The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-02
The Senate Shaping Business So as
to Go Home on
March 4.
Appropriation Bills are in a Verv
Backward State in the
House.
silver Men Threaten to Settle Tint Matter
on the Floor Unless the Com
mittce Reports.

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The senate ia shap-
ing Its business with the firm determining
ton to adjourn on the 4th of March with
out leaving behind it anything for an OK
IRA session. The steering committee of
the republican majority has already ar
ranged programme that would of itself
occupy the attention of the senate for two
| weeks This arrangement, however, is not
1hai, as 1t must be formally approved by
the republican caucus, and is besides sub
lect to interruption in its working by the
appropriation bills. The fortification ap-
preparation bill comes up tomorrow as un-
finished business and the pension appro-
prlatlon bills on the calendar and the Dis
trlct Of Columbia appropriation bill soon
to be reported, will follow in order. In the
morning hour an effort will be made TO
pass the Indian depreciation claims bill,
and sandwiched between the above named
appropriation bills will probably he the
elRht-hodr bill and the copyright bill. An
sttempt is also being made to secure some
action upon the house bankruptcy bill.
Although the house has been engaged
practically the whole of the past week in
the consideration of the regular annual ap-
preparation bills, these measures are still
In an unusually backward stats, and it ia
the intention OF the majority to permit SUBJ
stantlaliy no legislation except the shipping
Dill TO engage the attention until the scene
OF action on the appropriations is very GEN
erally transferred from the house to the
senate wing of the capitol 1t is the pur-
pose OF the committee on merchant marine
to make an effort to call up the shipping
tn fip,u1 In
the consular and diplomatic appropriation
Dill, now under consideration, is passed;
out IN view of the determined opposition
heretofore made to the shipping bill there
Is some question as to the ability of it's
friends to carry out their expressed inten-
tlon, especially as it is almost certain to be
antagonized by one or more appropriation
blils The Indian and legislative. executive
calendar awaiting action. and will be called
up at the first favorable opportunity
bland and other silver men are growing
more rastive at the failure of the coinage
commietee to act on the silver bill, and
nave announced their determination, if the
committee does not settle the matter, to |
precipitate the fight to the floor of the |
house without waiting for the committee to
report.
Only four weeks and three days remain of
the hfty.hrst congress, and not one of the
thirteen annual appropriation bills has been
finally passed by both branches of congress-
and sent to the president. But one of these
bills has passed the senate (the army bill.
while the present condition of the appro.
priation bills IS not encouraging as com
pared with their state of progress in previ-
BUS congresses. No doubt is entertained
oy members of the house or senate of the
ability of congress to complete its necessary
eglslation before the 4th of March.