The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-10-22
WHEN CONGRESS coNVENES.
Cuban Reciprocity Will Be Most I'm
portant Subject.

Washington Oct. 2l.-Further consider
alton by the President and the congress
sionaI leaders as to what ought TO be done
at the extra session has not changed the
one-topic programme. This will be a
Cuban reciprocity session. The curtain
for the real performance will not go up
until the first Monday in December.
With the opening of the regular session
every body on the Republican side will be
charged with the duty of preventing legis-
lation. The party leaders know Of a great
many things that congress ought to do,
and might undertake were It not that
national election is to be held next year
The majority party has for years deemed
it wise to do little on the eve of an cleo
ton OF course there are some things
that the lawmakers will have to do, but
they will take care not to meddle with
Anything that can be put of until after
the political battle of next year is over.
The eight-hour bill cannot be put over
without a struggle. Organized labor Is
preparing to demand 1t with more ag-
gressiveness than ever before. The Re
publicans will find themselves between
two fires-organized labor on one side in
sisting on this legislation, and business
interests opposing it, on the other. 1t Is
already the boast of Democratic cam
paigners that the President has alienated
both labor and capital. and while this is a
gross exageration, the fact remains that
the proposed bill will put the Presidents
tact to n severe test, as we'll as Repub-
lican strategy in congress. The announce
ment few days ago that Mr.. Roosevelt
had indicated to the Executive had in
dicated 10 the Executive Council OF the
American Federation of Labor that ne
favored this legislation has brought q
good many towns from influential Re-
publicans. who say privately that lie
ought to have remembered that the bust
ness interests are important in the cleo
tion next year. The bill threatens TO pro-
woke a pretty contest in congress, but in
the end the majority Will doubtless find
the election next year" excuse service
able to explain the failure 10 act.
ith this fate VIII so the usual promise
that it Will be taken up after the Presi-
Dental election
The minority is planning TO insist on
additional antitrust legislation. but it
viii be fortunate II il gets any hearing
on this subject The majority party feels
that from q political point OF view it is in
a good position on the Trust issue. Moth
ing has yet been accomplished under the
legislation OF last winter. bat the Depart
meut Of Commerce and Labor Is busy
getting ready 70 act II Is regarded as
probable that the celebrated railway n1er-
ger case VIII be decided against the
iTust makers and before the people are
called on 20 vote In fact. the great fear
of the Republican lesders Is that the ad-
ministratiop has been too active in its
antitrust campaign. They are not clear
what will happen II the highest court
sustainS the Circuit Court OF Appeals IN
holding that the merger ~ he Northern
Pacific ard Great Northern railroads r-o-
lated the sherman ac- 5. on the whole
j. has been decided that - Trirst oues-
tion car Re left safely alone until after
the election
Lobbyists are not ignorant oS The check
an approaching election places on con
sress. \ member Of the Legislative Com
mittee q the AntI-Ssioon League Who
was here. commenting OF the popular inn
preston that the canteeu viii be restored
at the coming session. said that those
persons who were taking that view forgot
TIA, there Is 20 b Presidential election
next year. The cante-u. he aedsd.
with not be restored II TIE coming Sc
sion The Anti-Ssloen EesE1e Is TOO pow
eriaI n ~ congressional districts - DER