Evening star., 1902-01-01
Many Measures of Great Importance
to Be Settled.
WILL START At A LIVELY GAIT
Opposition to Amending the Tariff
Act.
ANOTHER CUBAN PROBLEM


the congressional holiday recess, and absent
statesmen will soon be coming back to the
capital for the resumption of the legislative
sessions next Monday. Most of the lead
ers of the House and Senate have remain
ed in the city during the recess, and there
have been many informal conferences on
the work ahead of the two houses.
When Congress reassenbles Monday 1t
will be for very important session, and
one likely to extend far into the summer.
Legislation of great Importance to the ma
tion is awaiting action. Questions of inter-
national as well domestic significance are
involved in the pending measures, and the
eyes of the world will be fixed upon the
American Congress.
While politics will be played, no doubt
for material for the coming congressional
campaign must be looked after-the acts of
this assemblage of the representatives of
the people will affect more than the inter-
ests of the United States stupendous as
they are, Not only are affairs vital to our
insular dependencies to be dealt with. but
other questions will be passed upon III
which the commerce of the world is con-
cerned.
A Lively start Expected.
The session will start off in lively gait.
There will be contention from the very out
set, and great interests will be constantly
pitted against each other throughout. 1t
will be a lively game and we'll worth watch
ing. Perhaps there may not be the master
ful debates of past times when other big
problems were solved. The work will be
done mostly beneath the legislative surface,
in committee. through conference, by ma
nipulatiOn and maneuver; the legerdemain
OF parliamentary practice may be invoked
to turn some tricks.
The audience may not see the shutting,
but it will be interested in the dealing
and see the result of the play plainly
enough. All in all, it promises to be a
great Congress.
The first week of the session will be en-
crossed with consideration of the Nicaragua
cGral bill That will come up in the House
and it will pass that body by an overwhelm-
ing majority. But in the meantime its
enemies will be at work digging pitfalls for
the bill upon its arrival in the Senate that
bourne whence so many measures of
legislation have failed to return. The dis
cusson in the House will probably only
draw out a fOreshadoWing of the opposition
70 be presented in the Senate, a mere hint
ing at the future.
Two Important Bills.
While this is going on in the House the
committees of the Senate will be busy with
two bills which will later consume much
time and produce long and animated dis
cussion. The bill to meet the revenue and
tariff exigencies raised by the Supreme
Courts Philippines decision will be revised
by the republican leaders, and the bill to
provide subsidy for the American mer-
chant marine will be perfected by the COM
mittee on commerce.
The fight over the Philippines bill in the
Senate will be made on a proposition to
grant the Fiipinos some tariff concessions.
II VIII be claimed that such action would
facilitate the growth of friendly relations
between the Americans and the Fflipinos
The suggestion will be bitterly opposed by
interests in this country enjoying the
benefit of a high protective tariff The
fact has not been generally commented
upon that the Taft commission recommend
ed reduction. On page 2S of the last re-
port of the Taft commission is the follow
ing recommendation:
IF Congress will reduce by so per cent
the United States duty on tobacco hemp
and sugar and other merchandise coming
from these islands it is certain that the
trade between them and the United States
Will increase by leaps and bounds Such
generosity would much strengthen the
bonds between the Filipino and American
people, and ii is earnestly recommended"
Opposed to Tariff Modification.
The republican leaders of the House are
absolutely opposed to the slightest modifi-
cation of the Dingley tariff, in any form or
manner. 1t has been assumed their col
leagues in control of the Senate are in
the same spirit Since the meeting of this
Congress, however, and especially since the
Il
House. there have been murmurings against
the dominant policy. Some influential west
ern republican newspapers are in open re-
volt against the course OF the ways and
means committee, and are urging the Sem
ate to breach the wall built up by the
House against Philippine commerce.
Philippine products coming to this coun-
try not only subject to the heavy du-
ties of the Dingley bill. but bear an ex-
port tax well, in many cases. 1t is
known that some republican senator's are
giving careful consideration to the Philip
pine tariff bill, and are not altogether sat
tsfied with it's provisions as it passed the
House.
The shipping bill which will be considered
In committee next week. Is pretty generally
understood. Its provisions in outline have
been explained by Senator Frye but when
IT is reported to the Senate 1t will be ac-
companied by an exhaustive statement OF
its terms and probable effect 1t is now
believed that the prospects of this bill are
encouraging in both House and Senate
Another Cuban Problem.
Another Cuban problem will come up in
Congress before the winter ends. The dis
patches from Cuba today tell of the re-
suit OF the election held In the island yes
terday. That election was practically tc
create the executive and legislative de-
partments OF the new republic. When q
government is established the United
States must withdraw from Cuba-that is
after certain conditions heretofore imposed
Dy congress nave been fultfiIed. The
withdrawal will be accompanied by ths
establishment of trade relations between
the new republic and the United States II
the making of which will be another big
tariff fight.
The same insistence upon the preserva
tion Of the protective tariff principle vii
be demanded by one faction in Congress
while another Will urge concessions to tn.
Cubans. The President OF the United
States and the War Department have rec
commended more favorable terms for Gu
ban products and undoubtedly there vii
be q struggle upon this point.
While these broader problems of states
manship and world-power responsibIitie.
are being considered, there viii be tn,
usual turmoil over questions coming close
hcrne to members of the House and Sen
ate-appropriations. river and harbor I'm
provements, PENSIONS public buildings, ari
land reclamation, statehood for territories
increase of the navy, treatment OF the gov
erument departments, ETC., and there l
enough work in sight to keep Congress
busy until the dog dayA