St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-01-25
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Reciprocity Will Be Considered at
Length in Both Houses.
Revision Of the Tariff Will Also Come
Up for Discussi0n-Real Estate
scheme In Mckinley
Memorial.

! Especial Washington letter.
IT. VERY good citizen of the republic
r. is interested in his government
| Now that the congress is in ses.
sion the people will want to know all
about the legislative branch of their
government; what it is doing and
what it proposes to do.
One who has opportunity to watch
the statesmen for considerable num-
Der of years becomes interested in the
changes which come over the minds of
men who make history for us. For
example, in 1890, William Mckinley,
congressman from Ohio, chairman of
the committee on ways and means, in
dignantly resented the interference OF
the secretary of state, James G. Blaine,
who insisted that the subject of reci-
procity should be taken up in tariff
bill. When the same man, Mckinley,
became president and was charged
with the powers and responsibilities of
that high office, he championed reci-
procity, and his last public utterance
was in favor of the pending reciprocity
treaties.
One of the leading defenders of reci-
procity in the senate to-day is Senator
Allison, of Iowa. And yet, the strong
est argument ever prepared in oppo-
sition to that idea was prepared by
Mr.. Allison while he was member of
the house of Representatives in the
Forty-second congress. Mr.. Allison
then claimed and ably demonstrated
that the senate had no constitutional
right to originate revenue legislation.
He quoted and commented upon the
plain statement of the constitution
that ''all bills for raising revenue shall
originate in the house of representa-
tives." Now that he is the leader of
the senate, Mr.. Allison claims that the
constitutional power to "amend" house
bills carries with it the right to Sub
stitute" new revenue legislation in the
senate. This matter will bring forth
many hours of debate during the first
session of this congress.
President Roosevelt stands for reci-
procity as President Mckinley did.
Thus, the president, with the aid of
the senate, purposes to make reci-
procity treaties with some IA or Is
countries, and thereby declare tariff
duties with those countries. This
the leaders in the house of repre-
sentatives will strenuously oppose.
They claim that if it is once granted |
that the president and the senate shall |
have the power now sought to be exer-
cised, the representatives of the peo-
pie may have no functions in the future !
other than to come together for the
purpose of passing appropriation bills,
Ind then adjournfng. How this prob
lem may be concluded no one can
Iafely predict at this time.
You may hear great deal about the
shipping subsidy bill during the COM
ng months, and will wonder whether
,r not there will be such legisla ton.
Well, the Fifty-sixth congress began
It noon on March 4, 1899, and during
hat entire session of congress the
writer predicted that the bill would
OF become law, stating that it had
,een killed on March 2, 1899, two days
'efore the Ffty-sixth congress came
nto being. The reason was never
'iven, but it may be given now. When
senator Hanna succeeded in having
VILLAIN r. Merriam made director of
he census, he made personal enemies
+ very many of the friends
# Henry Casson, of Wisconsin,
7ho was Endorsed for that place
y a large majority of the prom
1ent people of the land. More
yer, Henry Casson himself became
Of the house of rep
esentatives in December, 1899. Henry
asson has been elected sergeant-at-
rms OF the house of represent tives
gain. Now that you have glimpse
these few wheels within the big
heels, you can do little guessing for
ourself about the probable fate of
lie Hanna shipping subsidy bill. Il
You will read great deal about pro-
osed changes in the existing tariff law I