Connecticut western news., 1890-12-03
AT WORK IN WASHINGTON
Second Session of the Fifty
 first Congress.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE READ

The Business That Will Claim the Legis-
 lator's Attention Between the Present
 Time and March 4-The Republicans
 Will Work Hard for tho Lodge Bill.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The second ses- sion of the Fifty-first congress begun at noon today. At precisely 12 o'clock Vice President Morton in the senate and Speaker Reed in the house of representa- tives called these two bodies to order. The roll was then called, and three new mem bers sworn in. Whitelaw, in place of Walker, of Missouri; Hayes, the successor of Conger, of Iowa, and Pindar, who has been elected to the vacancy occasioned by the death of Miller, of New York. MT. Breckinridge, of Arkansas, also had to be resworn.
 The Business Before Congress.
 This session has much important busi- ness before it, a very small proportion of which will likely be disposed of before its expiration at noon on March 4. There are the necessary appropriation bills without which the business of the government would be suspended at least in part, and the reapportionment bill which has as yet received consideration in neither house, but which the Republicans in both houses have said must be passed at this session. Then there are many measures of importance on the calendars which have passed one house and are. therefore half through the legislative journey.
 Bills That Arc Half Way Thaeugh.
 The most important of these is the fed eral elections bill which passed the house at the first session, and which was resisted in the senate by the Democrats so firmly that it was necessary for the Republicans to agree to a postponement of it's consid- eration in order to bring about the passage of the tariff bill and an adjournment of the first session. There are also on the calendar of the senate the national bank ruptcy bill which is being pushed by the representatives of the commercial conven- tion; the bill to transfer the revenue ma rine service from the treasury to the navy department, which was debated at some length during the first session; the bill to discontinue the coinage of the $1 and s gold pieces, and the ConRer lard bill. These measures have passed the house. On the house calendar are the subsidy and shipping bills which have passed the sen- ate. A number of other measures of great importance are on the calendars of both houses which have received final action in neither.
 The Federal Elections Bill.
 The Republicans in the senate are pledged to the passage of the federal cleo tions bill, but it is question in the minds of some whether it is possible to pass it against the obstructive tactics of the Dem ocrats, and then the question is raised whether there is any party necessity for it's passage, now that the elections for the Fifty-second congress are over. The Re- publican senators will probably hold caucus during the week to determine what is to be done There has as yet been no consultation of the Republican leaders on this point.
 The Pesident's Message Read.
 The first day of tho session was pr1nci- pally devoted to the receipt of the presi- dents message, which was read at length in each house. It is not unlikely that to- morrow the house committee on appropri- tions will be ready to report one or more of the annual appropriation bills. The pension bill and the fertilization bill will be the first to come up for consideration. What will be done to push the appropria- tion bills forward will be determined in caucus The Republican caucus has also to determine upon postmaster for the house, the office having been declared va cant at the close of the first session.