The Portland daily press., 1889-12-02
MATTERS WHICH AWAIT THE CONGRESS
Legislation Respecting Trusts,
Land Grants and Other Matters.
The Samoan Treaty and lsthmus
Canals Among Foreign Affairs.
Secretary Tracy's Report on the
Navy of Today and the Future.

WASHINGTON, December 1.-The Fifty
first Congress win assemble at noon tomor-
row with prospect of accomplishing an or
derly and uneventful organization. In view,
however, of the necessary consumption of
practically the entire day in organizing the
new House of Representatives,!t ,!the Presi-
dents annual message will not be sent to
Congress until Tuesday. The annual report
of the Secretary of the Treasury will be
transmitted at noon Wednesday. The CON-
ing Congress will be asked to take action on
number of we'll discussed public questions,
among them being the Blair educational bill,
bills to forfeit land grants, general and spec
ial bills to declare trusts unlawful, dependent
pension bills, bills to repeal the civil service
and oleomargarine tax laws, and various
measures relating to the tariff, internal reve-
nue. and general financial systems. There will
also be presented in the Senate the results of
investigations made during the recess by
several committees upon dressed beef busi-
ness, the subject of irrigating arid lands, the
relation of Canadian railroads to the inter-
state commerce law, and the commercial re-
lations existing between the United States
and Canada, including the Alaska seal fish
cries. Tie silver question will speedily
come up in some shape.
The tripartite treaty with Great Britain
and Germany respecting the control and di-
rection of affairs in Samoa is. the principal
topic tc be discussed under the head of for
egn affairs. There are. however, the fish
cries and seal questions which were up for
consideration at the last session and which
are likely to appear again, and also the pro-
posed scheme to promote commercial
va% uni1n TO with Is SaImae Ganaas annexaton Wlss
settlement of the Mexican and Alaskan bor
ders by the appointment Of commissioners
or by treaty, and declaration of the sense
of the United States with respect to the for
eign control of inter-Oceanic canals on the
American continent.
The general expectation is that very little
business will be completed before the holi.
days. A good part of the time Of the SEN
ate, up to the Christmas recess, will be con-
sumed in disposing of long list Of recess
nominations by the President. A Republi-
can caucus will be held early in the week to
place the new senators on the committees.
Unlike the Senate, the House of Repre-
sentativeS will present a decided change in
its political complexion as compared with
its predecessors. The Democratic major
ity of II in, the Fiftieth, Congress. has
been replaced by Republican majority
of eight as shown by the unofficial list pre-
pared by the clerk. At noon tomorrow Gen.
Clark, the clerk of the last House, will call
the members-eect to order. The roll as PIE
pared by him will then be called, and the
house Will ll1tueuldGely pTOcttu W tltCI MI.
Reed Speaker. The oath of Office will be
administered to him by Judge Kelley of
Pennsylvania, the member who has the
longest record of continuous service. The
first duty of the new Speaker will be to sum-
mon the members of the House to appear be-
fore the bar and qualify. There has been
talk of opposition to the qualification of GER
tain representatives whose seats will be con-
tested, and it is thought unlikely that any
serious delay in the organization will occur.
House will be chosen, and then will follow
the biennial drawing for seats. with the at.
tendant diverting scenes, which will con-
sumo the remainder of the first days session.