The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-04
GREAT PROBLEMS
BEFORE CONGRESS
Continued From First Page.

anna project have become very busy of
late, owing to reports that have been
made from time to time during the
summer and fall Of friction, extrava-
gance, incompetence and general wrong.
headedness on the part OF the canal
management, and the danger IS great
work l inaugurate set Of futile but
time-consuming Investigations, and
thus play again into the hands of the
transcontinental railway pool.
The president knows that congress
| must be asked for certain canal leg1s'
lation this winter, especially Tor atdl-
tional appropriations. ana 1t Is ms rear
that this request may be made the ex-
cuse for reopening Of the question
| with delay as the real object IN view
Rather than have this done. 1T is be-
lieved that he would cheerfully add te
his own responsibilities and personally
accept full responsibility for carrying
the work forward.
The real trouble at Panama thus far
has been too many bosses and divided
responsibility. BY placing, the work in
! the president IS hands, and giving HIM
a free rein, progress would be insured
and the expectations of the world met,
! 1t may turn out that this is the best
way out of the present difficulties for
i these difficulties seem to be almost en-
tirely administrative.
.. Railroad Rate Bill.
Foremost in interest of all questions
coming before congress is the railroad
rate question. The senate committee
on interstate commerce, which has the
question in hand at present, will be
pretty evenly divided in its report
Should the president or his opponents
get a majority of the committee. that
majority will probably not be larger
than one vote.
The house of representatives will
pass the administration bill whenever
/ the time seems to be right to do SO
There will be no trouble whatever IN
that body.
But in the senate it will be different
That body, true as ever to it's capital
istic leanings, will only pass the admin:
istration measure after a protracted
struggle, and it may not do SO even
then. No guesses are being made az
to what will happen, but at this time
the presidents opponents in the senate
are possessed of a confidence that is
at least suggestive.
The issue between the plain people
and the financial interests is plainly
drawn in this struggle, and it will be
worth much to American liberty and
justice to have the battle 60 in favor
of the president. Failure will make
ownership presidential ticket in 1908
with a tremendously large following
It is so easy for disinterested outsiders
to see the inevitable drift of events
and the dangers that may follew fast
\ upon a railroad victory, that the won
& der is widespread that the railway cor
& porations have the courage to force the
4 fight. This rate question is one Of the
4 most important questions that have
ever come before an American congress:
that is, greatest in it's potentialities
q either for good or for evil as the ques
tion may be decided in the senate.
Control Of Insurance.
The president will make another is
sue between the plain people and cor
porate greed in his recommendation TO,
federal control Of insurance. Here
too, the senate will be the stumbling
s block. The house of representatives
will promptly PAS is any t Mhieh a ma
est of sound public policy, but snobod,
q can tell what the senate will do. Tha
it will do it's best to defeat such legis
- lation is we'll understood, even befOr
the question has formally come up be
fore it, but that it can maintain it
position Of opposition in the face, o
> lieve will be out Of the question.
It ought to be kept we'll in mind tina
even the senate cannot hold out in on
position to the wishes of the people, j
public sentiment will only bestir itself
Let public awakening come to tn
shook Missouri to it's foundations las
year, and worked a revolution, in Penn
sylvania last month, and the senat
would be- compelled to yield:
The corporate interests of the cou1
try, as represented in the senate, hay
because Of the Indifference of the pei
pie at large. and thus to a. large degre
the people themselves are to blame fe
senate Indifference to public wants.
these same people want railroad-rat
; legislation, and say 50 as the people sal
certain: things in the = elections ;la'
month, they will get it-no matter no.
l senator's may feel personally. about i
/ The only possibility of rate ~legislatio
Of the kind that the president wan
, 1 lies in such an awakening as is hel
alluded to.
The Statehood Question.
/ The statehood question is largely o,
wise, as a political move, to increase II
senatorial representation from tt
sparsely Settled portions of the ives
:: thus, diminishing the. Importance :,
senatorial representation from Il
NJ thickly. settled portions east of the Mi
souri, river. It, is a matter Of polite
. strategy, and it will be settled on
>, political basis. If the republicans, NO
in control of both houses of congress
think it will be better to admit ty
itch states now than four states after
ly's while, two states will be admitted Al
Ills. that is about all there is to the one
to ton.
an on Obviously, this question, altho pure
far political, means a. good deal to t.
ion. country at large, for with new stat
{. will come new votes in the electoral c,
r.. lego. and possibly the deciding votes
close presidential contests. The gu,
tion Of the. admission of new states
always an important one, and it Is t
. belief here that congress has not us
: ally been careful enough in handling
The upper half of the national leg
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