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Show i DUTY OF CONGRESS. Owing in- large measure to the European war, the United States is con-ej con-ej fronted with many setious and vcxa-- vcxa-- tious problems, upon the proper iolu-r iolu-r lion of which depends the future pros- perity of the country. First and fore-i fore-i most it is the duty of congress to make a thje necessary provisions for the establishment estab-lishment of a merchant marine, something some-thing the country has not had since :i the days of the Civil war. If we lack the ships we cannot possibly compete for foreign trade.. The business men it of the country insist that some affirma- I tive action be taken during the com-,1 com-,1 ing session, and only the other day I John , H. Fahey. president of the ' t'nited States chamber of commerce, informed President "Wilson of their de-n de-n sire. a At the last session of congress the 1 administration bill, providing for gov-,L: gov-,L: ernment-owned ships, was talked ' to i death in the senate and the filibuster a in this particular instance was quite generally approved. A bill drawn along t similar lines "will be presented in the i course of the next week or two. The Eepublicana in congTess, with very few I exceptions, are against government i ownership or control, and so far as out-t out-t ward appearances go there is a dead-a; dead-a; lock between the two parties which 0 threatens to prevent any legislation at ?d all upon the eubject. There should be n a way out of the difficulty, and the Democrats, being in the majority, should )r show some of the give-and-take spirit h and be prepared to draft a compromise ? bill, one that will bring the necessary relief even if it does not fully accord 1 with the views of the radicals in the opposing political parties. Very few L. great measures get through congress without being amended in many im-portant im-portant particulars, and unless tl: e ad-"t ad-"t ministration acts upon the 'whole-hng-rt or-none'7 principle, there is good ground for hope that the statesmen of the two 1 great parties will be able to get to- y gether, allowing the politicians in con-gresa con-gresa to rave and rant to their heart's 'll content. The tariff question is still one of the f'.1 paramount issues before the country, F-t the Simmons-Underwood law having 1 failed to accomplish the purpose intend-fj, intend-fj, ed and being in fact as unpopular as its 'a prcde-P:vor, the Payne-Aldrich aft. The in Democratic iew of the tariff has been ; somevat softened by ihn failure of al the new law to provide the revenue needed for the running exp'-n-e of the Vu government. The proposed retention ''; of the remaining duty of 1 ctit a pound . h on sugar is proof of this fact. In view II oi this ehange of front, t here is a ino-epierjt on foot to take the tariff out of politic bv the appointment of a r non-partisan tariff com minion. Suh a cour.-e was urged upon President Wil-,I( Wil-,I( Hon by Mr. Kahey at the time he voiced the wi 5dies of the busi u. :-.( men regard-r regard-r ing the e-ta blish rnent, of a iivr-ha nt ) marine. The cornuicreia interests of the country are unanimously in fa or of f ' iu'-h a cominbsion. Iere ag;iin a chance is offerer! the Ierno'Ta t ic majority i n 0!igre-s to siiow real statesmanship by J f n-tUiit for the b--t interest of the whole: ',. rouritry and sf-parat iny our gr'-ateyt pronoun problem from politics. 'Ji'r The ,'p jui liln-a ns are i-'uriuut'ed to the, tariff corn in ission p!a n and t here will '.. ' be no difficulty in putting it, into oper-i oper-i . a tion if the ad mi n i" t ra t ion will a ft in , ' a'-eordanee with re-eulv S'juired liefit . upon the subject of prol e.) Km to home ' i n'j u -t r ies v. h i the t fit-nry i -) b'-i ng i replenished. It may be '.ain t ft indiilge in the hope that, i-on;-r ; - v.il! make provision pro-vision for a tariff conimi-,-.ioii upon t)ie h,i -e of a presidential campaign. Never-!: Never-!: ) n:f-1 a the ;eople demand it. ami it would really he a political mautcr stroke, e.ii The tariff fpietion has br-'u b'fore the ffiuntrv almo-'.t norit.i rmoiiHl v for over a p '-entu'v, and while 'he piiuidple of pro-J pro-J leelion t? w-l ? t a bit bed and very g-ur '- r-rally n""-' a-i eorreef., abii' liavc i-rept, in from time to time and re-utei in tli" fr.erfhrov; of the pyttern aid the ' ' ,,i .fjiji-nl d '.ruption of bu i n-m in 'ev- -ra 1 i n t a n A n on pa r ! i -;i n ''om m i 1 '' -ion would be able t n .rotf'1 v.herr- pro I I fw-tM'll 1 heeded and at the ,,. (illlf 1 ' re I ra i n t In- gree. ,- on en I'mhii ta I: j u i moie than their due. I " r 1 1 -i v. n hae -o h a ( orn in i 'oon tiie tariff .ill con-".i con-".i lin.ie to be the footi. all of politic and i th'c 'an be no -lability -o far m !u; i , J; .on.'.ned. r)i fic -I ion of ii :i t lona I J )' 1 1 ir' flr)otl,er one of l)jf imporlaut probel(n to be settled this winter. A large majority ma-jority of the people of all political parties par-ties favor the building of more warships, war-ships, the enlargement of the regular military establishment and provision for a reserve force of soldiers. In this matter mat-ter compromise between the two parties par-ties will be absolutely necessary, for there is no prospect that the Democrats will get any kind of a bill through the house without Republican aid. This being so, the administration leaders would do well to take counsel with the Republicans and agree upon the measure before it is presented, thereby preventing prevent-ing a long wrangle upon the floor of the house with defeat certain in the end. The Republicans are ready to cooperate co-operate in shaping such legislation, as indicated by Representative Maun in his speech accepting the leadership. No argument is needed on. the necessity for national defense, the only question being be-ing as to how far congress is willing to go at the present time. We do not believe very many people of the country would object if a very : liberal programme as to both army and 1 navy were to be adopted. They certain- , ly will object if the next few months are frittered away without anything accomplished in the way of enlarging enlarg-ing the army and navy. President Wilson Wil-son has invited Senator Gallinger and Representative Maun to confer with him upon the subject of national defense. If he really wishes action to be taken in the shortest possible time the necessary nec-essary arrangements can be made at the conference with the two Republican leaders National defense is not a political po-litical question and no effort should be made to divide along party lines when the subject comes up with the intention of making political capital rather than serving the best interests of the country. coun-try. There will be no necessity for cloture in the senate at this time if the administration admin-istration shows a disposition to eliminate elim-inate partisanship in the settlement of these three great questions, as well as other matters to come before congress. There are coalition governments in nearly all the belligerent countries in order or-der that all parties may share in the tremendous burdens and responsibilities growing out of the war. In view of the great interests at stake, no one party should attempt to shoulder the responsibility responsi-bility for legislation in the United States at the present time. |