Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-11-14
WILL DO LITTLE. IW0Rk.
Not Much Legislation Expected at
Washington the Coming
Winter.

Washington, d. c., Nov. 1O-The APP
convene on the 9TH of December is not
expected by those familiar with con-
gressional methods to be one of great
activity or productive Of much legislation.
The fact that it will continue for only
three months, that it will be the last SeS-
sion OF the Congress and that it SO close
ly follows a general election, are all con-
Sldered as indications that comparatively
little real work will be attempted and still
less accomplished. The greater part of
the session WILL in all probability be con-
hned to an exchange of chatting over the
results of the election and the session
will become memorable more on account
of talk than work. 1t is probable that
next to nothing will be done before the
Christmas holidays and predictions are
freely made that it will be difficult to OBJ
tain or maintain a quorum previous to
Christmas. After the holidays there will
be but two months left for work and
speech-making. 1t will, of course be
necessary to pass the usual appropriation
bills; these bills touch 4 variety of inter-
ests and while upon occasion they may be
disposed Of with considerable celebrity. the
can always be so manipulated as to kill
much time when there is any considerable
element which desires TO rouse them.
When the last session adjourned the
measures attracting most attention were
supplemental tariff or free raw material
bills. They had passed the House and
had been TayOrably reported with ma
terial amendments by the Senate commit
tee on finance to the Senate. While
majority of the Democratic senator's APP
ne3red friendly to those bills there was
a conSldera bic element in that party OPP
posed to their consideration. as were prac-
tically all the Republican senator's. This
element was able to prevent the SenateS
taking up the bills previous to adjourn
ment 1t remains 20 be seen whether the
friends of the bill will persist in this
policy at the forthcoming session and
whether If they do manifest this DISPOSE
ton they will succeed in the face of oppo-
sition of a few Democratic senator's and
the almost solid Republican side of the
Senate who do not desire at this time
further legislation in the direction of
tariff reduction. Representatives of the
latter class do not hesitate TO declare that
whatever the policy of the Democratic
majority they will be able TO prevent
serious consideration of these bills be-
cause of the short session. They also
claim that if a vote on it should be
reached there would be majority against
them. 1t should be stated however, that
there is a division of opinion among the
opponents of the free sugar bill and that
some Republicans and some conservative
Democrats have expressed a Willingness
TO allow this bill to become a law, but
the best indications are that the fate of
the bill will be determined by that of the
Others of the same class.
There are also those who predict that
there will be renewal of the agitation
of the financial question on propositions
looking to the free coinage of silver and
for another bond issue The starting of
the bond question would depend upon the
administration, and there appears now no
reason for the suggestion that it will be
revived except in the ina ginations of
those who would oppose the measure if
it should be brought in. There is little
doubt that the silver question will be
raised in some form, but the probabilities
are that there will be no serious united
effort on the part of any considerable ele-
ment to push silver to the front. The
more general opinion is that silver will be
preserved for the long session of Con-
gress so as to make it an issue in the
presidential campaign of 1896.