The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-13
Early Adjournment of Con-
greSS Expected.
All Business Now Practically
Out of the Way.
immigration Question Fails to Bring
About Definite Results.

both houses. and every sign points TO the
fulfllment OF their prophesies. No con-
gress in many years has made the record
for the transaction of routine business
which stands TO the credit Of the present
one, so far as the lower house Is concerned
ut any rate.
With all of the regular appropriation
bills, except two, already passed by the
house, with one of those remaining re-
ported from the committee and likely TO
be passed with only day or two OF debate,
and with the other In process OF prepara-
tion, house leaders are placing the limit Of
this session at June /, allowing, as they
think. sufficient time for the senate to take
care Of tho important bills sent to 1t from
the house.
No other business except the regular ap-
propriations is absolutely necessary to be
done. and although the house may take up
some Of the more pressing Of the general
matters before IL, such as the settlement
of the Pacific railroad debts. the statehood
and bankrnAtoy bills. it Is expected that
many other minor matters will be passed
over In the interest OF an early adjourn
ment
1t seems probable that tho house will
have passed the last OF the appropriation
bills before May l5 or these bills five
the pension, military academy, urgent de-
fciency, diplomatic and consular and
army bills--have been signed by the presi-
dent and are law. The agricultural bill
has been passed by both houses and Is
ready for the presidents signature. The
postoffice bill has been passed by both
houses, but the senate amendments have
not yet been agreed to by the house. and
the legislative. executive and judicial bill
Is also in conference between the two
houses
The Indian bill Is In the senate and the
naval bill Is ready for consideration. The
sundry civil and the river and harbor bills
have been sent to tho senate and referred
to committees In the house the fortiflca-
tions bill stands ready for consideration,
and the last of the list, the general deh-
cheney. is being prepared by the appropri-
ations COMMITTEES There remain, there
fore, but two appropriation bills to be
passed by the house and six for the senate
to act upon.
The senate committee on appropriations
IL well up with it's work on the appropria-
ton bills and the senate is not far behind
its committee. The general opinion that
the appropriation committee can complete
Its work on the bills still to be considered
within three or four weeks time and it Is
possible to finish them by the middle of
May.
There are some who estimate that 10
viii require until June to accomplish
this result. No one puts 1t later With
the appropriation bills ont of the way. 10
will be exceedingly difficult to hold the
senate In session for any purpose. Conse-
Quently, the prevailing opinion in tho sem
nte II that the final adjournment Of the
session will not be far beyond the begin
ming Of the first OF the summer months.
Policy on Immigration.
Republican members of ths house
gathered at the Capitol Saturday night In
tho second caucus OF this congress to de-
tsrmine the party policy on the immigra-
tion question, but because of the failure
= secure quorum no definite action was
taken.
The meeting was chiefly interesting for
8 speech made by Mr.. Dingley Of Maine,
the leader Of the party on the door of the
house. Speaker Reed was not present,
but Mr.. Dipgley spoke, outlining the
vtews On general legislation held by the
leaders Of the house. So far as lie gislation re-
lating TO immigration was concerned, Mr.. !
uipgley's speech did not inspire its friends
with much hope. The general tenor of
his advice was that the Republicans
should use every endeavor to bring about
IN early adjournment Of congress-, to ad-
5ourn, II possible within month, as soon
~ me appropriation bills could be passed
by both houses.
There was considerable general legisla-
tion before congress- Mr.. Dingley ex-
plalned, but much Of IL would have tc be
left undone, and perhaps the immigration
h.
could not be taken up. While he ex-
pressed his personal interest In the i'm.
migration bills. he deprecated q caucus
rule of the house, and recommended that
the order of business be left to the judg-
Snent Of the committee on rules. The pro-
gram OF the coinmittee. as Mr.. Dngley
outlined IL, Is TO take up the Qualifications
bill this week, and follow that with gem
erRl pension and the bankruptcy bills.
When Mr.. Grosvenor called the caucus
70 order, there were 97 members present.
about rs less than a quorum. Nearly an
hour was consumed In discussion OF the
sdvisability OF any action by so small a
number, with the opinion predominating
that no action which would bind the
house could be taken by the meeting.
There also was debate, led by Mr. Payne
Of New York, upon the point whether
party policy did not dictate that the i'm.
migration question DO passed by. 1t was
argued by Mir. Payne that the party plat.
form did not Justify 40 radical step as
the bills before congress proposed-the
platform committing the party TO the ex-
slusion OF crlnipnl and contract iaborers.
Other members discouraged action, on the
ground that the senate could not be de-
pended upon TO endorse any policy inaug-
uratcd by the house.
Two bills we're finally made the bnsis of
discussion--the Mccall BILL for imposing
IN educational test, and tho Stone bill,
for consular examination OF immigrants.
both Of which hive been reported from
the immigration committee.
The two bills were explained by their
sponsors, Messrs. Mccall (Mnss) and w.
a. Stone (Pa.) DIR. Stone suggested
amendments 20 his bill, which would
meet objections urged by Mr.. Bartholdt
that under Us operation many young Ger
mans Of military age, the most dcsirabis
class OF immigrants. would be excluded