The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-03-04
FIGHrING-ENGLlsH CONGRESS-.

At twelve o'clock noon today the
Fifty-eighth Congress ends. 1t has
been one of the most important Con-
crosses in the history of the country.
the discussions engaged in and for the
bills introduced. In the Congress just
ended the initial has been taken in
what will, in the near future, develop
into most important legislation. All
of these initial steps will, for the pres
cnt, go into the great Congressional
graveyard. The Congress now passing
into history is destined to have great
influence upon our history. There
have been three long sessions of both
Houses of Congress. The first session
was called by President Roosevelt for
the purpose Of acting upon the Cuban
Reciprocity Treaty. The Cuban Re
ciprocty Bill which fixed our rela-
tons with Cuba was passed only after
a long discussion. At the second SEES
''iDil vi &olS-ICSS tIlSlC NuS liIll OtluCtN
into the House little resolution
which was the beginning of the move
ment that is now uppermost in the
political thought of this country.
This act was the Beef Trust Resou-
ton which directed the Secretary of
Commerce and Labor to investigate
as to how far the combination of pack
ing houses was responsible for the low
price of live cattle and the high price Of
dressed meats. This was the first real
attempt on the part of any Congress
to investigate a trust, and at the time
the resolution was introduced little
was expected Of it; but, about that
time there was beginning to take form
a public opinion which is responsible
for whatever activity there has been
on the part of public officials against
trusts. AS a direct result of this reso-
luton to investigate the Beef Trust
we find that today special grand
jury Is in session in Chicago and
United States marshals are summon
ing witnesses before it all for the pur-
pose Of considering the ACCESSIBILITY of
subjecting the agents Of the packing
house concerns to criminal prosecu-
tiOns. 1t is worth while remembering
that this investigation which is now
taking place in Chicago was begun by
the representatives of the people as
sembled in Congress at Washington.
The last session of the present Con-
grcss which begun the first week of
last December will be memorable for
the fact that it was during this session
that the House of Representatives
passed Railroad Rate Bill. This bill
will be defeated by the non-action of
the United States Senate but the pass.
age of n bill so radical in its nature by
an overwhelming vote of the House of
Representatives is more advancement
than could have been reasonably ex
pected from one session. This .ctior
on the part Of the House of Represcn
tatives was due entirely to an over
whelming demand of the people. The
passage of the Esch-Townsend Bill b,
the House marks an extraordinary ad
vancement in the ideas that public
service corporations are really ant
truly the servants of the people ant
are subject to supervision by the serv
ants of the people. For the time bein:
that Oligarchy known as the United
States Senate has prevented the adop
ton Of any measure of relief for til,
people, but the progress made at TIL,
session will certainly not be lost Il
public sentiment continues as it is a
the present time. Much Of the ad
vancement has been due to the effort.
Of President Roosevelt. On the Who'll,