Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-07
A nILLIoN DOLLAR coNeREss.

The session OF congress which ended
Tuesday achieved more notoriety than
fame.
It's reckless expenditure OF money has
attracted far more attention than any
legislation II has enacted or even con-
sidered.
The first congress in which Thomas B.
Reed held the speakers gavel passed into
history as the billion dollar congress.
The people showed what they thought of
that aggregation, for at the first opportu-
nifty they put the opposing party into
power.
There is a very general disgust over the
conduct Of the congress whose successor
IS TO be elected next November. and the
indications are that the majority OF the
next congress will be of very different
political complexion from that Of the body
which took a recess Tuesday.
There will be little more work Of i'm
portance done by the present congress, as
the second session is limited to about
three months and therefore has little time
TO attend 20 anything beyond routine mat
tiers and odds and ends.
The record OF the ifty-seventh congress
has been mainly made. The Republicans
are In complete control OF both houses.
but have had more dissensions than have
ever tormented them before.
They have divided into two hostile
camps on the Cuban reciprocity question
and a very large element OF the party
which was practically solid behind Nc
KinIey Is In armed and irTeconcilaole re-
bellion against Roosevelt.
The Republicans will go into the con-
gressional campaign badly divided. hght-
ing for Cuban reciprocity In some districts
and against IL In others.
We know IL is often said that however
Republicans may quarrel before cam
paiRn opens they all get together wheh
the fight upon the Democracy begins.
This Is not history and no such until
cation will be possible this year without
tie surrender of one faction to the other'
The Democratic party has the best
chances of success that have favored II
since it was disrupted by the silver issue.
The most popular act OF the recent ses-
sion was the repeal of almost all OF the
remaining war taxes. amounting to about
s7OOOO.OO0 a year. The tariff weighs so
GENEROUSLY on the masses that they are
glad to be relieved Of all other burdens
as rapidly as possible -.a
The passage of the canal bill. was also
received with profound qualification
though a great majority of the people
probably preferred, the Nicaragua route.
Canal legislation was made possible by
the broad-minded patriotism Of the Hep
burn bill, which preferred to give the
Panama bill a fair chance rather than
block the whole prospect Of the isthmian
canal construction. --
The Chinese exclusive act which draws
the line closer against the possibility Of a
great Monaghan influx is another meas
ure that was well received.
There Is, however, very general regret
that congress did not also adopt severer
restrictions of European immigration, a
very large part of which is more danger
Gus to our best interests than the Chinese.
The Philippine government bill failed
and the elephant we have taken on our
hands in the east looms as big and awk-
ward as ever. while the size OF the hay
bill remains alarmingly large.
The hfty-seventh congress at its first
session appropriated the enormous sum Of
ssl2, ss4OS2 exclusive Of It's provision for
the Panama canal and the post once de-
partment. - as
This beats and distances all records OF
congressional extravaganza. but It win be
itself surpassed very soon II the Repub-
lican party Is permitted to keep the key
OF tn country's money box.