The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-23
The Work of Congress.

In the matter or providing Work Ioi
congress no president has been more
successful than Mr.. Roosevelt, or 1t
might be as proper to say no president
has happened upon times when 1T
seemed more incumbent upon him to
press important matters upon congress
for it's consideration. There is no
claim that the president has invented
any Of the issues which now vex the
peace and quiet of congress, except it
be the rate bill which some republicans
assert the president discovered Of his
own free will and accord. The Panama
canal, the insurance issue, the escape Of
the packers, the Philippines tariff have,
all been brought to the president by
the march Of events. He has not
dug them out Of the soil nor brought
them forth from his own imagination.
They are real, vital issues which press
upon the American congress.
.. Congress is talking of trying to adj
journ, early in May. This seems i'm
. possible in view Of the fact that the
supply bills are not all completed, and
the rate discussion in the senate ap-
pears to have certain elastic possibili-
ties which may keep the bill the only
& business before the session for ono or
, two weeks still.
There also is the large question of
the type of canal which should be final
ly settled by congress. The bill au-
. thorizing the president to construct a
canal, it is true, gave him an appropria-
! ton suited to the construction of a lock
canal, but it did not say he was to
build lock canal Neither did it pre-
clude congress from ordering a sea-level
canal at any time. The president is
very anxious to have the type of cana
decided finally by congress. It is Ger
tain that the work will go on faster
and with a firmer grip on the conclusion
If the type is known in advance. Thu
data Of the engineers is now in thu
hands Of congress.
There is only one fact of Importance
which has been emphasized since tn,
advisory board reported, and that i
suggested by the earthquake at Sal
Francisco. Panama is in an earth
quake country. What would be tn
relative damage to lock and sea-leve
!. canals from an earthquake is cues
ton which should be considered. Som
engineers maintain that a. sea-leve
8 canal would sustain comparatively n
damage, while on lock canal Their
would be sudden ruin to expensiv
locks. This is a question for congress
to take advice on before finally d.
Gliding.
In addition to the Panama cana
1 matter, there is the Philippines tart
/ bill. There is every reason to believ
that the action Of the senate comm
tee in smothering the bill has arouse
deep resentment in the country.
may be necessary to resurrect that hi
and give it a fair, square vote befo,
adjournment, unless the senators a,
willing the failure should work again
the reelection of some republican re
resentatives in close districts.
So far as the insurance matter
concerned, it is unlikely that congre
!! will do anything with it at the pre-
Il ent session, tho the president earnest
/ urges action. Congress will probab
/ wait until it sees how far the ne
legislation in New York tends to pu
fly the business. But without this ms
ter congress has an immense amou
of work still to do, and it does n
appear to get at it, not in the sena
at least, with strenuous determir
ton to win in the contest with time.