The record-union., 1894-04-30
QUESTIONS BEFORE CONGRESS
Probable Programme This Week
in the Senate and House.
TaE TARIFF BILL MAKING VERY
SLOW HEADWAY.


lating to Conferences for the Pur-
| pose of Agreeing Upon Certain
Amendments to the Pending Meas
! port to Pass the Bill Can be Secured
Without Making Radical Changes.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-The House
will continue work on the appropriation
bills this week. The Repu blicans devel-
oped restrictive policy caring the con-
sideration of the diplomatic and consular
bill, which was completed last Thursday,
consuming an entire week by means of
unimportant amendments to unimport-
ant items. The Democrats fear that this
policy is to be continued in furtherance
of well prepared programme to delay
the passage of the regular appropriation
bill. Should it be developed during the
week that such is the fact special order
may be necessary to expedite matters.
After the completion of the army bill.
the consideration of which was begun
yesterday, it is probable Mr.. Dockery
will be allowed to bring forward his bill
reported from the joint committee on ex-
penditures in the departments. to reor-
ganize the systom OF accounting IN the
Treasury Department, which is designed
to reduce the expenditures i'll the depart
msnt Sl30,000. 1t is necessary that the
bill should be disposed Of before the leg
islative. executive and judicial appToprl-
| alton bill, now in process OF completion
by the Appropriation Committee, is
framed, as the changes it makes in the
! existing law must be Incorporated In that
| bill.
| AS soon as it is out of the way the river
| and harbor bill is to be called up. In case
the Republicans persist in an obstructive
programme, an attempt will be made to
pass it q week from tomorrow under the
suspension of the rules,
The managers of the House are very
much in earnest in their determination
not to permit any resolutions bearing on
| the CoXey movement to get into the
arena of debate. 1t is contended that
| the subject can by no possibility of con-
struction be considered privileged, aud
any request for unanimous consent for
| consideration will be promptly objected
| to. The only way in which the subject can
| be discussed in the House is under de-
bate ON one OF the pending appropriation
bills, and such discussion can only
| eVentuate in talk.
The course which the tariff debate may
take in the Senate this week will depend
entirely upon developments from day to
| day. The agreement for the limitation OF
! the debate Oh the tariff to certain hours
each day has expired. and the Repub-
| licans have shown no disposition to re-
| new it. The Democrats have been un-
successful in the advance of the hour for
the meeting at IL o'clock 10 II o'clock,
but they only get the bill up each day
after the disposal OF the routine morning
| business by an aye and nay vote and
making progress by elbowing them
selves along. They have not yet decided
| whether they will attempt tc extend the
debate until later date. Their pro-
gramme in this respect will depend upon
the progress that may be made with the
compromise now on hand.
| The feeling is general ON the Demo-
cratic side that if they get bill which
commands the support of the entire
| Democratic side of the chamber the Re-
publican antagonism will weaken; that
| the opposition will be content to make an
earnest protest. but without any effort to
prolong the final vote beyond the time
necessary 70 discuss the various schedules
in q business-liks manner, and that night
sessions may not be resorted to.
Senator Harris said to-day that he
thought if the Republicans only became
convinced that there was no prospect of
opposition to the bill among the Demo-
Gratis, they would yield gracefully to the
inevitable and allow the bill to pass after
expressing their reasons for their antag-
onism. IF we succeed in reaching that
state,' he said, land the Republican SEN
ators take this view of the matter and
conduct themselves accordingly, it will
not be the policy of the Democratic
managers of the bill to impose any
unusual hardships on Senator'S" He
declined to say what course would be
adopted in case the developments should
not be as satisfactory as he hopes, because
he would in that event have to consult
with other members of the Dem ocratic
steering committee as to the course to be
pursued; but it is known from previous
utterances of his that his policy, in case
the opposition should continue obdurate
whether the Democrats perfect their agree
ment or not, would be to extend the
hours of the daily sessions, compel the
Republicans TO consume all the time de-
voted to speeches and force the bill along
as rapidly as possible in the face of oppo-
sition. 1t is even possible that if the Re-
pubiicanS do not indicate Willingness to
confine themselves to what is called legiti-
mate discussion n, night sessions may be
very suddenly precipitated, as the Demo-
cratic leaders feel the early disposal of the
bill to be of the utmost Importance.
The Republicans have not yet given up
the hope of a schism in the Democratic
ranks, and they will announce no policy
different from that they have been pur-
suing until it is made manifest that all
the Democratic Senators have united
upon bill. Ii such unison is not shown,
they will continue the present tactics,
with probably more frequent roll-calls
and more decided protests against long
hours than have yet occurred. They have
not decided upon a course in case of a
Democratic agreement. but there are
some Indications that if one is reached
the opposition will not be so stubborn, as
it is realized that it would in that event
be futile in the end. They are counting
on the absence of Senator Hill. at that
time and the fact that he could not have
been fully advised of the compromise
under consideration. They evidently
think it probable that it would not meet
his expectations, and if it should not they
hope for further dissatisfaction in the
party.
There are few speeches in prospect for
this week. Senator Aldrich will prob
ably speak during the week, and Senators
Aquire and Kyle may also ask for time
to deliver speeches. The continuation of
the speeches OF Senators Quay and Dolph
may also be counted on as occasion may
require.
TIE TARIFF BILL.