Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-03
DISTRICT LEGISLATION.
Measures Waiting for the Action Of the
House and Senate.

PROSPECTS FOR THE sEssIoN-BrLLs ROW on
| THE cALExDARs-cHANcEs OF THEIR CON-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES BEFORE THE COMMIT
| rrEs-NEw BILLS TO COME Up.
determined effort will be made at the ap-
proaching session Of Congress by the mem
beers Of the District committees of both the
Senate and House, as well as by the many inters
ested citizens Of, Washington not members Of
Congress, to have the more important affairs of
the District which demand congressional action
| receive consideration and be brought to a VOTE
The task will not be an easy one. however, as
many obstacles will appear which will tend to
delay and perhaps defeat their desires.
| In the Senate there should be little trouble
in obtaining such legislation as ia necessary.
but the great difficulty will be met with at the
| other end of the Capitol. The very nature Of
| the rules Of that body makes it hard matter
to obtain the consideration Of a measure there
except on District day. Owing to the many
measures Of q general character which their
promoters think must receive attention 1t Is
| quite probable that an attempt will be
| made to rob the District Of even this amount
of time. The short duration of the session will
also have its effect There are a great many
important District bills now pending before
| this Congress and number Of others will I'M
| doubleday be introduced. The District bills
passed last session afforded considerable re-
lief, but there still remain on the calendars OF
the Senate and House and on the calendars OF
the District committees OF these two bodies
proposed legislation of urgent nature.
The sincere interest Of Senator Mcmillan and
Repre- sentative Hemphill chairmen of the two
District committees, in the welfare Of the Dis
trict was well demonstrated by their earnest
endeavors Of last session, and it is we'll known
that at the c0pnin0 Gaaeiop of thew will
leave nothing undone which would tend to adj
vance the general prosperity Of the national
capital. They are both active and influential
members Of their respective branches Of Con-
gress and their efforts will be weighty.. Though
the main difficulties in obtaining favorable
legislation will be encountered in the House, it
is believed that Speaker Crisp is more than
friendly to the interests of the capital CITY, and
his aid will materially advance the prospects for
the desired legislation.
comparatively we'll cleared of bills, but the
committees will have to be unusually diligent
in order to accomplish the work which has been
mapped out for them.
on THE SENATE CALENDAR.
The District bills which are now on the Sem
ate calendar, which have been passed over
without prejudice and can consequently be
called up at any time, are as follows:
To extend North Capitol street to the Soldiers
Home.
To incorporate the Washington, Fairfax and
Alexandria Railway Company.
Regulating the sale of distilled and fermented
liquors in the District of Columbia.
To provide an all-night street car service for
the District of Columbia.
To prevent the sale or delivery of ice within
the District of Columbia on the Sabbath day
commonly known as Sunday.
To amend an act entitled "An act to incor-
porate the Washington and Western Maryland
Railroad Company.I
To authorize the Norfolk and Western Rail-
road Company of Virginia to extend its line Of
road into and within the District Of Columbia
and for other purposes.
There also on the Senate calendar the fol-
lowing bills which have been favorably re-
ported:
House act regulating the delivery and sale Of
ice within the District of Columbia the Sab
bath day commonly know as Sunday.
For the relief of Daniel Donovan.
Authorizing the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia to refuse applications for
water connections in certain cases.
Relating to acknowledgements Of instruments
affecting real estate within the District of Co.
lumbia.
To incorporate the East Washington Cross
town Railway Company OF the District of Co.
lumbia.
To establish free public and departmental
library and reading room.
To incorporate the Protestant Episcopal
Cathedral foundation Of the District of Co.
lumbia
To amend the charter of the Washington and
Arlington Railroad Company.
A bill to amend an act entitled IAN act
| authorizing the sale Of title of the United
States in lot in square south Of square $780,"
, approved March 8, 1891.
OF these measures that to authorize the Nor
folk and Western road to extend its lines within
the District is now hanging fire in the House, and
1t Is not likely that the Senate will take any
further action upon it until the bill receives
consideration there. Tho difficulty with the
bill to extend North Capitol street to the
Soldiers Home is that it runs through Prospect
Hill cemetery and considerable opposition has
been made to it on this account. 1t will hardly
become a law this session.
The bill fixing $500 license on the sale Of
distilled and fermented liquors in the District
will stand an excellent chance of getting
through the Senate, but will have hard strug-
gle in the House, and it is thought that it can
hardly get through that body. An unusual effort
will be made, however, to obtain some kind Of
liquor legislation this session. as the decision in
the Nau case, the action of the district attorney
upon the Dumont information and the recent
decision concerning the police regulations
| affecting the liquor traffic leave the District
impotent to punish and restrain the unlicensed
sale Of liquor. The all-night street car service
bill is now amended SO that the roads shall be
compelled to start their last cars from each ter
when the bill again comes up it will be
amended so as to require all night SER
vice and that in this form it will become a law
The bill to prevent the delivery of ice in the
District on Sunday passed the House and would
have become a law had not the ice companies in
the meanwhile formed trust and agreed
among themselves that no ice should be deliv-
cred on the Sabbath. The bill is not likely to
be taken up at this session.
The bill granting the Commissioners power
to refuse application for water connection
under certain circumstances will, it is thought,
pass the Senate without objection. The bill
relating to the acknowledgment Of instruments
affecting the real estate in the District is quite
necessary piece of legislation. and favorable
action is likely to result. Little objection has
been made to the measure to incorporate the
East Washington Cross-town Railroad Com
pany, and its chances for favorable considera-
tion are good. The bill to establish free pub
lie and departmental library and reading room.
which is Endorsed by Librarian Spofrord and
many influential citizens Of Washington, is an
other measure that is likely to pass. 1t is not
thought that any objection will be made to the
bill to incorporate the Protestant Episcopal
Cathedral foundation.
The remaining bills on the Senate calendar
will not, it is said, have an unobstructed pas
sage.
on THE ROUSE CALENDAR.
The District business the House calendar
was almost cleared at the last session. The
m irpn Mt Oft he L. 30 l.