Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-23
THE WEEK IN CONGRESS.
AN EXTRA SESSION PROBABLE.
The Postoffiee Appropriation for the
Morning A Large Batch OF Bills
Undisposed of.

OW1f7FCS~1
WAsHIsGrOs, Feb. Z2.-Ihe Senate On
Monday, after the morning hour, will an
doUbtedly proceed with the consideration Of
the Postofhee Appropriation ball, though
strictly speaking the Galveston Harbor Im-
provemsnt bill. as a special order, has the
right Of way. The silver men are reserving
nat measure 70 head off, II possible. further
consideration Of M0rrills trade dollar re-
firement bill, because OF the obnoxious
amendment attached to that bin By the Sen
ate committee on Finance, providing
for a suspension of the further coin
age OF the silver dollar unless by
a given time the states OF the Latin union
agree to remOnitize silver. Mr.. Merrill has
shown strength enough 10 call up this bill,
By majority vote, once during the past
week and should he succeed again ana the
Senate seriously enter on the discussion OF
the silver question, Mr.. HOar has openly
declared that an extra session Will be the re-
suit Even without this contingency II Il
difficult To see the way clear for the Senate
in the eight days and a half left them TO
dispose OF the great appropriation bills
which have still 20 come before them,
VIZ, the Legislative, oundry Clyh, Navy,
FOrtihcatiOns and Deficiency bills, To say
nothing of the River aud Harbor bill. should
that ever get through the House, and omit
ting more than a reference to the Army,
Indian and Pension bills, now tied mp IN
conferences. AID pending the POstOthce bill,
which j. sure TO give rest To a long debate.
The House struck out from the last named
bill tho mail subsidy clause. but the
senate COMMITTEES on PO5tOiices and
POstrOads fayoraby reported an
identically similar provision, and
Frye viii press for it's Insertion in the
bill To prepare the way Tor the passage OF
this subsidy measure, the Senate on Friday
: and Saturday deliberately went back on
itself and restored to the Postoince Dill the
general legislative provisions which the APP
preparations Committee had stricken out,
thus reversing its own action IN the case of
the Pension BILL where admittedly whole
some legislation was stricken out simply be-
cause it was legislation, and was therefore
prohibited by the Senate rules. Altogether
the outlook for a clean docket by the ith OF
March is not promising one, SO far as the
Senate Is concerned.
Tomorrow, after the reading of the jour
nal IN the House. the States and Territories
will be called for the introduction Of bills
for reference 10 committees, and although
every one knows they will never be consid-
cred IN COMMITTEES, and not acted on by the
House, there will be a number introduced
and printed at the public expense, by which
means tho member introducing them Will be
able To 90 to his constituents with the assu-
rance of having done his duty. Before this,
there is likely to be struggle between the
Appropriation aud the River and Harbor
Committee for the right of way with their
respective measures. Ii the latter
can carry their point they Will go
into Committee of the Whole on tho River
and HarbOr bill. There Is an appeal pending
from the decision of the chair ruling out the
al n order.
> Now a point Of order II sweet morsel FOR
about twenty y-five or thirty members, each OF
whom IL thoroughly convinced that he lndl-
vidually understands and can properly con
strue the rules and + equally convinced that
nobody else can. If II comes up, the point OF
order will occupy the best part of the. days
session. IL the appropriations committee
SECURE control of the debate on the Naval
bill or rather on the second section proyId-
ing for new navy, II will 90 on for three
hours and the consideration of the bill Will
be concluded at the night session.
On Tuesday it is the intention OF the COM
mittee on Elections TO call up the contested
election case of McIain ". BrOdhead. This
case turns on the rejection when offered, or
subsequently the thrOwIng out, as Illegal OF
a s'mixed ticket jn which the name OF
NcIain was printed. The registration has
been since held by the court as unauthorized
by law. Judge BrOdhead will however, re-
tain his seat ft is probable this will be fol-
lowed by the North Carolina case
Of Pool W. Skinner, where the
point in issue Is the election in the district,
under the new apportionment to hll the
vacancy in the old district. After Wednes-
day motions to suspend the rules viii be IN
order unless the parliamen entary expe1ient Is
resorted TO of telescOpIng one legislative day
into successive calendar days by "A series OF
recesses without regular adjournment, such
course would be very agreeable to Messrs
Randall and Holman. and u likely to be
pursued up to Saturday, when the adjourn
ment on that day viii be the close OF
Wednesdays session.
A large number of members have bills
which they hope to pass under the suspen-
sion Of the rules including bills for public
buildings IN nearly every State IN the Union.
The new Congressional Library bill which
, passed the Senate more than year ago IL on
the caleudar and II Mr.. Singleton, of Mis-
sissIppi. can secure recognition It will doubt
less pass A a rule it - favored by the Re
publicans, and now that the expenditure OF
money Il to be controlled by their party the
other side is more favorable 90 the work.
The necessity for the building - very great,
and the cost OF its site Is very largely in
creased every year by improvements that are
made upon the property.