Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1906 — CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS.

An intimation comes from Washington to the effect that President Roosevelt has not, after all, asked Cortelyou to return the insurance money. Really, this sounds more like it. If Governor Hanly succeeds in his plan to make the Republican majority in the legislature a mere implement to boost himself, what will self-respecting people think of that Belt-same majority when the thing is all over ?

The ship subsidy bill now pending iu congress is drawn so as to give large sums of the people’s money to J. P. Morgan’s shipping trust for doing precisely the same service that is now done at a profit. If this is not a graft bill of the most infamous character, what ib it ? President, Roosevelt approves the subsidy in his message, which is another proof that his judgment is exceedingly fallible.

We are told that we must build a tremendous navy in order to protect ourselves against the Japanese in the Pacific. Tnis sounds strange when it is remembered that the people of the United States went into such “heroics” over the Japanese in their war with Russia. But a change has come over the spirit of our dream. The Jap head has been swelling at such an amazing rate that he is likely to take a poke at us most any time. He probably wants those dear Phillipines and if he does he will go down there one of these days and take them —or try to. Hence the demand for the “biggest navy in the world ” It was not expected when we were lavishing our undivided affections upon the little brown man that he would force us to this.

If one can judge safely from the reports that come from Washington the present session of congress will give the country a striking illustration of how not to do anything of importance. The Democrats will not be to blame, for they are eo greatly out-num-bered that they are at the mercy of the enemy and the rules which that enemy hae made their efforts to work for the people No real pretense of doing anything may be expected until after the holidays, but there may be some interesting discussions before that time. Unless the members of the house are throttled by the rules, both the ship subsidy and currency bills will provoke extended debate, and so with other measures. In the senate the foundation for many speeches has

been laid by the introduction of resolutions and calls for reports. It is not expected that the present session will be dull. The expectation is that little will be accomplished that is worth while.