Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-11-29
WASHINGTON.
Forecast of What the Fifty.
seventh Congress
Will Do,
WAsHINffTnN. d G.

&
i the busiest and most important OF
recent years. Little talk and much
work will be the rule followed il the
present plans of the leaders are car
ried out. The fact is generally recog-
nized that no time must be wasted II
all .f the important questions on the
agenda are duly considered and acted
on. Under the most favorable con-
ditions it seems probable that the
| session must be prolonged consid-
cradle time beyond the usual date OF
adjournment.
Monday will be devoted to the
reading of the Presidents message,
which is expected to be one of the
most important state papers of re-
cent years. The message has been
! prepared. read before the cabinet,
and received its final corrections
| Advance copies have been placed in
4 the hands of the press associations,
b t strictest precautions have been
| taken to prevent the contents being
prematurely made public.
One of the first actions of congress
after assem- mbling will be to take
proper action in regard to the death
OF the late President Mckinley. I'm
doubtedly both the house and senate
will follow closely the precedents OF
the two preceding times when Presi
dents fell by the bullets of assassins.
When the message of President
Roosevelt has been received and read
a motion will be made to refer the
portion referring to the death of his
predecessor to a select committee of
one from each state on the part of
the house with such as the senate
may Join. This committee will re-
port concurrent resolution provid
ing that au Grafton be delivered be-
fore the two houses at an early Date.
The main subjects of probable leg
islative action at the coming session
are generally known. The trusts,
il ternal revenue reduction river and
harbor improvements, construction
of public buildings, pensions, re
vision of the currency and banking
laws, irrigation and iDSular affairs
a-d labor legislation will occupy
great deal OF attention.
Three other subjects, somewhat al
flied in general 6enor. will also Is
urged upon the notice of congress
provision for an Isthmian canal, sub
sides for the rehabilitation OF the
American merchant marine and the
construction by she government or
authorization for private laying of
Pacific cable.
The canal question will certainly
prove a long and probably bitter
fight. The same opposition that has
met the efforts made in the past to
build an interoceanic canal will up-
doubtedly be active at work this ses-
aion. The interjection of the Pana-
ma canal scheme into the situation
will not, in the estimation of we'll
posted people, accomplish the pur
pose for which it is alleged to be de
signed. 1t is now thought that con-
gress will brush aside the Panama
scheme at once and get down to the
main question of whether canal
shall or shall not be built via the
Nicaragua route, and on this the bill
will be fought.
The demand for a Pacific cable
probably can not longer be ignored.
Opinion was divided in the last con-
gress upon whether the government
should build and own the cable or
whether a private corporation should
be authorized to land it. This differ
ence in opinion resulted in failure to
act. Hawaii and the Philippines
are demanding the cable, and the
mercantile interests of the country
will probably bring pressure to bear
upon congress sufficient to force &C
tion.
Senator Frye of Maine ard Sena-
tor Hanna of Ohio have repeatedly
declared during the recess that this
congress would pass a ship subsidy
bill. The bill Of last session has
been modified, but it cannot be told
until it is introduced and its pro-
visions scanned whether the mGdi-
fed measure meets the objections
raised against the old bill by an in
fiuential faction of the Repu blican
party in the house 1t is the general
belief that some kind of a ship
subsidy bill will be passed at this
session.
In addition to these important
matters, the purchase of the Danish
West Iudies is likely to receive some
attention. 1t is understood that
negotiations which have been con-
Quoted for months past have reached
point where they may be carried
to finish here in Washington. The
difficulties that beset the agreement
have been gradually eliminated one
after the other, until there is good
prospect of an early final agreement.
If acquired, these islands will IN
doubtedly become part of the terri
tory of Porto Rico, the nearest large
body of land.
The reciprocity question is certain
to give the session much concern.
While there is sentiment in IA
vor of reciprocity, there are a va
riety of opinions as to how far it
should go, and what it should en-
brace. The trouble viii be 10 reach