Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-15
CONGRESS AT WORK.
Topics That May Cause Endless
Discussion.
a Joint Resolution to Change the Presi-
Dental Election to Popular Vote Fa-
yored-ArEny Bill Prospects
Deficie cies. Esc-

WASHINGTON, Dec. lat is rarely
| that any legislation of practical inpor-
| lance is achieved in congress before the
new year, with the possible exception
of one of the annual appropriation
| bills, and this session is not likely to
prove exceptional in this respect.
In both houses the work is progress
! ing in a manner that indicates lack of
real earnestness. The prominent feat-
ures of this weeks proceedings are
likely to be the anti-option bill in the
senate and an appropriation bill in the
| house. The anti-option bill is the I'M
finished business on the senate caSen-
dar, and is expected to be laid before
| that body to-day unless an early adj
| journment prevents it
| In the morning hour Senator Mitchell
will discuss his joint resolution propos-
| ing an amendment to the constitution
providing for the election OF senators
! by the votes of the qualified electors of
| the states This joint resolution is in
/ dorsed by the committee on privileges
and elections and is undoubtedly strong
! in the senate, but because of its great
Importance it is hardly to be assumed
| that it can be passed during the scanty
opportunity offered by the morning
| hour
Once the antioption bill is laid before
the senate it will be open TO discussion
again, and positive action on the mat
ter is expected this week From pres
ent indications the daily sessions will
be short and an adjournment Will be
| taken from Thursday to the following
| Monday. 1t is quite probable that in
the house next week great deal of in
| formation and opinions based on in
| formation viii be submitted relative to
! the condition of the treasury.
| It is the expectation of the leaders
that with the exception of Monday,
| when bills concerning the District of
Columbia viii have right of way, prac-
tically the whole time OF the house dur
| ing the week will be devoted to consid-
GRAFTON of the regular appropriation
bills. The debate will begin on the
army appropriation bill, which the mil
itary committee will report to-day and
which Chairman Outhwaite at present
! intends to call up tomorrow.
It is likely that the debate will take
a much wider range than this bill and
will embrace the state of the revenues
of existing appropriations and, it is
possible. of the policy OF the democratic
/ party. The army bill in its aggregate
shows n reduction from the total
amount carried by the bill for The cur
rent fiscal year, but there have been
several increases made in the appropria-
tions under the head Of department of
ordnance
The military committee would not be
surprised If an attack was made on
some of these items by Mr. Holman and
| other rigid economists 1t is prepared
for any criticisms which may be made
| by adopting in its report the statements
made by Gen. Flagler showing the real
and urgent necessity for additional ap-
| preparations, and is IN for a lively fight
! If need be.
The appropriations committee has
been at work on the District of Colum-
bia and fertilization appropriation bills
t for some time, and expects TO report
the latter bill in time to be taken up as
soon as the army bill is passed.
The district OF Columbia bill has
caused considerable trouble to the sub
committee in charge of it, a host OF
local government officials have been
examined and to-day the sub-commit-
| tee Will begin the annual preparation
of the bill. 1t Is believed that the bill
will be reported to the house the latter
part of this week
Estimates for deficiencies have been
received and they will be embodied in
an urgency deficiency bill, to be report
ed to the house and taken up almost
immediately for action, any other bills
under discussion TO temporarily give
way.
It is the purpose of the managers of
the house to get all these bills over to
the senate before the holiday recess.
The accomplishment of this purpose
largely depends on the temper of the
house, which, if in the mood, can pro-
tract consideration of the bills over
several weeks.