Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-02-06
BUSINESS
Much Activity in Work Upon the
Important Measures Under
Consideration.
PROGRESS OF THE SHIPPING BILL.
The House Session Will Close with
But Little Pressure of Business
Senate Will Be Less Fortunate
Present Prospects of the Various
Measures for Passage.
Especial Correspondence.1


Washington, d. c., Feb. 4.
Another week has rolled around with
record this time for progress in legis-
lat1ve enactment IN each branch of
congress. The army bill has passed
the senate, as has the legislative ap-
preparation and the Indian appropria-
ton bills, and others are crowding fast
upon them, with the committees busiIy
engaged meanwhile in giving the fin
ishing touches to other important
measures, not the least of which is the
river and harbor improvement bill,
now under consideration by the COM
mittee on commerce of the senate, of
which Senator Frye, president pro tenn
pore Of the senate. is the chairman.
But Senator Frye has been considera-
bly, occupied in the management of
his shipping bill upon the floor of the
senate, during the debate that was re-
sumed when that measure was given
precedence as unfinished business last
week.
In the. house it's reputa ton is being
sustained as thoroughg going business
body, in which no time is wasted, aid
where every moment is regarded as
precious. When the end. Of the session
comes the house will he compare lively
free from the rush that generally ac-
companies the close o. short session,
while the senate will be immersed over
its head in business requiring consid.
GRAFTON before adjournment. But this
sort Of thing has happened so many
times before the present that people
have come to regard it as settled OF
rather chronic state of affairs. There
can be no doubt but that the '<sena-
torial courtesy" for which the upper
branch of congress is so famous, is, in
a way, especially at the end of al cont
gressional session, like charity, in that
1t "covers a multitude Of sins"
The Nicaragua canal construction
bill has been laid aside, for the present,
in order to make it clear to the Brit
ish government that the United States
is disposed to accord the utmost cour-
tesy and all needed latitude.
The desperate ultimatums daily de-
livered by the flibusters in the senate
against the shipping bill have rather
us PiSlouS SuS NulCu uOI
a few have noted. Whether or not
there has been a lodging place for the
persuasive arguments CD against the
shipping bill which the lobby here in
the interest of foreign ship owners
is said to be past masters in the eff
fective distribution Of. cannot be said;
but it is not at all unlikely that a GER
tain species of argument, which at
times has been found effective in arous-
ing opposition among those open to
influences of that character ight be
quite as effectively used in sitting
such opposition, but this is a kind of
argument, happily, which the friends
of the shipping bill have never applied,
and which they never will apply in
order to induce congress to do its duty
by the nation in strength ening its de-
lenses with a powerful fleet of mer-
chant ships and trained men.
There are but two known sources of
opposition to the shipping bill, and it
is well worth while to name them again
publicly. They are: O The foreign
shipping interests, now earning $780,
100000 each year in carrying our eN-
ports and imports, and who do not de-
sire to have their freight rates lowered
by the competition of Am erican ships
under the stimulus Of government aid.
and (2) The free traders CT the coun-
try, who have opposed every step the.
country has ever taken in the direc-
ton Of protection. and who, blind to
the benefits to our people and to the
country, through the operation of that
policy for a generation, are deter
mined to leave no stone unturned to
prevent the successful establishment
of American ships in the foreign trade
upon a scale commensurate with our
rank among the great nations Of the
earth. It will be a sham eful thing
if these influences prove to be sufficient |
to either defeat Or prevent the passage
of a measure which, by the very nature
of the opposition it has provoked. is a
&emon strait of it's effectiveness If
aver placed upon our statutes.
J. B. ACRES.