Evening journal., 1889-10-21
The f!flY-fIRsr CONGRESS.
Members Now on the Ground Expect al
Interesting Session.

members Now ON the Ground Expect an
Interesting Session.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2i.--As members-elect
TO the Fifty-flrst congress reach the city gos.
sip respecting the organization of the next
house Of representatives naturally increases.
The concensus Of opinion among members
elect now here indicates that the speakership
will so either TO Maine thir. Reed or Ohio
tMr. Mckinley. Messrs. Burroughs lMichi-
gam and Cannon ullinois) are both on the
ground, however, and, it is said, will at least
mako the contest interesting before halloting
begins AT this writing il would be very
difficult undertaking 10 pick out the stronger
candidate from the first two named.
Maj. John Nj. Carson, of The Philadelphia
Ledger, appears 70 have already practically
captured the clerkship Of the next house.
He has been working for it all summer and
It is claimed by his friends that he has
pledges sufficient TO elect ON the first ballot
Col. Swords appears to have no rival for
the position Of sergeant-atarms, while there
are several candidates for the offices Of door
keeper and postmaster. Most OF the senators
and representatives nov here expect a very
interesting and busy session during the com
ing winter. The tariff, trusts, the civil
service law, the interstate commerce law,
the educational question, national election
law and subsidies will be among the subjects
thas will engage the attention OF congress.
What are recognized as the great questions
OF the day will, for the most part, be pre-
sented as party measures, aud are likely TO
render the coming session a very important
one.
Senator Dolph thinks that congress will
take no step backward in the matter of legis-
iation on Interstate commerce and civil
service reform Both the interstate com
merce law and the civil service law, he
thinks, will probably be amended, but not
10 as 70 destroy their efficiency Such amend
ments as are made to either will be for the
purpose Of eradicating defects disclosed by
experience, and to make them more effective
The race question, Senator Doph says
will undoubtedly be discussed IN connection
with the contested election cases, and inde
pendently OF them. 1t is a live question aud
will not down at any bidding. lie feels CON
fident that the tariff will be revised and the
service Of the revenue diminished. Some
measure not very dissimilar 10 the senate bill
will be passed.
1t is possible, he thinks, that some bill on
the subject OF trusts will be passed, but the
subject must DO dealt with ia the main, the
senator says, by the states. The power of
congress over this subject is SO limited rs to
render Of little value any law which it may
pass to prevent or control trusts in the states
Congressman Browne, of Indiana, regards a
revision OF the revenue system as the most
important question awaiting the action Of
congress, and favors a repeal Of the tax on
tobacco and ON alcohol used in the arts, and
reduction OF the tax on sugar.
Something will probably be done re
garding the seal fisheries and also the Can
adam fishery dispute he adds aThese
questions however, will not divide the
parties ] have no doubt thst there viii be
some amendment to the interstate commerce
law, and congress will unquestionably legis-
late ON the subject OF trusts, if it is possible
to define trust in such way as not TO in
terfere with legitimate business
Congressman Hit, of Illinois, thinks it i
rather too early TO make any prediction
about what congress viii do at the coming
session. No conference OF even the most in
formal kind has yet been held, 50 that there
are no means Of judging Of what other mem
bers are considering. Then the shifting OF
| opinion ON many important points is so likely
that judgment now is not very apt to hold
when actual voting ON questions begins in
February and March. Something in the
way Of amendatory legislation TO the inter.
state commerce law may be expected, he
thinks As to the civil service law too
many congressman of both parties are
pledged TO its support TO allow its repeal.
The subject Of trusts will probably be in.
volved in the discussion of the tariff, which
viii, OF course, come up next session.