Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-28
BIC POLITICS To
DOMINATE COMING
CONGRESS, BELIEF
Democrats Playing Stronu HAND
to Put Republicans in Hole
Preparatory to Cam
paign of 1916.
BIG BATTLES IN PROSPECT
Defense, Marine and Tariff
Measures Will Call Forth
Much Acrimonious De-
bate This Winter.

Washington. d. c., Oct. 25.-With the
opening OF congress only about a month
n a half away, signs multiply that
the forthcoming session will be an UNI
usually animated, contentious and
acrimonious one.
That it will be a long session,
damned full of politics. marked by all
name of factional and partisan ran
cor n bitterness, controversial in the
extreme, is deemed certain by every
one who is at all in touch with condi-
tons.
Big Issues Loom Up.
Here are the subjects which will be
most prominent:
National defense.
Government ownership of merchant ma
rine.
Tariff.
Rural credits.
Philippine independence.
law and efforts to amend and
repeal it.
Child labor.
Appropriations in general and revenue.
Cloture in the Senate.
Prohibition and woman suffrage amend
ments.
Prohibition for the District of Columbia.
Treaties. including the Colombian, Mica
raguan and Haitian.
lHueDeIluelll OIL LHoSe SuDJeClS or III
connection with them, there will be
numerous other themes for considera-
ton. A mere casual glance at this
formidable array of questions for the
consideration of congress makes it
clea" that Il tremendous volume of
oratory from the lips of the lawmakers
is to be poured forth.
Opposition Whets Knife.
Consideration of such an array of
~.,~l -, ,, Dr %, thnty ,Nptfr
would take no end of time and talk.
But the coming session will be held
with a presidential and congressional
campaign of great Importance ahead.
Consequently, politics and p~artisanship
will color the proceedings and a vast
mass of material will be made a part
of the record which is intended purely
for campaign purposes. Moreover, the
partisan rancor shown will be the
sharper because a presidential strug-
gle is ahead.
1t looks now as if the national de-
fence issue will overshadow all others,
provided. of course, no new internatlon-
al complications arise which will force
new issues to the front. The admins
tration is going to the country on pre-
paredness. The president and his adj
ViSerS believe the country VIII back
the administration. In going to the
n the president and the men
about MIN DelleNt lnPN VIII kll wv
birds with one stone. That is. they be-
lieve they will largely nullify the Bryan
opposition to preparedness, and they
believe they will make it impossible
for the republicans, with the exception
of some individuals in house and SEN
ate, to refuse to vote on a showdown
for the administration navy and army
bills. Republicans will pick flaws in
the bills, it is fully anticipated. Bul
most of them, it is believed, will be i'm
PEELED in the last analysis to support
the proposed legislation to enhance the
national defense.
Good Outlook for Ship Bill.
If the administration view is the
true one. the cause of government w
nership of merchant marine is stronger
than last session with the public. The
fight over this will be long and hard
but good Judges of the situation doubt
whether the bill can be blocked.
One of the most interesting phases
of the whole situation surrounds the
tariff. TIL administration is expected
to advocate retention of the sugar tar.
tff. 1t is acknowledged that it will
not be easy in doing this to block con-
sideration of many phases of the tariff.
The fact is that a large number of
democratic members. including a num-
Der Of the southern members, want the
tariff question opened up. Stranger
things have happened than that the
country would find m its hands a pro-
longed tariff session and a good many
astute observers predict ongre be-
ginning the first Monday in December,
will be in continuous session until
March a. 1917.