. A..
The War Revenue Reduction bill.
5. The Reapportionment bill. Three of
these measures have already been pass
ed by the House of Representatives.
l. The Shipping bill: There are many
reasons why this is considered impor-
tant, a few Of which may be briefly re-
cited: (a) 1t aims to save to the Amerl-
can people the larger part of the $175,-
100000 a year they now pay to foreign
ship owners. (b) 1t will effect very
substantial reduction in the rates OF
ocean transportation, which will insure
to our producers, and especially to our
farmers, higher prices for their prod
ucts and larger foreign markets Tor
them, the latter entailing more protlt-
able employment for all those engaged
In the many industries that contribute
their surplus for export. (c) 1t Will
make the nation strong upon the sea,
the only place where it is weak. and In
accomplishing this it will weaken the
auxiliary naval power of our foreign
rivals, to which power our neglect OF
our own merchant marine and our en-
ployment of foreign shipping directly
contributes. Thus the national defense
and the general welfare of our people
are to a large extent bound up in the
Shipping bill.
2. The Army Reorganization bill:
This is of Importance, for the reason
that, under existing law, our army
must be reduced on June 80 next to but
$4,000 men, a requirement that will
compel our complete withdrawal from
the Philippines and the abandonment
of those islands to the mercies Of half
civilized mob, led by band of adven-
turers, the whole representing less
than per cent of the population Of the
islands. The urgency for the passage
of some measure that will enable the
President to prosecute the war In the
Philippines to an early conclusion must
by Congress before adjournment seems
to be inevitable.
3. The Nicaragua Canal Construction
bill: This is measure Of great interest
to our Industrial and commercial de
velopment. It will help to rapidly
populate our territory beyond the
Rocky Mountains; it will help to de-
velop our almost boundless resources
in that vast stretch of magnifcently
fertile and attractive area; it will place
at the command of the teeming work
ers of the East the necessities and luxu-
ries in NINE forest and farm obtain
able from the development of our Pa
cific Slope section; it will enormously
augment our domestic shipping; it will
make easier our access to the Orient
with our surplus products; it will
cheaper the cost of reaching the west
coast of South America with our goods,
and, if wisdom prevails with respect to
measure No. l, it will become an i'm
mense factor in the development of
our foreign-going shipping.
4. The War Revenue Reduction Bill:
With surplus of approximately
eighty millions year, and
the consequent boarding of a
large portion of our currency
that should be in circulation stimula-
ting investment and employment, there
is urgent necessity for reduction in
the nations revenue. While it is con-
coded that 1t would be unwise to lop
off all Of the present surplus revenue,
at the same time an enormous reduc-
ton is imperative. It is generally con-
coded that the sum of the reduction
will amount to at least forty millions |
annually, and the remainder will act
as safeguard to any possible shortage
that may arise in the general revenues |
Of the nation. Another reason for the |
exercise of caution in the amount of |
the reduction is the fact that the war is |
still in progress in the Philippines and |
the more speedily it is brought to a
termination the better for the nation. |
Whatever the expense.
5. The Reapportionment Bill: The
completion Of the statistics of popula- t
ton by the Census Bureau demands at
the udHuS "a OOuSlcSS q KCdppOrtlOQ-
ment of the number CT inhabitants that |
shall be comprised within each Con-
gressional district. The necessity for
action at this session of Congress lies
in the fact that in many of the States
their legislatures meet only once in two
years. The task of redistricting the
States devolves upon their legislatures.
IN ho oil
Fifty eighth Congress may represent
the actual inhabitants of their respec-
tive districts and States, more equita-
bly, than they do at present, sufficient
time should be at the disposal of these
several State Legislatures without sub
tecting them to the annoyance and ex