Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-01-04

WASHINGTON, Dec. 81 Much speculation
is being INDUCED in as to the probable
length of the session of Congress which will
reconvene on January g. 1t is thought this
Congress will be compelled TO consume
about as much time as did the DIST Congress
in the consideration of the Mckinley bill
senator VOORHEES,, chairman Of the Sen
ate finance committee looks for long ses-
sion. not, as he says SO much
on account of the tariff bill hut be
cause of general matter, before the
country. He mentioned the fact that the
last congress did not adjourn it, first SEES
sion until August } and that, too, at a time
when a general revision of the tariff was
not an issue.
While he is Of the opinion That the House
bill will pass the Senate within a month on
six weeks at the outside, after il gets into
the Senate, Mr.. Voorhees, believes that a
date fully as late, if not later than August
will he reached before congress takes a
rest from IFS labors this summer.
There are other senators, members of the
finance committee, who think this Congress
will he in session until late in September, if
indeed it does not run into October, as did
the DIST Congress. The fact that the APP
preaching summer brings with it the cam
paigns for the congressional election may
hasten legislation
Speaker Crisp has been quoted as saying
that he expected to see the Wilson bill sent
to the Senate by the first Of February and
at the latest by the middle of that month.
If this is done and the Senate committee is
expeditions in its work the bill could be laid
before the Senate by the first of March, the
time when it was believed in the House
when the bill was first under consideration
4,l,, L., 1 L..
take effect. That time has. however. been
extended to the first of June. and if all the
calculations of the leaders of the party in
both Houses are not out of joint the bill
should become a law within one month be
fore that date is reached. This would give
the Senate its six weeks in which to debate
the bill and allow two weeks for the confer
ence to discuss the changes made in the bill
by the Senate, it being taken for granted
that changes will be made.
1t is now nearly five months since the sub
iect of the tariff came before this Congress
The time consumed by the democratic House
compares not unfavorably with that Occu-
pied by the republicans up TO a correspond
Ing stage in the consideration of the Nc
kiuley bill.
The ways and means committee took up
the consideration of the present bill soon as
the committee was organized, about August
10, the extra cession being convened August
T. After formulating its plan Of action
Mr.. Wilson's committee began hearings
September and continued them for 90
days. 1t remained in session off and on
during the recess and finally reported the
bill to the House minus the internal revenue
schedule December 10 last
In the consideration of the bill up to this
point, then, there has been consumed about
four months. The Mckinley bill was III
committee three months and two days,
While the Wilson bill was reported to
the House December 18th, it was I'm
herstood that it should not be
called until after the holidays.
If it is called up promptly on January 3,
md shall be passed by February II, it will
have taken one month and II days to dis
pose of it. The republicans put in one
month and five days in performing the SAINT
work. Beyond this point any discussion OF
the amount of time il will take to dispose OF
the bill enters the field Of pure conjecture