The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-12-17
CANAL BILL Is THE FIRST,
SENATOR MORGAN WILL PRESS IT
 FOR 4 FINAL TOTE.

|
 It fs Probable That lt win bs Taken This | weok-BAnkru?tcy Biii win Do Givon | the Right of way-Ihere Is Little wor | t. hr ons In thp 'Iou.~.
 Washington. Dec. le.--The Nicara guan canal bill holds the place as unfinished business on the senate calendar. Mir. Morgan said yesterday he intended. If possible, to have the final vote taken before the holiday recess. If he sue ceeds in this the vote will be taken this week. If this bill should be disposed of before the holiday recess the bank ruptcy bill will probably be given the right of way until the appropriation bills begin to come over from the house. The prompt consideration of these bills will not be interfered with by the re- publicans. who assume the attitude of favoring their early consideration. but permitting no serious discussion of any of the other subjects that have been en- dorsed by the democratic caucus. save. perhaps, the Nicaragua canal bill.
 The routine proceedings of the week will be brought on Thursday by the ceremonies attending the presentation to the United States by the state of New Hampshire of the statue of its two distinguished citizens-Daniel Web ster and John Stark-both of which will on that day be unveiled in statuary hall. Mir. Hoar will deliver a speech on this occasion, and other members from New Hampshire will also partici- pate.
 | Appropriations and currency promise to exhaust what time remains In the house prolr to the holiday recess.
 MT. Heard, dem. of Mis- ,ouri, chairman of the committee on affairs of the District of Columbia. desires to have business reported from his com mittee considered tomorrow. But Mir Outhwaite, chairman of the committee on military affairs, will demand consid- eration of the army bill, which will shut out the district committee. There are several propositions of new legisla- tion in the army bill, which will probably | draw out considerable discussion. Two of these provide for the reduction of the number of majors in the pay depart ment from twenty-five to twenty, and of the number of captains in the sub | sistence department from twelve to eight. Both these changes were strong ly urged by Secretary Lamont in his annual report. The cost of paying the troops in the last fiscal year was 2k per cent. of the amount disbursed. The sec- ] retary stated that already a number of posts are paid by check, and this plan could we'll be extended to cover the entire service.
 The secretary of war recommended the consolidation of the quartermaster's subsistence and pay, department of the army into one bureau, and if that l scheme were carried out 1t would make quite reduction in the number of officers in those three departments. The committee on military affairs, ow- ing to the brief time allowed for lnves- tigation, did not deem 1t advisable to attempt to follow that suggestion to Its full extent. A third proposition is the transfer of the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan, to the control of the department of justice for the incar- ceration of federal prisoners. The prison can accommodate $50 convicts. Most of the military prisoners could be confined at the large military posts, and the saving of expenses by the proposition would be large on account of both classes of prisoners. Notwlth- standing this unusual provocation to debate. however, 1t is believed that the bill can be disposed of at one sitting.
 The military bill out of the way it Is expected that the rest of the week will be devoted to the discussion of the bill to provide new system of currency to be reported to the committee on banking and currency.
 The desire of the advocates of the measure is to bring the bill to a vote this week, and 1t Is believed the mana gers of the house are inclined to aid them in reaching the consummatlon of their work. There will be, it Is an- nounced, opposition to the adoption of a rule closing debate this week, but, 1t is understood. that the influence of the administration will be exerted to this end, and the apparent probabilities are that rule to that effect will be adopted if reported.
 It was announced Saturday that an understanding had been reached by the leaders of the two houses of congress that the holiday recess should begin with the adjournment on Friday next. and expire on the third of January.