Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-02-26
BARRE, VI, FEBRUARY 28, 1901
THE RECORD

we'll to glance at the record and SCI
what has been done. Although i
has lacked the thrill of the Spanish
American war period, 1t has had mucl
reconstruction work to do. The pres
ent congress has PISSED upon one o
the most important phases Of the at
titude Of this country toward it's new
insular possessiont by enacting Law
for complete form Of government fo
Porto Rico. The status OF the Phil
ippines has been the source of much
debate, but nothing tangible has Sc
far resulted. Cuban legislation has
awaited the action Of the Cuban con
>titutional convention. A law giving
Hawaii complete form OF territorial
government with an insular legisla
ture, and judiciary, governor, chos
en- from Hawaii, and delegate in the
II use Of Representatives, was passed
at the first session and has become sc
far effective that the delegate, Mr..
Wilcox, appeared at the secoad SEES
sion. A Porto Rican commissioner
Mr.. Degarut, has also been accredited
to Washington under the law passed
at the first session.
In actual work accomplished the
Fifty.Sixth Congress has an excep.
tionally large record. Aside from the
Porto Ricin and Hawaiian acts al.
ready mentioned, this congress has
passed financial law establishing a
permanent gold reserve fund OF about
SIS, 900, 900, fixing the ratio between
gold and silver and recognizing the
bonding and the banking systems Of
the treasury, recognizing the United
States army on basis Of 100, 900 men,
reapportioning the representation in
congress on the basis Of the twelfth
census, giving free homes on the In,
dian lands, providing for government
participation In the Louisiana pur-
chase exposition in 1903, as well as
many other measures Of wide general
Importance. But the congress draws
to close with some of the most i'm
portant measures before it Still 10
doubt and the session is quite likely
to expire without final action on the
Nicaraguan canal bill, the shipping
subsidy bill, the Pacific cable bill and
the oleomargarine bill. The fate Of
some of these measures is very much
in doubt, but at this late day In the
session the chances are decidedly
against them.
The appropriation of the present
Congress will reach an unusually large
figure, aggregating for the two ses-
ions approximately sl,457 ,269, 457.
This is about sll0, 900, 900 less than
the aggregate appropriations of the
proceeding Congress, which however
covered the period of the Spanish
war, when the appropriations ran in
single year to 1898 231 ,6l5. The
army has been reorganized on mod, IN
mil tary lines, the maximum force be.
ing 100 600 men, and the minimum
force IS, 900 men. The financial legis.
lation has been OF unusual Importance.
1t has placed on the statute books
the law establishing the gold standard
for the redemption and re-
issue Of the interest bearing bonded
obligations Of the United States, es.
permanent gold reserve
of 100000, regulating national
oanks and making numerous provis.
ons, respecting circulation and the
lax on circulation. This measure was
1rafted by leaders of both houses
prior to the meeting Of Congress and
became caucus measure. After its
passage some question arose as to the
naintt ince OF the parity Of the met.
lis and the terms of the bill. At the
PRESENT session bills to rectify this
eature have been reported, specific.
lily requiring the change OF gold for
standard silver dollars. No action
las been taken on them, however.
The revenue legislati IN Of Congress
las been confined to an effort to re-
luce the taxation imposed when the
var with Spain began. The revenue
eduction measure is still in controv.
rsy between the two houses, the con.
erence committee not having reached
n agreement.
Considerable important general
egislation has taken place. Much OF
he time of the Senate has been occu.
lied by the important treaties consid-
red behind closed doors. These in
luded the Hay.Pauncefote treaty, |
he Nicaragua Canal, treaties with
'reat Britain and Germany dissolvlng
he tri.partite agreement on Samoa
nd dividing the islands -commercia
treaties with France, Ger
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