The Nome nugget., 1901-11-16
CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION.

Tnougip.it is a long way to Washington, each re- curing year reminds us that about the time the ice comes in Boring Sea, members of the congress are ifastening toward the national capital and prepar aons for the annual scs sion of that august body under wav-
 The congress will meet on December ? and Pres- lent Roosevelt will deliver his first message That message wA without doubt embody the policies of his predecessor, the lamanted Mckinley. Of the various policies for which the administration stands there are four ofparamouRt importance These are the adoption of reciprocity treaties for the expansion Jf foreign commerce, the development of the American merchant marine by the aid of wisely de signed Legislation the construction of the sthlnian canal and the laying of Pacific cable With respect to each of these President Roosevelt stands exactly where his predecessor stood and will le true 10 every pledge he has made concerning them.
 The problem of reciprocity is one which there have arisen some dissensons within the republican party. There some manufacturers who would dute willingly sacrifice every rural industry for the sake of gettn. additional markets for their Aanu- sactured' goods, and there are Eastern states which always willing to sacrifice Western inter- es.s for the sake of Eastern trade. It cannot be denied thatsome of the reciprocity measures which were introduced in congress last winter and which
 
 session, are of kind that would be unjust to many American industries In. so far as the treaties are unjust, they violate the principle of reciprocity, in samuch as they are jug-handled.- In the address which President Mckinley delivered at the Buffalo exposition. just before his assassination, he said we should seek to increase foreign commerce by sensible trade arrangements which will not interrupt our home production.
 hat ba ar- rived when must seek additional markets for the sale of our manufactured commodities. The trouble will be, so fur reciprocity treaties are concerned that our infant industries" having attained the stature of giants will attempt to put their label on the treaties The kind of reciprocity that Nc Kinley favored such as would enable us to- take from customers such of their products as we can without harm to industries and labor. This kind 1 reciprocity would not sacrifice any American in dustry for the sake of promoting the foreign trade of another industry, or break down the comprehensive system of protection to which the country seems to be welded, but which 1t would appear under whose operation the people are beginning to grow restive.
 Uponths other great policies it is hardly likely there will be many dssensions. It is true that, for one reason or another the republican party has not Kept it's pledge to promote the rebuilding of the American merchant marine, but the opposition is not likely to be strong enough to prevent the desired legislation this winter. Our expanding commerce requires larger merchant fleet than have at this time upon the seas, likely to have long as our shipping IS left to compete unaided against the heavily subsidized merchant marine of other countries
 The isthman canal and the Pacific cable have heen long waited for President Roosevelt will be fortunate if he them tegun in earnest during his administration.