The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-12-11
CAPITAL NEWS BUREAU.
Washington, D. c.. Dec. !, 1891.

Washington, d. c., Dec I, 1891.
To-day at noon, in accordance with
constitutional requirement, the Fifty
second Congress will assemble. In
view of the conflicting majorities in
the two branches, it is not probable
that when it has concluded its labors
it will have added to the statutes
many new measures of national i'm
portance; but, beyond doubt, many
fierce battles will be waged upon the
leading issues between the two great
parties-the tariff and silver coinage
while the members of the small but
lively Alliance element may be count
ed upon to lose no opportunity in de-
bate for bringing their demands and
principles before the country. The
usual decorous quiet is expected to
characterize the assembling of the
Senate to-day.
Very little business will be trans
acted in the House this week. The
Presidents message will be received
and read, according TO custom on
Tuesday, if the House completes its
organization to-day: and for the rest
| of the week brief sessions and adj
| journments over for day or two at
time are probable. The committees
are not expected TO be appointed be-
| fore the Christmas holidays, with the
exception of the committee on rules,
on Enrolled Bills, and on Mileage and
Accounts, which are usually named
within Few days after the Speaker
is indicted into Office.
When the gavel of the Speaker of
the House Of Representatives calls
that body to order to-day, the apart
ments and committee rooms of the
House and the Senate will be found
to be in perfect order. Weeks Of
preparation have now ended in COM
pleUion and many surprises await the
new members.
The Senate chamber has been re-
freshened and is more cheerful than
it was during the last Congress. The
new carpet is combination of terra
Gotta. old gold. and crushed Strawber-
nv, delightfully."- soft under the feet
and pleasing to the eye.
lit diOuAu DllO
chamber above the galleries have
been painted delicate terra Gotta TO
harmonic with the general effect and
to make better background for the
buStS within them. The painfully
bright blue of the diplomatic gallery
has been Subdued into a soft color ap-
preaching crushed strawberry. The
remainder of the gallery is finished in
Soap-stone gray, combined with a
delicate shade of green. The rich old
mahogany desks complete the gener-
al effect.
The changes that have been made
in the House are more pronounced
than in the other wing. The new
carpet is a combination of light and
dark shades of terra Gotta. The desks
have been recovered. a beautiful
shade of blue replacing the green.
Behind the last row, and acting as a
screen for the cloak rooms. are num-
Der OF artistic terra Gotta curtains
suspended by brass rods. The diplO-
matte members and Speakers gale
Ties. occupying the two sides OF the
House, have been SOftened, the vivid
blue giving way to d more pleasing
treatment of slate color. The wall
decorations have been frightened and
| the frieZe changed TO agree with the
new color used in the gallery. The
press gallery has been provided with
new carpet, the walls have been
newly decorated, and the furniture
vanished. The desks have all been
newly covered TO correspond TO the
general treatment Of the House.
The number of sheep in Ohio. which
fell of materially during the period
the wool tariff of 1883, gained last
year 2o2, pa, and the increase in wool
product will be more than 1000, 900
pounds this year. This little fact
would not be worth repeating if ev-
erybody in the United States had
faith in the Mckinley bill.
McKinley's plurality is p, 511. This
| is TO decide a bet, or TO decide any
thing which is likely to cause the
sending in of inquiries for the next
six months.