The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-03
A CASE Of WHAT
WAS It BORN FOR
The Fifty-Eighth Congress
Meets Monday.
WHAT WILT DO, HEY?
He Who Wrote This Forecast Seems
Saturated with the Idea that
Congress Will Kill Itself Ardu-
ousIy Laboring at How
Not to Do II.
(By the Associated Press.)


sion of the Fifty-eighth Congress will
be called to rder by President Pro
Tenn Frye in the Senate and by Speak
er Cannon in the House.
The Presidents message generally
is received and read the first day. but
the Senate is punctilious in certain
matters, and is almost sure to adjourn
as a tribute of respect to the late
Senator Hoar. of Massachusetts, and
the late Senator Quay, of Pennsyl
vania. The message, therefore, prob
ably will not be read until Tuesday
The calendars of both houses are
loaded with bills of all kinds: hun
dreds of new bills will be introduced
and committees are ready to report
twelve months, but in the three
months Congress probably will do lit
tie more than pass the regular an
nual appropriation bills.
There has been some talk of a pos
Sible extra session. The only reason
why such a session should be called
is because there is a demand in Ger
tain quarters for revision of the
tariff. but many of the incoming Con-
have made it plain that they do not
want an etra session.
Tise Iaousc Iecch Cries More.
There is one feature of the tariff
revision talk that has some substance.
More revenue must be had or there
must be a curtailment Of expenditures.
With the increasing annual appropri-
ations, a river and harbor bill. in
crease of the navy, the Panama canal
and other features of extraordinary
disbursement. there will be need Of
more money than present customs and
internal revenues provide. An init
nation has BEEN made that curtail
ment will satisfy many COngressiOn-
al leaders, but the majority may de-
termine otherwise, in which event
some revenue legislation may be
necessary and an extra session for
that purpose may be called. But this
is said to be remote contingency
and the probabilities, according TO
the leaders who are here are that
there will be neither taI.lf legislation
nor an extra session.
A 1umbcr of proposed reciprocity
treaties have been, and still are re-
posing in the pigeon holes of the Sen
ate During the coming three months
there may be some talk about these
treaties, but the indications are they
will not be seriously considered.
The unfinished business in the SEN
tie is a bill passed by the House pro-
viding for the construction of rail-
roads in the Philippine Islands by
guarantee of five per cent income
upon the money invested in such
roads. The bill also provides for
issuing Philippine bonds for other in
ternal improvements in the islands,
and in several other particulars
Congress. The bill met with a great
deal of opposition during the last
Congress, but Senator Lodge, who
has it in charge, says that he will
press it from the beginning of the
session and hopes to secure it's pas
sage. The principal opposition was
to the provision which guaranteed
an income to the railroads. and little
objection was made to other features
of the bill.
Another bill for the Philippines,
which has been urged by Secretary
Taft and the President. as we'll as
nearly every one interested in the
Philippines, provides for a material
reduction of the duty on sugar and
tobacco as we'll as other Philippine
products. In fact free entry of these
products has been recommended. The
sugar and tobacco interests were
strong enough in the past to defeat
any substantial reduction and the
law now provides for duty of Z
per cent of the Dingley rates. A
demand for a reduction to 25 per
cent has been quite frequently pre-
sented to Congress.
The Statehood Bills.
Another measure which received
the sanction of the House last session,
but which has never been pushed in
the Senate is the Statehood measure
which rpovides for two States, doub-
ling up the territories of Oklahoma
and Indian Territory as one and Ari-
zona and New Mexico as another.
This bill, like any other which may
encounter opposition in the Senate
could be easily defeated and advo-
Gates of d separate statehood for all
the territories are likely to pursue
that course.
The SWaync Matter.
Should the House of Representa-
tives decide to impeach Judge Swayne
of the Northern district of Florida,
the business conditions of the Senate
would be complicated. After an in
Vestigation majority of the House
committee on Judiciary in the last
session recommended impeachment.
Consideration of the resolution was
postponed until December 13. the be-
gining of the second week of the short
session. Meanwhile the judiciary
was instructed to take