Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-01-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
HARD SHEDDING FOR sENA-
* TORIAL CANDIDATES. n

HARD SHEDDING FOR sENA-
T0RIAL CANDIDATES. n
Jbstructiontsta Cannot Prevent Leg
islation-Lobby at Capital and Club
In New York Working For Foreign
Steamship Companies. I
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31O.-Congress is
again plunged into the consideration OF
important legislation, and members
will all have a most busy time during
the succeeding two months. There is
none Of that disposition to daily which
is SO apparent in the long session. and
the flibusters in the senate, who have
their plans all mapped out. are likely
to encounter some pretty hard sled.
ding before they get through with
their obstructive tactics. The people
at large are in no mood to see impor-
tant legislation. like the army bill, for
instance, hung up because a few utter
" inconsequential senators desire to
make a laundry of the senate in order
that their soiled linen may, be washed
in public. Men are not sent to con-
gress to air their personal grievances,
but they are sent there to iegislate for
the. nation, and the patience of even the
| mildest senator will soon be exhausted
if this kind Of game continues. .
mi -. 49, - 81
The substitution Of the army reor-
ganization bill for the shipping bill as
| unfinished business has compelled the
opposition in the senate to. show it's
hand. Many Of the opponents Of the
army bill expected that the discussion
of the shipping bill almost side by side
with the former would give them a
valid pretext for dilatory motions. But
the complete elimination Of the ship
ping bill brings the issue squarely upon
the army bill, and it will stand or fall
wholly upon it's own merits, as it is de-
sirable it should. There is plenty of
evidence that this procedure on the
part Of the leaders has quite discomfort
ed those who had their little plans all
mapped out to use other important
measures to flibuster against those to
which they were opposed. Now, under
the prevailing programme, eacn meas
ure is considered solely upon It's own
merits. - < : s>r- .
7 ON told nv a oroarKvYaop ~, yoorhorc
Of congressman in each branch-that
they took the opportunity of their short
recess, while at home, to sound public.
opinion regarding the desirability Of
the passage Of the ship subsidy bill,
and; not a few were amazed at the gen
eral unaniuity Of sentiment In favor of
its passage. "What we. want" one
congressman from Michigan tells me
an important and influential constitu-
ent of his told him, sis a bill that win.
build up our shipping and give employ
ment to our own people in building
ships, and then in running them. That
is what the ship subsidy bill will do,
i'll understand it's terms, because the
first thing anybody must do who wants
some of the subsidy is to build new
ships in the United States. That's
what counts with the people" he said,
and as a consequence, this particular
congressman is studying, the bill with q
degree Of care he had not given to 1t
before. - I'LL ~, y s
| III. 55= :| T.,
The most effective prosubsidy bill in
cident that has yet come to light is the
circulation Of a letter by the New York
Reform club soliciting funds to help 1t
to send out plate matter In opposi-
ton to the shipping bill. The Reform
club is composed of the most virulent
free traders in the country, those, for
instance, who bitterly opposed the Nc
Kinley tariff bill, those who worked for,
a much more radical free trade bill
than Wilson finally gave the country
and those who actually frothed at the
mouth, SO bitter was their opposition to
the Dingley tariff bill. To find this or
ganization, which is the esseDce of free
trade propaganda in the United States,
out in opposition to the shipping bill is
beginning to convince many who were
hitherto lukewarm on the subject that
the measure must be a good one and
likely to help American and possibly
inJure foreign interests.
@ .%%s5x f
But the most brazen piece OF imper-
Thence In the circular letter In ques-
ton was that portion which said:
I'm addition to this work [of supply
ing material already on hand to news
papers, congressman, etc, who apply
for I'll, we hope to begin early In Janu-
airy to supply matter In the form Of
plates to the 400 or 500 newspapers,
mostly in the middle and northwestern.
states. willing to aid us in defeating
this bill. This Is the most effective and
cheapest way to educate the people.
and 1t would start fires behind many
congressman and senators who are now
but lukeWarm supporters Of the pro-
i posed subsidies a %HS