The Portland daily press., 1888-12-03
HOW CONGRESS WILL BEGIN ITS WORK.
Today Will be Devoted to the Presl-
dents Lengthy Message.
The Senate's Proceedings to be De-
cided by the Tariff Bill.
Several Matters to Which the House
May Give Time.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Both houses Of
Congress are expected to organize promptly
tomorrow. The first legislative day will
probably be occupied with reading the Pres
ident's message, which is understood to be of
unusual length. The report of the Secretary
of the Treasury will not be sent in until
Tuesday. The programme for the week in
the Senate will depend upon the result Of the
meeting Of the committee on finance, which
is called for Tuesday morning. If it Is then
decided to take up the Senate's substitute
for the Mills tariff bill pending at the close
of the last session, its consideration win pre-
clude the possibility of any other bill coming
TO the front until it is disposed Of. 1t Is the
expressed desire of Senators Morrell, .Alli-
son and Sherman to push the measure TO a
vote. If by any possibility the revenue bill
should not come up, the probabilities Of the
course of legislation are rather vague. The
bills most likely to receive prompt attention
with the least opposition are those for the
admission of North Dakota, Montana and
Washington territories into the Union. The
special order for Tuesday, at O'Clock, is the
Union Pacific funding bill, popularity so
called.
There is slight possibility that after the
reading of the message in the House, an eff
fort will be made to secure the passage of
the Nicaraguan Canal, or Oklahoma bill, un-
der suspension of the rules. The possibility
ntsday will probably be devoted to the con-
siderati0n of bills on the calendar in what is
called consideration Of the morning hour"
the privilege Of calling up bills resting with
the committee on Indian affairs, and the
pending measure being for the settlement of
the claims OF the old settler bands of Indl-
ans. Thursday is the day fixed by the Dem
ocratic caucus resolution for the considera-
ton OF the direct tax bill, but it Is still
matter OF surmise whether or not the eau
Gus programme will be adhered to. At
caucus held on the night of April 11th, the
memorable deadlock which held the House
In continuous session from April 9th was
broken by the adoption Of the following res
olution:
Resolved, That on re assembling tomorrow, the
House shall adjourn, with the understanding that
the committee rules will report a special order
setting apart Thursday. Dec. 9Th, 1888, immedi-
sideratien Of Senate bill No. 139, to provide for
refundng The direct tax levied in 1861, in which
order reasonable time not t0 exceed three days
VIZ, Thu sday, Saturday and Tuesday. shall be
allowed for debate and amendment, and the time
Tor vote on its final passage shall be fixed at A
o'clock on Tuesday.
The effect of the caucus action was the ad-
journment of the House on the following
day, with the understanding, in piled by the
caucus resolution but not expressed by any
action OF the House, that the direct tax bill
should be the special order for Thursday
next. 1t Is generally understood the pro-
gramme will be carried out, although there
has been no meeting Of the committee on
rules to formulate the order. The opponents
of the bill, without any formal consultation,
practically decided it would be bad faith for
them to resort to dilatory tactics should the
order be reported by the committee, or the
bill be called up by Democratic member.
but they reserve the right to take any other
action they see fit in the case, should Re
publican member call it up. Should the or
der be made, Saturday will be consumed in
debate, and Friday devoted to the considera-
tion of private bills.