The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1894-12-06
PRESENT SESSION
Promises to BE Devoid of Leg
isIation of Importance.
work on the Appropriation Bills Ia
LIKELY to Have the Precedence Over
All Other Matters.

v nrk on the Appropriation hiiiS IL
Likely to Have the Precedence over
All Other Matters.
WASHINGTON. Dec 3-The Fifty-third
congress rcassemblcd today. The con
gres9men and senator's are not argving
with the rush Of last year Il is hardly
possible that The defeated congressman, OF
whom there area great many, Will he In
any great hurry to get back rs this Is the
last session for ~ "a L is believed that
quite numbee of TIL defeated members
viii not make 'hrir appearance at all this
session miles, thcy have some important
local interest which they left undone when
they returned TO their homes last fall to
fix up their political fences.
Aside FROM thr pas age of the appropria-
tion bills there VIII Doe little important
L.eislatan enacted at the rcassembling OF
this short session
The first official sign Of the forthcoming
session was the calling of several sub
committees of the house committee on APP
propriation, last week. Chairman Sayers
of the housc appropriation committee has
called n meeting OF the committee for to-
morrow.
The progress already made by sub-com-
mittecs has been sufficient to indicate that
the pension and Notifications appropria-
ton bills will m ready for submission to
the full committee nv that time, and 1t
will be their aim to have the house begin
It's work ON the appropriations virtually
with the beginning Of the session, if 50
disposed. The remaining bills are ex-
pccted to be ready to report to the hou-c
Immediately when il recouvencs after the
holidays
Appropriation Figures
1t Ia the general opinion that the appro-
priations To be made at the approaching
session will amount in the aggregate to
about the same amount appropriated for
the present year, in round numbers sig2.-
OO,000, and that while there will be no
river and harbor bill at the coming scs-
sion. the necessary expenditures for
the carrying on of contracts already made
will help 10 keep the total np to about as
high as if there were a separate bill.
The new ships which will be nearing
completion, will also be among the items
which will Increase the totals, as will the
provision for putting the income tax law
into operation. On the other hand smaller
payments on account of Indian treaties
will probably be necessary, and no appro
priation will be required for sugar boun-
ties.
The proposed new treaty between Japan
ana the United States, which has been
signed by Secretary Gresham and Minister
Kurino of Japan. will he sent to the sen
ate for ratification during this session.
No Regular Program.
Speaker Crisp is quoted as saying: II
don't know what can be done in the way
of legislation at this session, but fear not
as much rs we should like. 1t Is very i'm
bortant that there should be some legisli-
tion on finance, I am not prepared to
predict what if anything, may b done at
this session. but 1t must be apparent to
everyone that the present situcr !gn should
not be permitted to remain loaY
Whatever suggestions the administra-
ton has to make will be awaited with
great interest Whether or not Mr., Car
Isle will present proposition which will
meet with general approval, no one can
say until the message comes in.
"a financial system which puts it In the
power of any one to dopletc the treasury of
gold and to compel the government to In
crease its interest bearing obligations by
the issue of bonds is vicious. ia should
be corrected as speedily as possible"
What other measures besides the ap-
preparation bills do you think will prob
ably be nctel on this session."
Vt seems to me that there will prob
ably be IN effort made to do something
with the Nicaragua canal ! am not
familiar with al the details of the bill re-
ported by the committee but think that
that or some other measure dealing with
this subject is very apt to be acted on,
"Then there are the bankruptcy bill and
the anti-option bill which the senate
should dispose Of before the close of tho
session, a number of things may be at
tempted but there is no program ar
ranged, and everything depends upon
what the general feeling is when we all
tAafnthar -