Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-30
WORK BEFORE CONGRESS.
APPROPRIATION BILLS DELAY
ING ADJOURNMENT.

The COnferees on Each Of the HTeasr.ra.
Yet Unpassed Considerably Apart On
the Questions at Issue-A Continuance
OF the Session Until the goth of July
Not Improbable
WASHINGTON, June 29.-The operations
and plans OF the two committees on an
preparations, to which all other opera-
tons and plans in Congress at this stage
OF the session are almost wholly subordi-
nate, have been governed during the last
week, and will continue to be governed at
least for two or three days, by the prospect
OF final adjournment before next Satur-
day night. The fortifcations bill. the last
OF the annual appropriation bills, viii be
taken up and disposed of by the House
tomorrow. The sundry civil bill,
the only measure before the Senate
Committee on Appropriations, Will be
disposed OF tomorrow night, leaving the
committee in readiness for the fOrtifca-
tions bill on Tuesday. With these meas
ures out of the wav the two committees
can devote their time to conferences. The
army, post Office, navy and Indian appro-
prlatlon bills have each been once in CON
ierences resulting in a disagreement. and
now await further action by the two
houses. The legislative, consular and
diplomatic and deficiency bills have been
passed by both houses and await the ac-
ton OF the conferees upon the Senate
amendments.
ADJOURNMENT VERY UNCERTAIN.
While, however, the work of Congress
is thus being arranged, with a view to the
probable adjournment at the end of the
week, the members of the Appropriations
Committee do not speak with entire con-
hdence of such a result. The resolution
passed by the House some time ago fixing
tomorrow as the day of final adjournment
has not been taken up by the Senate, and
viii not until after the appropriation bills
are out of the way. The points of differ
ence between the two houses are numer-
GUS, and, in respect to some of them. it
will be work of difficulty to reach con-
clusiOn. Only one principal point of differ
ence remains in respect to the Indian bill.
namely, that relating to the appointment
OF army officers to be Indian inspectors.
This is proposition Of the House, disa-
greed to by the Senate on the theory that,
as Indian inspectors are, in a measure,
confidential officers of the Secretary of the
Interior, he should have the power of their
selection and appointment. Points of diff
ference in the army and post Office bills
are Identical and relate to the reduction
of compensation for the carrying of sup
plies for troops and malls by railroads.
STILL AT ODDS ON THE NAVAL BILL.
In respect to the navy bill the cOnferees
have made no progress whatever towards
an adjustment of the differences between
the two houses. There are two main
points of difference-that relating to the
building of new steel cruisers, and that
relating to the continuance of work upon
the monitors. Neither house seems Will
ing to recede, and the suggestion has been
made by some of the House conferees that
appropriations upon the basis of last
years bill be continued for six months,
leaving the pending bill open until the
next session. The work of the con-
ference committee upon the deficiency
bill viii be easily performed, the
differences relating merely to a few minor
claims. The differences upon the con-
sular and diplomatic bill are more serious,
among them being the question of reduc-
ing the pay of ministers and consuls, the
House having made very sweeping reduc-
tions in the compensation of large num-
Der OF those officers, and the question of
apprOpriating money for the Nicaraguan
canal project. The legislative bill Will
probably prove to be the most difficult
one in the list for the conferees to deal
with. The Senate made 276 amend
ments to the bill, among them being
those relating to the reduction
and consolidation of the internal revenue
and customs districts and the pro-
visions for private secretaries to Senators.
Although the sundry civil bill has not yet
been reported by the Senate committee it
is known that the committee will strike
out the Springer provision, substituting 4
salaries for fees to United States court
officials.
ALL DEPENDENT ON THE CONFEREEs.
The course of affairs in the two houses
depends largely upon the success of the
conference committees. The river and
harbOr bill Will probably be passed
by the Senate tomorrow and
it is the present intention
Of the Committee on Appropriations
to bring up the sundry civil bill on Tues
day, if possible, but at any rate on
Wednesday. Should there be any time
during the week not taken up by the ap-
preparation bills the forfeiture of the land
grant to the Atlantic and Pacific Rail-
road will be further discussed.
In the House, after the fortifcation bill
is passed tomorrow, the Indian bill will
be called up, and may be disposed of be-
fore adjournment. Should the time of the
House during the week not all be taken
up in the discussion and passage of the
appropriation bills. the Mcpherson
funding bill and the bill to forfeit
the Northern Pacific land grant are
more likely than any other measures to
receive attention. The four annual APP
preparation bills not mentioned above
the Military Academy, pensions, agricul-
tural and District of Columbia bills
have been finally passed by both Houses
and sent to the President. Aside from
the appropriation bills, the most import
ant measures now in conference are the
Mexican pension bill and the electoral
count bill. Should work upon the appro-
priation bills not be substantially con-
cluded by next Friday night the session
will probably not end before the 10Th or
Goth of July. 1t is not expected that a
quorum can be retained in either House
during the progress of the convention at
Chicago.