St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-01
A LIVELY SESSION.

Congress meets at noon to-day, to con-
tinue to its limitation on the 4th of
March. 1t comes together under cir
cumStanceS wonderfully changed since
the adjournment few weeks ago. The
same men will compose the majority,
and their present chief will still fill the
speakers chair. The larger number of
them will have bond of sympathy in a
mutual grief. They will relate the
common woe that met them at the bal
lot box when they asked approval for
their work. Even those who survived
the ordeal will report that it was severe
beyond all anticipation. But what,
under the new aspect of affairs, will
they do or attempt to accomplish? The
urgency of the appeals to all
the Republican members to be on
duty promptly and constantly indi-
Gates that the partisan measures not
completed are to be pressed, perhaps
more strenuously from the fact that
they have touched the lowest bottom,
they believe, and can lose no more.
SPEAKER REED outlines the party pro-
gramme, and he is still the dominant
statements may be taken as the best
present authority. The first work, he
says, will be the passage of the regular
appropriation bills. He anticipates
some trouble with the Democrats in
their passage, but does not indicate
what there may be in them to provoke
antagoniSm. 1t is an assumption of
partlsanship that the Democrats will
make any factious opposition to
the appropriation of means to
cover the expenditures of the gov
ernment. They are not responsible
Tor any extravaganza or unwarranted
disposition of public moneys. They
will not undertake the role of obstruct-
ors OF needfui legislation. They NAV
ask ssome questions and insist upon
certain lines of information. Gen.
RAUM may be lnterrogated as to wheth-
er his S34,O00,000 of deficiency in tile
pension budget will cover all actual de-
mands upon his bureau in meeting the
claims authorized by the present laws.
other departments may be made to af-
ford assurances that they ask for all the
funds they will eXpend. If there is a
purpose to make the estimates meager
to inefhciency in order to create def
cleneleS to confront the Democrats a
year later, and admit of comparisons TO
be unfairly used in the presidential
election, there may be information
sought. The speaker expects the SEN
ate to push on the force bill, and the
house will pass its apportionment bill.
1t is assumed also that this will be re-
sisted by the Democrats. 1t is given
out by the influential among the latter
that they will make a stand against the
sutficiency of the census as a basis of
apportionment. Possibly the effort will
be with view to a thorough overhaul
ing of the laundering work of Supt
PORTER, rather than with any expecta-
ton of obtaining a new enumeration
That would be impossible, even by the
action of the next congress. in
face of the Republican senate and
administration, if the latter stand
IN the way. even if there are
not very grave legal difficulties. It is a
serious injury to the country to have
the figures of the census belittle the
growth of the population to the extent
. OF three millions of people in ten wears.
Ii there is any relief for that uncom-
Portable view, it should be improved.
Any considerable evidence that there
has been partisanship in the figures
would warrant resistance to any peace-
able extent. Among other measures
the speaker indicates, is bill for the
relief of the supreme court by unload.
ing some of its work upon circuit conrts
and an act to revive commerce
This means a subsidy to shin
ping. The most significant speci-
ficatiOn in his programme. how.
ever, is the one he leaves out. He
does not include the tariff bill at all.
1t is understood that Republican men,
bers are preparing amendments to the
MCKINLEY act, putting binding twine
and tin plate on the free list, and reduc-
ing certain other duties. Whether they
will do more than introduce such bills