Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-02
THE BILL OF FARE
To Which the Fifty-First Congress
Will Sit Down at Noon To-Day.
MANY VERY FAMILIAR DISHES
Among the Courses That Will be Served up
During the Session.
A FEW NIBBLEs TO BE MADE NOW.
Leaving Most Of the Meal to be Disposed of After the
Holidays

Leaving Most Of the Meal to be Disposed Of After the
Holidays
So much time will be occupied to-day by
the House of Representatives in organiza-
ton that it is not thought the Presidents
message will be sent to Congress until to-
morrow. A forecast of the probable work
of both houses until the Christmas holidays
is given.
| WASHINGTON, December 1.-The Fifty
first Congress will assemble at noon to-mor-
row, with a prospect of accomplishing an
orderly and uneventful organization. In
view, however, of the necessary consump-
ton of practically an entire day in the
organization of the new House of Represent
atiYes, the Presidents annual message will
not be sent to Congress until Tuesday. The
annual report of the Secretary of the Treas
ury will be transmitted at noon on WedneS-
day.
The coming Congress will have brought
to its attention for action number Of mat
ters upon which the public has become well
informed by reason of previous discussion.
Among them are the Blair educational bill,
the bills to forfeit land grants, general and
special, to declare trusts unlawful, the
dependent pension bill, the bills to repeal
the civil service and oleomargarine tax
| Jaws, and various measures relating to the
tariff, internal revenue and general financial
systems.
REPORTS TO BE RECEIVED.
There will also be presented to the Senate
II Al. do, ,l,,ri
the recess by the several committees Upon
the dressed beef business, the subject Of irri-
eating arid lands, the relation of Canadian
railroads to the Interstate commerce law,
and the commercial relations existing be-
tween the United States and Canada, in
cluding the Alaskan seal fisheries.
The silver question will speedily come up
in some shape. Senator Stewards resolu-
ton, introduced last session, declaring it to
be the sense of that body that the Secretary
of the Treasury should purchase the full
limit of silver bullion for coinage fixed by
the laws, 900, 900, will be pressed for
adoption.
The tripartite treaty with Great Britain
and Germany respecting tine control and
direction of affairs in Samoa is the principal
topic to be discussed under the head of Tor
eign affairs.
WILL BOB UP AGAIN.
There are however, the fisheries and seal
questions, which were up for consideration
last session, which are likely to appear
again; also, the proposed scheme to promote
commercial union with Canada, with view
to its ultimate annexation; the settlement of
the Mexican and Alaskan borders by the
appointment of commissions or by treaty;
and the declaration of the sense of the
United States with respect to foreign con-
troll of inter-oceanic canals on the American
continent
The general expectation is, and precedents
90 to confirm it, that very little business
will be completed before the holidays. A
good part of the time of the Senate, the COM
ing week and up to the Christmas recess,
will be consumed in executive session, dis
cussing and disposing of the long list of
recess nominations that the President has to
send in for confirmation or rejection.
A SENATORIAL CAUCUS.
A Republican caucus will be held early
in the week, to place new Senators on COM
mittees. It is said that at this caucus
efforts will be made to effect some change in
the personnel of the Senate's officers.
Unlike the Senate, the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Fifty-frst Congress will
present decided change in political COM
plexion as compared with its predecessor.
Beside the addition of five Representatives
from the new States to the roll, extensive !
changes have resulted from the last elec- |
tions, so that of the total of $50 members,
only 199 occupied seats in the last Congress |
and the Democratic majority of IL in the |
Fiftieth Congress has been replaced by a |
Republican majority IF 8, as shown by the |
unofficial list prepared by the clerk.
HOUSE ORGANIZATION.
At noon tomorrow General Clark, the |
Clerk of the last House, who holds over |
until his successor is appointed, will call |
the members-elect to order. The roll of |
members, as prepared by him, will then be |
called, in order to demonstrate the presence |
of quorum, and the House will immedi- |
ately proceed to elect Mr.. Reed, of Maine, |
Speaker. The oath of office will be admin
istered to him by Judge Kelley, of Penn
sylvania, the member who has the longest |
record of continuous service.
The first duty of the new Speaker will be
to summon the members of Che House to ap-
pear before the bar and qualify. There has
been talk of opposition to the qualification
of certain Representatives whose seats will |
be contested, but it is thought unlikely that |
there will be any serious delay in the organ
ization. The remainder of the elective
officers of the new House will be chosen, I
and then will follow the biennial drawing
for seats, with its attendant diverting scenes,
which will consume the remainder of the |
first days session.
AS TO THE MESSAGE.
= Upon the completion of the reading of
the Presidents message on Tuesday, it will |
be referred TO the committee on the whole
for subsequent distribution among the ap-
propriate committees when appointed.
1t has been customary for each newly
organized House OF Representatives to adopt
the rules of the preceding House, but in
some instances this adoption has been for a
limited period only. Ii view of proposed
modification of the rules, it is probable that
the old rules will this time be accepted only
for a week or ten days, thus giving the Com
mittee on Rules an opportunity to formu-
late new code. 1t is not likely, however,
that the new code will be radically different
from the old code, so far as restricting the
power of the minority is concerned.
RESISTANCE WOULD BE SURE.
Any attempt to materially interfere with
what the minority has come to look upon as
its right would be stubbornly resisted by
the Democrats, and there are few Repub-
lieans who are equally tenacious of their in
dividual rights under the present practice,
but some notifications will undoubtedly be
attempted in order to prevent small mi
nority (for instance, one-fftho of the members
present who may now compel the roll to be
called, ad libitum, upon flibustering mo-
y oork-oI1ip0 = |