Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-21
A SESSION FOR TARIFF.
CONGRESSMEN LOOKING FOR a
SUMMER SITTING.

! Many of the Belief tn at the President
VIII RecODveue Congress IL There 6
| No Revenue Leg slahon Before Ad-
JOurDment-Rsdtch Plans TO Capture
the WAYS and Means Committee.
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-Now that the
| prospect of reduction OF the revenue at
this session has become 80 slender, the
Senators and Representatives are begin
ming to canvass the possibility of an extra
session OF the Fittieth Congress. A Re-
publican leader In the Senate said to-day
thai he would make his plans for
next summer upon the theory that
II this Congress adjourned without
cutting down the re venue President
Cleveland would at once call the Fifueth
Congress together TO consider revenue
questions, The Republicans of the House
are talking quietly about plan by which
they hope to gain more power In the Ways
| and Means Committee of the next Con-
gress than they have IN the Ways and
| Means Committee OF this Congress-.
CHOOSING THE COMMITTEES.
The House may choose Its own commit
| tees under its rules. although that duty is.
under trad tional custom, delegated to
the Speaker,the House formally ratifying
| his action. But in the next Congress the
| House Will be called upon by necessity
| TO elect the Committee of Elections, be-
cuasa the contest of Speaker Carlisle's
seat will have to be considered by that
| committee. The Republicans now pro-
| nose in addition TO elect the Comm ittee on
Wavs and Means, They think that by
| such combinations with the RandRllItes
as have so far defeated all attempts at
revenue reform they may he able to elect
ways and means committee which will
report an apple jack tariff bill. They are
prepared TO make this attempt next
spring If the Fiftieth Congress should
then meet in extra session. 1t remains to
he seen whether this scheme can be car
ried out.
SENATOR CULLoM's BILL.
The fight over the interstate commerce
bill VIII begin tomorrow, when MIR. Cul-
iom will try to get the Senate to take the
bill up, 80 that after the holiday recess,
which will b.gin on Wednesday and run
until the Wednesday after New Year's, IL
may be pending as unfinished busi-
ness. The opponents OF the bill will try
to delay its consideration until after the
holiday recess, when they hope to be able
to engage the attention of the Senate
with other matters SO as 10 shove off
action upon 1t as long as possible. Mr..
Cullom says that unless the
departure of Senators for their
homes leaves the Senate without
IA quorum tomorrow he will succeed in
having the bill reported by the conference
committee taken up. He thinks the bill
will pass the Senate substantially as re-
ported. He thinks it Is gaining strength
constantly. lie realizes, however, that
the railroads will exert all their influence
to defeat 1t.
FRENCH sPOLIATION CLAIMS
The House has referred to the Judiciary
Committee the report of the Court OF
Claims OF their findings of the fact and
conclusions OF the law in the French spO.
liatiOns claims, passed upon by the court
up to Dec. q, 1886. The cases are those of
the schooner Industry and the schooner
Delight of Boston, the schooner Little
Fegg OF Baltimore, and tn ship Theresa OF
Charleston. They were favorably reported
to Congress, but the report of the Court
of Claims has only been in print two DAYS.
1t cannot be acted on by the Judiciary
Committee until after the holiday recess,
and 1t is doubtful whether 1t will be acted
upon afterward in time for an apprOpria-
tion by this Congress. Probably the irst
appropriation for the payment OF these
claims will not be made until next
winter.
MIR. HAMMOND FILES A PETITION.
Congressman Hammond filed in the
United States Supreme Court to-day
petition for a mandamus on District
Judge Newman at Atlanta, directing him
TO admit the bill for the appOin tment of
receiver in the case OF N. A. Pratt against
the Georgia Chemical ana Mining Com
pany. The court will announce its de-
cisiOn this week.