The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-07-10
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, July 7, 1902.

washington, July ~ iVOE'
The Fifty-seventh Congress has com
pleted its first session and has left be-
hind it a record which presages victory
for the democratic party at the fall
elections. Between their subserviency
to the trusts and monopoies and their
desire to eliminate Mr.. Roosevelt from
the presidential possibilities of 1904,
the republican leaders have converted
a session of Congress, during which
their party has had control, not only
of both branches Of the legislative but
of the executive department of the
government as well, into sad fiasco.
OF the legislation recommended by
Mr.. Roosevelt, but few measures have
been enacted and most of those were
passed contrary to the dlctum of the
leaders and only by the aid of demo-
cratic votes.
The Isthmlan Canal bill, which has
never been party measure has been
passed, it is true, although the inhu-
ences which prompted the substitution
of the Spooner resolution, providing
for the selection of the Panama route,
are we'll known and it is further known
that none will be more sadly dis
appointed than they if the examina-
ton of the Attorney. General reveals
the fact that satisfactory title can be
furnished by the Panama Canal COM
pany. The passage ofthe Hansbrough
Newlands Irrigation bill was opposed
by Speaker Henderson, Represent
atives Daizell, Payne, Grosvenor and
other republican leaders and only a
coalition of democratic and republican
members secured its consideration and
passage by the House. The Philippine
bill is a sad makeshlft which accom-
plishes nothing except extension of
the powers of the Philippine Commls-
sion. The republicans, who have long
boasted of the solidity and harmony
of their party on the currency question
were obliged, at the eleventh hour, to
eliminate the coinage provisions be-
cause the republican members of the
Senate and the House could not reach
an agreement on either a silver or
gold basis.
The breach in the republican ranks
made by the opposing trusts in the
Cuban Reciprocity contest is too re-
cent to require more than mention
here. Even the urgent special mes.
sage of the President was frultless in
I the face of the power of the trusts.
| Mr.. Roosevelt's earnest recommends
tions in regard to governmental sup
ervlsior and publicity for the trusts
fell upon deaf ears, or rather upon ears
which had for SO long listened to the
siren voice of the great monopoies
that they recognized no other. Mr..
Roosevelt's recommendation that the
principle of general reciprocity be ex-
tended received no consideration. The
tariff protected interests care not for
reciprocity and the interests of the
people, the consumers, are of small
import to the type of statesmen which
Republican conventions select for Con-
gress. The Department of Commerce
advocated by the President came to
naught and the same is true of the
anti-anarchy bill which the necessity
for which he SO ably set forth.
| But there was one accomplishment
IN which the Fifty-seventh Congress
failed not, the expenditure of the
public funds. Even according to their
own fnancier, Senator Allison, the
appropriations for the session aggre.
gate $Soo,I93S37 nor does this in.
clude the contracts authorized and
which are the equivalent of so many
promissory notes which must be pai(
at some future date, and which, &C
cording to Representative Livingston
of the Appropriations Committee
amount to $259,373,2I5. The tota
appropriations of the session correctl!
stated, therefore, will amount to ST.,
$50 ,s67,o5a. In view of the estimate
of Mr.. Cannon, made June roth, thai
the revenues tor the current fsca
year would amount to but $639,ooo,
900, the outlook is not encouraging
That this kind of financiering will bt
countenanced by the people or tha
the voters at the fall elections will en-
dorse the party which has so reckless
ly distributed the public funds is hard
ly to be expected.
Tuesday mornings Cabinet meet
ing was the most interesting that ha
been held for long time. Th
practical close of Congress had re
moved from the realm of uncertaint
a number of important matters an
that fact, together with the approach
, | oF Al