The herald., 1896-12-07
THE SHORT ORI&SSON@CONGRESS WENS1ODAY

ton. 1t is believed that the movement
for annexation is to be brought for
ward again with the advent of the next
administration and it is likely to be one
of the leading questions with which
President Mckinley and the fifty fifth
congress will have to deal with.
IN THE SENATE.
Vice President Stevenson, who is now
in the city, will call the senate to order
at noon Monday. The first day of the
session will be devoted almost entirely
to receiving the presidents message.
provided it is sent in on Monday. as it
is generally conceded it will be. Imme-
diately after the opening prayer COM
mittees will be appointed to notify the
president and house of representatives
that the senate is organized and ready
to receive communications and proceed
with business The senate will then,
in all probability, take recess until it
becomes known whether the president
will send in his message on that day.
If precedents are followed, there will be
an adjournment soon after the receipt
Of the message.
The first week of the session Is not
expected to be productive of important
results in a legislative way. There are
many senators who think that little or
| nothing should be done beyond the pas
sage of the appropriation bills at this
session. and, as these measures must
necessarily originate in the house, there
will be a disposition to postpone the
| season of activity until some Of these
bills can be received from the other end
of the capitol.
The probabilities are that the daily
sessions at the beginning will be compar-
atively brief, and that the senate will
content itself with four days work each
week.
&c xxyt1
of material for consideration, in case
the senate shows disposition to busy
itself. In this are included the immi-
grafton bill, which is the unfinished
business" the Pacific funding bill, the
statehood bills and the Dingley tariff
and bond bills, as well as the Cuban and
Hawaiian questions.
Senators Lodge and Chandler have an
| nounced their determination to press the
immigration bill to a vote as speedily as
they can. 1t will be the first regular
business to be taken up and cannot be
displaced except by vote or unanimous
| consent. They hope to get the bill
through before the holidays. 1t is also
possible that the presidents message
may suggest subjects for speeches, and
there are those who predict that the
Cuban question will receive attention
from the beginning of the session.
1t is generally agreed that the Re-
publicans will hold a caucus to deter
mine upon line of policy, with refer
ence to the tariff, and until after such
exchange of views, no step is likely to be
taken which will commit the party to
any position on any question of political
significance.
IN THE HOUSE.
The opening week promises to see the
house put its shoulder to the wheel
of the regular appropriation bills Chair
man Cannon and the committee on ap-
preparations were at work ali last week,
| and 1t is their earnest intention to pass
two and possibly three of the bills before
| the Christmas holidays. The pension
and legislative appropriation bills are
about ready, and work on one or the 9TH
er of these viii be begun in the house
+, before the week closes. The pension
bill, although it carries larger amount
of money than any of the other supply
bills. is very brief and unless some po-
lttical discussion Is precipitated, is not
likely to consume much time in it's con-
sideration.
Beyond these two bills, nothing is in
sight present. 1t Is, of course not un-
likely that the committee on rules will
provide something for the house to do
in case the committee on appropriations
is prepared to go ahead with others of
the appropriation bills. The course of
legislation, so far as the important
measures on the calendar are concerned,
like the Pacific railroad funding bill, the
Nicaraguan canal bill. etc, will be de-
ternined entirely by the rules commit
| tee. But 1t Is safe to assumes that moth
ing will be allowed to block the appro-
priation bills, as they are reported for
action.
Tomorrow, the opening day. will prob
ably be devoted entirely to the reading
/ of the presidents message