The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-11-09

|
The Fifty-third congress as now consti-
tuted will again convene on Monday, Dec.
3, for its short and last session. There
will be fun on that day-fun for tho vic
tors and such philosophy as they can sum-
mon for the defeated to stand the railery
of their political foes. And how will the
| congress act and what will it do at this
short session? Well, deducting the usual
| Christmas recess, there will certainly not
be more than 90 days for actual business,
and there may be fewer. One-half of those
| at least will be days when special commit
tees have tho right of way, and much Of
the remaining time will be consumed in
] struggles for the floor and filibustering,
so there will not BIO very much done Of an
extraordinary nature.
Nevertheless there will be many desper-
ate struggles, and the majority will not be
so manageable as at the long session. 1t
rarely is, and this year the break will DO
worse than common. Many members
| have not been renominated, and many
more will be defeated So there will be at
least 100, possibly nearly twice as many,
who will realize that this is their last ses-
| sion. They will be frantic to rush through
| special bills and private claims loft over
| II.
members will naturally DO more conserva-
| tive, and the committee on appropriations
| will, as usual, be inclined to oppose special
| ties. There will be deficiencies of course,
and the usual fight for bigger appropria-
tions. On an average some 40, 900 claims
are filed with the committee on claims Of
each congress. A few hundred bills are
! brought in by this committee, few of
| them are passed at the long session, and
on the rest comes tho fight at the short
one.
A few other bills are for crying ncces.
stiles That for now public printing
office for instance, ought not to be de-
layed one hour. The present building is
daily menace of death TO every one in and
about it. Yet the long standing quarrel
about tho site has assumed the form of a
difference between senate and house, as
such things are sure to do if kept up long
enough. With tho prevalent bitterness
there is too much reason to fear that the
provision for new printing office will go
over to The Fifty-fourth congress. The
Henderson award, giving damages in
lump sums to those who suffered in the
collapse of the old Ford S theater building,
used as u government office, ought by all
means to have been enacted into law at
the last session. Yet it may go over to
the next congress.
Foreign affairs will he of moro interest
than for some time past. When the Fifty
third congress met, and for eight months
thereafter, there was absolute peace
throughout the world, for the first time
since the beginning of Christendom. Last
summer not only was there worldwide
peace, but so far as the congressional eye
could see there was no sign of early trou-
BILE. Hawaii was the only region the adj
ministration and opposition factions could
have fun about. The world has got bravely
over its stagnation. The opposition will
now fall flercely upon the president and
Secretary Gresham for waiting on Great
Britain in the matter of changed relations
with Japan, for their proposal to withdraw
influence in Samoa, for not being more
aggressive in dealing with Canada and for
divers alleged lachcs in Central America
and elsewhere Chairman McCreary will
have more lively work to do in defense of
the president, and Mr. Boutellc will have
several new points for his annual speech
on the navy.
The whole matter Of reciprocity will
come up de novo and have to be dealt with
substantially on a new basis. Spain, Ger
many, Brazil and Hawaii will each present
us different problem. The first is affect
ed by our new tariff and now gains little
or no special advantage as n return for adj
uniting our flour to Cuba; the second
kicks viciously at our special or differen-
tial tax on its bountied sugar and may re-
taliate by again excluding the American
hog; the third has given notice of intention
TO terminate the existing arrangement, and
with her Hawaii and possibly other coun-
tries matters must be rcadjusted TO fit
our now tariff OF course this measure
itself will show defects by few months
operation-has already shown them in
deed-which must be remedied, and means
must be voted for collecting the income
tax. The sugar growers are now suing
In the courts for the bounty on this years
crop and will besiege congress- of course,
for special relief. And then there are the
SO called ''popgun bills" So the tariff
will still be tolerably live ISSUE
1t is taken for granted that tho regular
appropriation bills will slip through with
very little friction, as everything is in
good shape for them. The Indian business
of tho nation was settled at the long ses-
sion, so far as that business can be perma-
nently settled. All the tribes were located
where they want to remain; all the reser-
Nations given up Wero Professionally us
posed of, and there is really nothing par
ticular to do In that line. Many of the
military posts lately in the Indian coun-
try arc discontinued, and it is the avowed
policy Of the government to station the
regular army near tho great cities. Gen.
eral Schofield, in his last report before re-
firing from the head of the army, repeats
with more than the usual emphasis the
old recommendation for larger establish
ment, but it is as certain as anything in
legislation can be that this congress will
not heed him.
1t is "a safo prediction that the scenes at
the opening of tho session will be less
rather than moro exciting than usual ut the
short session. There will be heaps of flow
ers on the desks of favorites, cheers for
members who come back with increased
majorities, notably Tom Reed, Boutelle ct
al, and chatting for the defeated, but there
are no officers to elect, no committees to
appoint, and business will be as IL congress
had but adjourned overnight unless it
has to wait for the presidents message.
The new rules will greatly facilitate bust
ness. The Democrats hated to adopt them,
but the majority can no longer get on
without them. Tho horeo 10 NOW too large