The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-07-19
Record of "a Great Congress.

rebellion days, that which met under
Lincoln's call on July 4, 1861, no ses-
sion of any Congress since that which
opened at Washington's Inauguration
in 1889 placed so many measures of
important constructive legislation on
the statute book as did the session
which ended recently. 1t established
railway rate regulation under the IN
terstate commerce commission; provid-
ed for pure food and also for meat in
spection, both under rigid governmental
surveillance; passed e free alcohol act.
under which the country will be bene-
flied TO the extent of tens of millions of
dollars a year; decided on the type of
canal which is TO be built at the 18TH
raus, and thus cleared the way for the
work, which is to start in a week or
two: gave the finishing touches to the
solution Of the Indian problem. which.
in one phase and another, has bothered
the country since Washington's days.
and provided for two new States, which
will transform the last of the territory
of the contiguous part of the United
States into elf-eoverning communities.
This roll call of the principal meas
ures which were written into the stat
utes between the first Monday of De-
ccmber, 1905. and the last Saturday of
June. 1906. tells great story Of the
earnestness and intelligence of the
President and the practical balance
and sanity of Congress. President and
Congress were enabled to make this
Inspiring record because the great body
of the American people melted them 10
their work Contests between the Pres
ident and one or the other or both
branches of Congress occurred during
The session The House often found it
self arrayed against the Senate. Some
Of the members of the Presidents par
ty, with the hope of humiliating him
and of discrediting a measure which he
championed early and enthusiastically,
placed il in charge of Democrat who
was peculiarly Objectionable to the
President and to the majority Of his
party. But all this strife, in its chang
ing phases and shifting groupings, was
Quickly ended. and most of the meas
ures of vital concern TO the country
were transmitted into laws.
The Santo Domingo and the Alge-
ciras treaties go over to next December.
in the short session. The Philippine
teriff bill was Enacted on in the Senate
and the shipping bill was not taken up
In the House, these measures, In each
case, having passed the other branch.
Federal regulation of insurance, which
the President urged. anu for which a
bill was introduced in the Senate by
Mr.. Dryden. the head of great insur-
ance company, was decided against in
committee in each branch of Congress
The leading lawyers of Senate and
House declared that supervision on the
lines urged by the President. BY Sena-
tor Dryden and by many members OF
each branch, would be contrary to the
constitution That probably ends all
attempts to regulate insurance by fed
erll law and relegates the whole ques-
ton to the States, several Of which, in
clu1ing New York, have already en-
acted laws to deal with solne of the
abuses In the insurance business which
bly, the Santo Domingo and Algeciras
treaties will be ratified by the Senate
In the coming session. Senator Lodge
and other friends of Philippine tariff
reduction believe that their chamber
will pass the House bill next winter
Some Of the shipping bills advocates
say that measure is sure to receive the
sanction of the House in the coming
session. But, while regrettIng the fall.
ure Of some Of these measures, the
country recognizes that Congress did a
work notably great In its extent and
its value. In many measures issues not
previously touched upon by Congress
were dealt with. New paths had to be
blazed in se-eral directions. Gordian
knots. which we're found to be too com
plicated TO be united. were cut. Some
of the work which was done is, in some
degree, experimental. New departures
had to be made. and 1t is possible that
In one or two instances, steps may have
to be retraced or starts made in little
different direction. This is posi-
bility hch always presents itse,l
when new paths are marked out. But
for any new contingency which may
present itself the country will be pre-
pared. The poise and the sanity which
have written themselves into the worI
of the past few months will be able t.
undo, to extend or to modify any par
of it IL experience steps in to dictate {
change. In the annals of the country.
development in the opening years Of
the century, the work Of the first ses
sion of the Fift,rsiinth Congress viii
hold conspicuous place--St Louis
Globe-Democrat.
The New state of Oklahoma.
No sooner had Congress passed the
enabling act, admitting Oklahoma ant
Indian Territory to the Union as ont
State, than poets began singing song
Of the new member of the Sisterhoot
Of States. But while the warblings O.
the poets ere more or less interesting
Oklahoma can point to something II
the way of facts and figures to show
- - l. &..,r,