Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-18
THE APPROPRIATION BILLS
They Cant Get Through the Senate at the
Present Rate.
How Much More Time is Needcd-The
Financial Measure ON the
Sundry Civil Bill.


show on what a narrow margin of time
Congress is running with reference to the
appropriation bills by making illusions
to the number of pages of bills then re-
naming unconsidereu by the Senate 1t
was demonstrated that, the number of
working days before the Senate were quite
insufficient for the performance of the
task, unless each day should be length
ened by longer sessions. This result was
reached by means of a simple calculation
in plain arithmetic, which showed that the
Senate going through the District ap-
preparation bill at, the very leisurely rate
of about eleven pages day.
Since then nothing has been done looking
to prolongation of the sessions beyond
the introduction of a resolution by Mr..
German providing for IL o'clock meetings,
which has languished under the influence
of republican opposition. 1t is, however, in
a position to be taken up at any time and
passed But meanwhile the situation has
grown decidedly worse with regard to the
rate of progress, and though the Senate
has passed three bills. .and is about to pass
a fourth the rate has fallen from eleven to
eight pages day. and the discrepancy be-
tween what is yet to be done and the time
remaining IS Widened.
More Time Needed.
The consideration of the District bill was
begun on January 81 and occupied six days.
The Sci ate then passed the diplomatic bill,
following it with the post office bill, and is
now on the verge Of passing the agricul
tural bill, making a total of 123 pages dis
posed Of in fifteen days, or an average of
eight pages a day. There now remain to
be considered by the Senate the Indian bill,
with a pages: the sundry CIVIL with 1O7;
the naval, with As; the general deficiency,
with "a, and the legislative. with PA to-
tai of 4lS pages yet to come before the SEN
q 70 a fha n "a n &c
would take the Senate fifty-two days to
finish these measures alone. There now re-
| main twelve working days in the present
session. or a mere trifle OF forty days less
than this computation shows to be neces-
sary-unless something be DONE
Eleven o'clock sessions won't be enough;
nor will sessions that last until Z or s
o'clock in the evening. Not even If the
statesmen should violate the eight-hour law
by remaining in session for ten or twelve
hours daily would the bills all be passed, If
nothing more were done to bring about
different state of things. What is needed,
and what will undoubtedly GONE just in the
nick of time is a change Of policy on the
part of the republicans, who are watching
the situation with the closest scrutiny.
They are skating on some very thin ice and
dangerously close to the edge, but they are
doing it with purpose, and they have
their bearings perfectly, so they say, and
they know just when to let off the brakes
and let the pace increase
There are two particular bills that they
| tion-that for the admission of Arizona and
| New Mexico and the pooling bill. There is
ole other measure that they do not care
| to allow to pass-the bankruptcy bill; but
| this is already dead and is beiis, allowed
| to remain Oh the calendar as compliment
sop to it's sponsor, Senator George, be-
| ing dubbed the unfinished business, a
| legislative title that in the present instance
| has an amusing significance 1t will not
| go beyond that stage at this session.
a Financial Measure.
The introduction of financial measure
| into the sundry civil appropriation bill by
| the subcommittee in charge of that meas
| ure-Senators German. Cockrell and AL
| lison-means a reopening of the talk on
| the financial situation whenever that bill
shall be taken up fer consideration. The
! debate, therefore, is not calculated to de-
| crease this week. but will rather increase
| as it is expected that the sundry civil bill
| will be called up for consideration in a
| very short time The republicans are eX-
pected. of course, to make point ~Of order
| against the amendment, on the ground
| that it is general legislation" and it is eX-
| pected that the Vice President, following
| his recent course in such cases, will sub
NIT the question Of order to the Senate in
| stead of deciding it himself. Thus the
| amendment will be thrown upon it's merits,
practically, for the vote would be the
amendment itself rather than on the parlia-
| mentary question raised by the point of
| order.
It is not thought that the amendment
will carry, for the general belief is that
the silver men, almost without exception,
will vote against 1t, together with the re-
| publicans as a body, making very large
| majority against the proposition.
The Amendment Provision.
| The amendment as 1t emanated from
the subcommittee provided for the issue of
| three-year certificates of Indebtedness to
the amount of s1OO, O,0OO, 900, drawing interest
| at per cent.
| The republican program Is in charge of
senators Aldrich, Chandler and Platt, who
| divide up the time SO that at least one of
| them is on the floor throughout the day
They watch everything most carefully to
| see that no undue haste is shown by the
| appropriation committee in the passage of
| the budgets. They manage the debate so
| that every item of controversial interest is
productive of the fullest talk. and so the
hours wag on. and the adjournment day
| hurries on. and there is an ever-increasing
! prospect of a tremendous rush at the very
| end TO get the appropriations through.