The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-18
THE WEEK In CONGRESS-.
Hope Of Financial Legislation is Not
Yet Abandoned.
NAVALAPPROPRIATION BILL WILL
OCCUPY THE HOUSE.

Speaker Crisp Has Notified the Various
Committees That They Must Promptly
Dispose of the Business Laid Before
Them-The Indian Bill and Sundry
Civil Bill Will Crop Up in the Senate
Washington, February 17.-With five
appropriation bills still unacted upon,
and but two weeks more of the session
before it, the Senate will not be inclined
to discuss matters other than appropri-
alton bills this week. There is always
a possibility of financial discussion
springing up under the.very lax rules of
the Senate, and more or less of the time
OF the morning hour may be consumed
in this way. The hope of getting vote
in the Senate on the various financial
propositions is not altogether abandoned.
1t is believed that some agreement may
be reached after the sundry civil bill is
out of the way. The coming week will
be required to pass the Indian bill and
the sundry civil bill, which will be re-
ported to the Senate tomorrow.
IN THE HOUSE.
Tomorrow will be suspension day in
the House. Arrangements have been made
by which the gentlemen in charge of
several measures which have hitherto
attracted more or less attention, and oc-
cupied greater or less amount of time,
may be recognized to ask that.they be
passed under a suspension of the rules.
Among these are the following:
Bill to increasesthe efficiency of the
revenue marine service by esta blishing
retired list in connection Herewith.
This bill is earnestly advocated by the
Treasury Department, and is believed to
have the support of "a large majority of
the House. Hitherto, Mr.. Clark (Dem.
of Missouri has been successful in talk
ing it out of place and preventing a
vote on it.
A bill to equalize the pensions of vete.
rams of the Mexican war, making them
$12 under general law.
Bill to equaliZe the duties and pay of
the steam boat inspection service.
Bill to authorize the construction of
dams across the st. Louis and Cloquet
rivers in Minnesota by the Altamonte
Water Company. This proposition in
wolves the largest project ever undertak
en- in the west, the construction of a
dam 100 feet high, 700 feet thick at the
base, and 100 feet wide at the top. Pri-
mar it is undertaken to supply the city
of Duluth with water, and incidentally
power, estimated at 600, 900 horse power,
will be developed that may be used for
manufacturing and commercial purposes.
Between the city and the source of sup
ply is range of low hills, about 100 feet
high, and the dam is necessary to carry
the waster over that. The passage of the
bill is recommended by the committee
on Indian affairs (Which had jurisdiction
because the building of the dam would
flood the Fond du Lac reservations, but
a minority of the committee interpose
vigorous dissent, because for one rea-
son they are not satisfied with the fnan-
cial ability of the water company to
carry out the project, and think it has
many of the unstable features of a boom,
which, if carried out would end In de-
stroying confidence in the resources of
that section of the country, and would
materially retard its progress.
Speaker Crisp notified the gentlemen
in charge of these several measures that
they must have quorum on hand to
promptly dispose Of them, or they will
be required to give way to other busi-
ness.
The consideration of the naval appro-
priation bill and the general deficiency
bill, which Mr.. Breckenridge.sha given
notice he will call up as soon as the for
mer is out of the way, will probably oc-
cupy the rest of the week, save Saturday,
which has been set apart for the delivery
of euIogies upon the late Senator Vance
of North Carolina.