Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-12-17
A BUSY WEEK
Already Outlined for Both
Branches of Congress.
The Nicaraguan Canal Bill Win 0c-
cupy Attention Of Senate.
House Will Have Its Hands Full With Appro.
priaiions and Currency.

MaSHiUgttii, lSt- Iu.-I iN tikN
canal bill holds its place as unfinished
business on the Senate calendar. Mr..
Morgan said, yesterday, that he intended,
if possible, to have the final vote taken be
fore the holiday recess comes on. If he
succeeds in this the vote will be taken
this week If this hill should be disposed
of before the holiday recess the bank
yuptcy bill will probably be given the right
of way until the appropriation Ills begin
to come over from the House Prompt
consideration of these bills will not be in
terfered with by the Republicans, who
assume an attitude of favoring their early
consideration, but permitting no serious
discussion of any other subjects endorsed
by the Democratic caucus, save, perhaps
the Nicaragua canal bill.
Routine proceedings of the week will be
broken, Thursday, by the ceremonies at
tending the presentation to the United
States, by New Hampshire, of the statues
of Daniel Webster and John Stark, both
of which will, on that day, be unveiled in
Statuary hall Mr.. Hoar will deliver n
speech and other members from New
England will participate.
The appropriations and . currency
promise to exhaust what time remains in
the House, prior to the holiday recess.
Mr. Hoard, chairman of the committee on
the affairs of District of Columbia, de
sires to have the business reported from
his committee considered tomorrow.
Mr. Outhwaite chairman of the com
mittec on military affairs, will demand
consideration of the army appropriation
bill, which will shut out the district COM
mittees. There are several propositions
of new legislation on the army bill which
will probably draw out considerable dis
cussion. Two of these provide for u re
duction of the number of majors in the
pay department from % to 90, and of the
number of captains in the subsistence
department from IL to eight. Both Of
these change are strongly urged by Secre
tary Lamont in his annual report. The
cost of paying troops in the last fiscal year
was ~ per cent. of the amount dis
bursed.
The secretary said that already a num-
Der of posts were paid by check, and this
plan could well be extended to cover the
entire service. The secretary Of war has
recommended the consolidation of quarter
masters subsistence and pay department
of the army into one burcan, and if that
quite reduction in the number of officers
in those departments. The committee on
military affairs, owing to the brief time
allowed for Investigation, did not deem it
advisable to attempt to follow the sugges-
tioh to the full extent.
The third proposition is the transfer OF
the military prison at Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas, to the control of. the department
of justice, for the incarceration of federal
prisoners. The prison can accommodate
$50 convicts. Most of the military prison
crs could be confined at the large military
posts, and the saTing to the government
by the proposed transfer will be large on
account of both classes of prisoners. Not
withstanding this unusual proyocation TO
debate it is believed that the bill can be
disposed of at one sitting of the House.
The military bill out of the way, it is
expected that the rest of the week will
be devoted to discussion Of the bill to
provide a new system of currency, to be
reported by the committee on banking
and currency. The desire of the advo-
Gates of the measure is to bring the bill
to a vote, this week, and it is believed
that the managers of the House arc in
clined to aid them in reaching that con
summation of their work. There will he,
it is announced, opposition to the adop-
tion of the rule closing debate this week,
and it is understood that the influence of
the administration will be exertcd 90 this
end, but the apparent probabilities are
that q rule to that effect will be adopted,
if reported.
1t was announced, Saturday, that an
understanding had been reached by the
leaders of the two Houses of Congress that
the holiday recess will begin with the adj
journment on Friday next, and expire
January 3.