The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-05
THE FIFTY-sIxTH CONGREss.

THE FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
The fifty-siXth congress has gone to its
reward. Nothing that can now be done
Will affect the judgment of history on the
acts done by this national legislature
and unless We are mistaken that judg-
ment VIII be, The fifty-sixth congress on
account of the cupidity exhibited by its
members. its total disregard for the ex-
pressed demands of the people, it's sub
servience to corporate interests and its
wanton extravaganza has been dis
grace to the nation.
To the second session belongs most of
the infamy. Never had a congress a
better opportunity to enact legislation
for the good Of the people. Coming on
the heels of a campaign where the oues-
tions of policy and necessity were dis
cussed. the second session of this con-
gress can not plead ignorance of the
popular demands.
With the trust evil threatening the
very foundations of our industrial edifice
the dominant party although pledged to
seek remedy against these growing
combinations of capital, contemptuously
ignored the public demands and its own
pledges and sought to pass legislation to
increase rather than to diminish the
evil. Knowing that the protective tariff
was Gripping the smaller manufacturing
institutions at home by encouraging COM
bines with millions of capital, this con-
gress net only refused to remove the
tariff from any trust-made articles but
also refused to ratify the reciprocity
treaties negotiated at great expense by
the administration with many foreign
nations While spending millions to
carry out policy of aggression in the
East, the Republican majority refused to
make any provisions for retaining the
arid lands of the West, Notwithstanding
the fact that the party pledged itself In
the recent campaign to do so.
ignoring the high rate of taxation. now
imposed on the people, this congress has
being billion dollar congress.
Whatever laws this congress has
passed have been vicious or of no inn
portance The laws which the minority
have defeated, such as the Hanna
Fayne-Frye bill and the Grout bill would
have contributed further to the disgrace
OF the congress had they been allowed to
pass.
With the whole country clamoring for
ship canal, the senate deliberately
placed itself in the way of legislation
Looking to that end by wantonly refusing
to ratify the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. And
right here we wish to remark that before
the Nicaraguan canal is built by the
United States, the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, or similar one in principle, will
De ratified. To bring this about there
VIII be no display of force; nothing but
an intelligent consideration of the pro-
visions involved The Globe always
believed, and still believes, that the Hay-
Pauncefote treaty reflected great credit
upon the administration and that the OH
jectiens to it. urged in the senate and
embodied in the amendments, were
peurile, and so far as they went were
against the interests of the Tinted
States.
While our new possessions and grow
Ing trade in the East demanded a Pacific
cable this congress frittered away its
time without honoring the enterprise
with a committee consideration.
In the meantime England, Canada.
Australia and New Zealand have con-
tracted to lay the cable, and when the
United States gets to the point it will
find that the enterprise will not nav.
What is the cause of the lack Of natrl-
otlc craftsmanship shown by the fifty
sixth congress? 1t can be found in- the
fact that majority OF congressman are
owned by interests" In this we do not
mean that majority have received spe-
ciic brides, but that they are controlled
by influences which are not for the nub-
AAAHoIAdlc, NIr. Lodge Op-
posed the reciprocity treaty with France
because the knit goods interest COM
planned that reduction of 20 Der cent
OF the Dingley tariff would cut off some
81 their profits, Notwithstanding the fact
that they were exporting knit goods to
Farls at that very time. Senator ALI
son opposed the Hansbrough irrigation
bill because there is not arid land IN
the state of Iowa So intricate have he
come the business ramifications thar
scarcely congressman acts for the ma
ton Measures that pass are. comprom-
ises, every vote has to be bought by some
concession that is for the benefit of a
persen or an interest
Had the press not raised such a storm
of public protest against the shipping
subsidy bill, the great boss would have
had no difficulty in passing it. nefarious
as it was. The Grouf bill was put
through the house in the face of equity
and common sense and was only defeat
ed in the senate by the threats of de-
terTnined minority.
The trouble has been with the men who