The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-10
NEXT CONGRESS.
There Will Be More Talk Than
Work.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 1o.-The approach
ing session of Congress, which will con-
vene on the 9Th of Decent Der, is not
expected by those familiar with Congres-
sional methods to be one OF great
activity or productive OF much legis-
lation. The fact that it will
continue for only three months, that it
viii be the last session of the present Con-
gress, and that it so closely follows .
general election, are all considered - in
dications that but comparatively little
real work will be attempted, and stili less
accom- plished. The greater part of the
session will, in all probabilities, be
passe I in an exchange of chatting over the
results OF the election and the session will
become memorable more on account of
talk than OF work. 1t is probable that
next TO nothing will be done before the
Christmas holidays and predic-
tions are freely made that 1t
will be difficult to obtain or maintain o
quorum previous to Christmas. After the
holidays there Will be but two months
left for work and spsech- making. 1t will of
course, be necessary to pass the usual appro-
priation bills. These bills touch variety
of interests and while upon occasion they
can be disposed of with considerable
celebrity, they can Away be SO manipu-
lated as to kill much time where there is
any considerable element which desires
TO SO use them.
When the last session adjourned the
measures attracting most attention were
the supplemental tariff on free raw mate
rials bills. They had passed the house
and had been tavorabiy reported, with
. material additions by the Senate
committee on finance, to the
Senate. While majority Of the Demo-
cratic Senators appeared friendly to these
bills, there was a considerable element in
that party opposed to their consideration,
as were practically ell the Re-
publican Senators. This ele-
ment was able to prevent the Senate
taking up the bills previous to adjourn
ment. 1t remains to be seen whether the
friends of the bills will persist in this pol
icy at the forthcomming session, and
whether, If they do manifest this dis
position, they will succeed in the
face of the opposition of a few Demo-
cratic Senators aud the almost solid Re-
publican SIDE OF the Senate, who don't
desire, at this time, further legislation in
the direction of tariff reduction. Repre-
sentstives of the latter class do
not hesitate to declare that what
ever the policy Of the Democratic
majority they will be able TO prevent seri-
GUS consideration OF the bills, because of
the short session. They also claim, IL a
vote on them should be reac he'd, here will
be majority against them. 1t
should be stated, however, that
there il division of opin-
ion among the opponents OF the bills on
the free sugar bill and that some Repub-
licans aud some conservative Democrats
have expressed Willingness to allow this
bill to become q law, but he best isdica-
tions are that tie fate OF the bill will bs
determined by that Of the others of the
same class.
There are also those who predict that
there will be q renewal Of agitation of the
financial question on q proposition look
ing TO the free coinage OF silver and for
another bond issue.
The starting OF the bond question
would depend upon the Admin nistration.
and there appears now no reason for the
suggestion that IL will be revived except
in The imaginations OF those who would
oppose the measure II IL 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 upon
the part OF any considerable element to
push silver to the front. The more gene
raj opinion is that silver will he reserved
for the long session OF the Fifty fourth
Congress, so ~ to make IL an issue In the
De-. ia A pt al AZ m, ma i'm of ikQ6