The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-08
An Immense Amount of Work,
but Little Practical Good
Accomplished.
UNSAFE" MEASURES SLEEP
The Bill to Liquidate the Pacific Rail-
ROAD Indebtedness Am ong the
Number.

Still, conditions are such that hitch
might occur at any moment which would
protract the session for another week.
This, however. while possible contin-
gency, is not expected.
The business OF the Senate depends en-
tirely upon the Roadway made with con-
ference reports. Several OF the appropria-
.tion bills are to be disposed of, as follows,
Indian bill, on which the House refused
to act favorably on the conference agreed
to in the Senate the postotfice bill, the re-
port on which was agreed to in the House
Saturday and will be accepted by the SEN
ate tomorrow; the naval bill, which will
doubtless be disposed of speedily to-mer-
row morning, as the oonferees have al
ready formulated compromise which
they believe will be acceptable to both
houses; the spndry civil bill, upon which
the House and Senate seem to be dead
locked over the appropriations for public
buildings inserted by the Senate. and the
district bill, numerous items of which are
still in dispute. 1t is confidently expected,
however, that all of these will be out of
the way within the next forty-eight hours.
The new deficiency bill, which passed
the House Saturday, will be rushed
through the Senate tomorrow with all
possible speed, it being the intention of
the committee to move to lay on the table
any amendments that may be offered, so
that the bill will pass as it comes from the
House. The motion to lay on the table is
the only motion the Senate has, under the
rules, to cut all debate. and it will be APP
pealed to literally when this measure
comes up.
The immigration bill is the unfinished
business, and Lodge will call it up to-
morrow for consideration should an open
ing present itself.
Hill, who has charge of the contempt of
court bill, a piece OF legislation growing
out of the Dehs case, is also anxious for
consideration, and may lock horns with
Lodge for the right of way.
Gear will seek to fix day during the
next session when the Pacific Railroad re-
funding acts shall be taken up, In this he
may succeed, as both friends and oppo-
nents believe that this subject should be
settled one way or the other.
Ali of these and other matters that may
come before the Senate will teLd to make
the next few days exceedingly busy ones,
and if Allen. chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations, carries out his vieiously
expressed intention OF not reporting the
adjournment resolution until all the an
preparation bills have gone to the Presi-
dent, there may be ample time to discuss
several things upon which Senators desire
to speak. The course OF business is, there
fore, uncertain and the forecast is largely
coniectural.
The first session of the Fifty-fourth Con-
gress, now in its closing hours, ENJOYS the
distinction OF being the shortest "long''
session for period OF thirty years.
a Senate passively indifferent In some
instances and in others actively hostile,
and an executive not in sympathy with
the Repu blican party policies, are the
reasons assigned by the House leaders for
the paucity of National legislation. Oh
the measures which become laws, the most
important from an international stand
point was the bill creating the commits
sion "to determine the true divisional line
between Venezuela and British Guiana. "
OF scarcely less general interest were the
bills prohibiting prize-fighting in the Ter
ritories, permitting appointments in the
officers who served i'll the Rebellion, and
making one years residence in Territory
prerequisite to obtaining a divorce there,
Excepting these, however, the remain
der of the 225 bills and resolutions which
received the Presidents approval were not
of character to deserve extended mem
ton. The more important were the bills
| incorporating the National Society of the
Daughters of the Revolution, opening the
forest reservations in Colorado for the
| location OF mining claims. regulating proof
OF death in pension cases, providing for a
naval training school in San francisco
harbor, making it unlawful to shoot at any
railway train or any person thereon or tc
throw missiles into such train, and repeal
ing clause 81 OF the tariff law, providing
for rebate on alcohol used in the arts.
| 1t the session, however, be conspicuous
by reason of its brevity and the limited
number of important laws enacted it re
suited IN the introduction of larger nun
Der OF bills In the House than during any
similar period for quarter OF century
The total number of bills introduced dur
ing the entire last Congress was 1887, @
which 4405 were introduced the first session
which corresponds to the session nov
| "a q" LIE w q SlOoc, tiiQ III Wi.lCn lnkeSi thS
aggreeate reaches $500. OF these 1900 were
taYorably reported by the committees tC
whom they were referred and scores o
them are likely to be brought to the atten
lion OF the House next winter.
Many members will enjoy degree of in
dependence after the autumn elections
which they have been denied during thu
present year and their influence Will bt
| exerted to call up and pass measures tina
are, now regarded as personally and politi
| cally unsafe
The Nicaragua canal bill is one of these
measures. After many months OF consid
Grafton in committee it received favor
able report in the face of an absolute Ger
tainty that it would not be taken VI
during the present session.
The bill to liquidate the Indebtedness Q
the Pacific railways to the Government
another far.reaching measure which /
also upon the calendar with favorable re
port, but which, for prudential reasons
Will continue to slumber there.
Others are the service pension bill, re
ported by the Invalid Pensions Commit
tee; the Arizona, New Mexico and Okla