The Portland daily press., 1884-11-26

The Coming Session of Congress.
Congress meets neat Monday, and the
session closes on the fourth day OF March.
There should be, therefore, three mouths to
devote 10 public business. By the practice,
however, which has grown up and is likely
to continue, of adiourning over the holidays,
and allowing liberal time for congressman to
get home before Christmas and to get
back again before the session is renewed,
the most OF December is wasted, and the
session is really reduced to two months in
length.
In these two months the appropriation
bills must be passed, no matter what else
fails, so that these bills take precedence, and
If the wraDgling over them is considerable,
~ it is likely TO be, other matters are newt
ably crowded out. As rule not much gen.
eral legislation is expected at any short ses-
sion; and as the present House has shown
little capacity for turning off business rath-
or less than usual is to be looked for at the
coming session.
Assuming that the House will have some
time left after disposing of the appropria-
tion bills, it viii have no difficulty in finding
matter to occupy it. A good deal of un-
completed legislation comes over from last
session which ought to be disposed Of.
Some sort OF bill to regulate the electoral
count ought to become a law this winter;
either Senator Hoar's bill, which has al
ready passed the Senate, or some equally
satisfactory measure. There is no matter
pending before Congress of so deep impor-
tance to the whole people as this electoral
bill, and the coming session inssmuch as it
Is as far as possible away from an impend-
ing Presidential election, affords peculiar
ly favorable opportunity for disposing of it.
This business ought to be given precedence
Of all matters outside of the regular apprc-
priation bills.
Senator Blair's educational bill and the
Lowell bankruptcy bill were both passed by
the Senate last winter, and are now before
the House. Both are important measures.
The only feasible solution yet suggested of
the anomalous condition of things at the
South is the education of the black man, so
that he will be able to perform intelligently
the duties of citizenship, and the sooner the
country adopts this plan and takes measures
to apply it the better. Senator Blair's bill
is q step in the right direction. and it
ought to be promptly passed by the House.
The need of bankrupt law is generally
admitted, and the merchants of the eastern
States will make strong effort to have one
passed at the present sessions
The House also ought to take action to
stop the curtaiment of the bank circulation
which is now rapidly going on. The Senate
passed Mr.. McPherson's bill last winter, al
lowing banks to issue notes equal in amount
to the par value of their bonds, instead of 90
per cent. thereof. AS temporary measure
this is well enough, and as the time will not
allow Of the consideration and perfection of
a more permanent scheme of relief, such as
Mr.. Potter's, the best thing the House can
do is to promptly pass the Mcpherson bill.
The relations of the government to the
land grant railroads will probably be consid-
cred at the coming session. Tne three i'm
portant land grant forfeitures pending are
the Texas Pacific, Atlantic & Pacific and
Northern Pacific. The first has already
passed the House and is pretty certain to
pass the Senate. The Senate is inclined to
amend the bill forfeiting the grant to the
Atlantic g. Pacific so that it will save the
grant for the part of the road already built.
The chances are that the Northern Pacific
bill will not be passed, and that its lands will
be secured to it.
An immense number of pension schemes
are pending in both Houses; but very few of
them have any chance whatever of being
considered at the coming session. Some
thing is likely to be done in the way of max
Ing more definite the arrangement between
the government and the Pacific railroads re-
lative to the latters' indebtedness. Legisla-
tlon is also needed to carry into effect the
Mexican treaty, which was ratified by the
Senate last winter, and the new treaty with
Spain will demand attention.
The above are the leading measures which
will be pressed upon the attention of Con-
gress il there is time. There are great ma
ny others of less Importance, which perhaps