The Worthington advance., 1901-02-01
NOV BEFORE CONGRESS.
Work Accumulating and Both Sen.
ate and House Are Kept
Very Busy.
IMPORTANT MEASURES UNDER WAY.
Southern Interest. Receiving Con.
Opinion Regarding nm Isthmian
sCanal-Feeling ON Subsidy to Conc
,mefce.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, d. g., Jan. 30/
. Appropriation bills are accumulating in
the senate and are rapidly being disposed
Of in the house, and the chances for an ex-
ira session are beginning to hinge entirely
upon the willingness to be shown by the
senate in considering and disposing of in q
businesslike manner the great measures
which. oil the machinerysof government and
keep it from stopping. The house shows no
disposition to lag in it's work, however dila-
tory the senate may be in emulating the
houses example. 1t cannot be doubted,
however, that with the increased RESPONSE
bilities of our government, with it's 75,0OO,-
600 Americans, to say nothing of its l0,0OO,-
600 or 100000 other dependents in dis
tant parts of the world, the short sessions
are proving quite inadequate for the proper
transaction of the public business that
crowds upon congress.
The ffibusters in the senate are buster
ing as hard as before regarding their DISPOSE
measures, in order to force the president to
call an extra session, the manifest purpose
Of which is to endeavor to discredit the ad-
ministration before the country, and per-
haps lead to it's defeat. The people, on the
other hand, while undesirous of wasting the
public funds, are equally desirous of secur-
ing the benefits that flow from beneficial
legislation. 10 convene congress in extra
session in order to supply sufficient time for
the disposal of pressing and important mat
ters which are denied the proper time re-
'quired for their consideration in the regular
sessions will always meet with the peoples
approval whenever the president finds him.
self-for any reasons Of congressional neg
lect or studied dilatoriness- to safe
guard the nations interests in that manner.
l. There is growing feeling among many of
our more thoughtful statesmen that the
southern problem will be solved by those in
the south who are responsible for the dis
franchisement of colored voters. As soon
az the necessity for unity of political action
among the white voters is removed by the
elimination of the possibility of negro DOM
ination, Immediately there will be a di-
vision among the white voters upon great
national problems that are not Influenced
by race questions. The development of tho
resources of the south, it is beginning to be
seen by the wiser of those of that section,
has been held in check by the oligarchy exer-
cised by white voters throughout that entire
section, an oligarchy that has been con-
stant menace to representative government
and consequently a deterrent to extensive
investment.
/ The possibilities beyond the construction
;of san isthmian canal have opened the eyes
Of many. Of the more progressive people of
ttfht south, quickeneed as they have been by
their realization of the almost untouched
trith and all but exhaustless resources of
t their own section. This is finding express
sion in various forms, but nowhere more
pointedly than in the restive feeling shown
by advanced thinkers and real statesmen
among the congressional delegations repre-
+sehting southern constituencies. Whenever
business men get together in the south to
discuss matters of public interest relating to
their section of the country, they.fnd them
selves handicapped and restrained from
joining iq unity for the legislation which
they sdeem essential to their rapid and per-
manent development by finding that the
only methods at their command clash with
the, economic predictions of those who
manage their political affairs.
One of the most significant illustrations
of this is found in the an:mity with which
southern industrial and commercial organi-
cations unite in pettioning congress to en-
act legislation that shall build up the coun.
try's mercantile marine. Freed from the
shackles of racial controversies there would
be no difficulty in the real wishes of south
ern business men finding clear and cogent
expressions SO frequently and so generally
as to force upon their representatives in
congress either a change of policies or else
a change of representatives. The direct sub
sidy, to commerce involved in the construc.
tion of an isthmian canal cannot be gain
said, and the south to-day is almost unit
in its BEHALF for the very fortunate reason
that, although it is not new question, it has
never become partisan one
But the very course OF reasoning that sup.
ports the demand for the construction of an
isthmian canal, precisely the same basic
principles being involved as there are in the
improvement of rivers and harbors, apply
without deviation to the problem of restor-
ing our ships to the seas. The latter can
only be solved through government SUBJ
sidy, just as the constr,'..' IN Of an isthmian
canal has on all s;1es " conceded to be
mere matte # r = .lment "undertak-
ing"-the latte: VIZ taking the place OF
the tabooed VIC. ":ubsidy."s There can be
no doubt that il he word Subsidy" were
applied to an ist: .;.3.::.1 canal construction,
and to river and harbor improvements as it
| has been to mercantile marine construction
and improvement, the prejudices against the
word would have long ago disappeared, so
determined are our people to construct a
canal and improve our rivers and harbors,
and none the less determined are they to
build up merchant marine of our own.
| Clearly it is seen in official circles here.
| especially among the more progressive and
representative men of the south, that the
sunlight of reason is beginning to pierce the
gloom of prejudice upon economic matters
that has been the greatest drawback to the
south's development, and, as a consequence,
to the symmetrical progress and develop
ment of the whole nation. Equally obvious
| is it to those mingling with those people in
official life here at the capital still influenced
more by prejudice than, by reason, that
nothing will so utterly dissipate the absurd
and groundless objection to the suggestion
| of "subsidy" as to put the policy into opera
| tion in an effective manner that shall result
in giving us a powerful merchant marine in
| which all sections can take pride and which
will so substantially and enduringly strength.
en- the nations defenses and promote its in
dustries and its commerce.