The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-27
IN READINESS
FOR THE SENATE
The Calandar is Loaded With Important
Bills.
MATTERS DEMANDING ATTENTION
Comprehensive FOrtiicatiOns Bill,
the Dingley Hill and Other Import.
ant Measures Await the Pleasure
of the August BOdy..Our Relations
With Hawaii Again Assume I'm.
OOrt0nCC.

Washington. Nov. 26-When the s n
ate meets a week from next Monday
ii will find calendar loaded with bills
that require careful attention, many
of which We're debated during the last
session. and which are now awaiting
final action. The interregnum of nine
months so far as the legislative condi-
ton of the bills are concerned amounts
to no more than adjournment over
night.
According to the order made on May
s last. the bill for the erection of a
bridge across the Detroit river at De-
troit, which was hotly contested before
the committee on commerce and which
has been as warmly discussed on the
iloor, Is made the special order for the
first Monday in December the opening
day of the session.
The unfinished business Is house bill,
ii. Il. 1864, an act to amend the immi-
grafton laws, as reported to the senate
by Mr.. Lodge, with some material
amendments. The joint resolution pro-
posing an amendment to the constitu-
tiOn providing for the election of scna-
tors by popular vote is the special or
der for Monday, Dec. II, at o'clock.
Other special orders are senate bill to
prevent the desecration of the nation
al flag. house bill to prevent the exter-
mination of the fur-bearing seals of
Alaska, and house bill to reduce the
cases in which the penalty of death
may be inflicted.
ApropoS of our relations with Spain,
1t may be stated that the comDrehen-
sive fortitications bill of Senator Squire
appropriating $l00000,000 for defens, $
is still on the calendar; also Mr.. Hale's
bill authorizing the secretary of the
navy to enlist additional men, which
was amended and passed, and since
May 20 has been pending on a motion
to reconsider: q bill for the establish
ment of a light house on Swan island,
in the Caribbean sea. belonging to the
United States, and the bill to construct
a dry dock at Key West
AS elsewhere stated, the stringent
concurrent resolution of Senator Da-
Wis relative to the enforcement and as
sertion Of the Monroe doctrine. which
was called out b. the attitude of Great
Britain towards Venezuela still re-
mains upon the calendar and can be
called w at any time for considera-
ton.
THE DINGLEY BILL
The Dingley bill is still on the calen-
dar having been reported to the senate
with the tariff features eliminated and
free coinage rider attached, Feb. 4
last. 1t will be in order to move to- take
the bill up and put 1t upon its passage
or to recomit either with or without
instructions.
This bill passed the house Dec &c last
and was intended to make temporary
provision for meeting the expenses of
the government. its provisions being
limited. The first two sections i'm
posed a duty on raw wool equivalent to
60 per cent. of the duties of the Nc
Kinley act and similar duty upon all
manufactures of wool: also duty of
60 per cent. on lumber and its manu-
factures. The last section provides
for a horizontal advance of 10 per cent.
on the Wilson law in all its sections
except wool and lumber. as indicated
above, and on sugar, which was not
touched. A provsO stiplated that
these additional duties should, in no
case, increase the rate of duty on any
article beyond the rate of the Mckin-
ley act. In such case the Mckinley
rate is to prevail.
There is also on the calendar COM
prehensive measure involving a thor
ough revision of the navigation laws
under the title of a bill to amend the
laws relating to navigation. The state
hood bills for the territories of New
Mexico and Arizona will also lead to
some debate. as will also the bill to es
tablish a uniform system of bank
ruptcy, reported by Mr.. Teller.
The proposition to refund the Pacific
railroad debt, reported by Mr. Hoar
April II last. after protracted hear
ing, is an important measure that will
be antagonized by Mr.. Morgan and 9TH
ers under his lead
HAWAII GHOST LOOMS UP.
Our relations with Hawaii will again
assume importance when Mr. FRYE
calls up the bill to facilitate the con-
struction of a cable between the Unit
ed States and the Hawaiian islands. a
bill that is on the calendar and which
will probably be pushed during the
short session. The railroad pooling
bill is still in committee. but a meas
ure of Importance to shippers now on
the calendar Is the bill directing the
interstate commerce commission to
prepare a uniform freight classifica-
ton. II Is doubtful whether Mr.. Nor
gan will seek during the few weeks this
session will be convened, to call up the
Nicaraguan canal bill. The probabili-
ties are that he will be content to let it
rest until the Fifty fifth congress. on
the calendar are thirty-four house and
twenty-five senate pension bills. which
will probably be passed at an early
day.
Taken altogether there is abundance
of work upon which the senate can la
Dor while the house is getting the an