The herald., 1896-12-21
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST
Two Days of Work Before
the Holidays
THE CUBAN RESOLUTION
Is Likely TO Occupy the Time in
the Senate
Deserving Congressman Leave No
Quorum In the House-All Business
Will Require Unanimous Consent
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON. Dec. 20.--The senate
will be in session only two days this
week, and comparatively little will be
accomplished in this time. Ordinarily a
quorum would not be present with the
holidays SO near, but interest in the
Cuban question will have the effect Of
attracting a good attendance tomorrow
when the Cuban resolution as agreed
to by the foreign relations committee
will be reported to the senate. The re-
port will be written and is quite volum-
inous. Whether its presentation will be
used as a pretext for discussing the
Cuban question at this time is as yet
uncertain. 1t is contrary to the policy
Of the committee on foreign relations
to have the matter discussed Drevious to
the holidays, but it is possible that some
senators, not members of the commit
tee, may be fain to express their opin-
ions at this time. There is, however, no
probability of any effort to secure actor
on the resolutions now.
Senator Pettigrew's free homestead
bill Is the unfinished business on the
senate calendar, and the senator Will
make a strong effort to secure its pas
sage before the adjournment for the
holidays Tuesday. Mr.. Pettigrew feels
confident of success by large majority,
and says that he will not require more
than an hour to get It through when
consideration Is once begun. Senator
Platt and some other eastern senators
are opposed to the bill.
Senator Gear will make an effort to
get up his bill authorizing the settle
ment of the Sioux City and Pacific debt,
but his success in this will depend upon
the disposition OF the free homestead
bill.
IN THE HOUSE
WASHINGTON, Dec 20-The house
will adjourn on Tuesday for the holiday
recess and as members are leaving by
every train, it Is very doubtful whether
quorum will be present again until
after the holidays. This being the case,
Whatever Is done will have to be done
practically by unanimous consent. The
legislative, executive and judicial ap-
preparation bill Is still unfinished. This
bill and the bill for the maintenance of
the military academy, the leaders hope
to pass before the recess. The only
thing which may stand in the way Of
carrying out this program will be the
fight which the library committee will
wage against the provision relative to
the library in the legislative bill. The
library committee agreed on bill for
the future government of the library
They will seek to have the house adopt
this as an amendment to the legislative
bill, but as point Of order will be made
against 1t, there seems to be no chance
of it's adoption. They can then of course
II they so desire, retaliate in case a
quorum is not present and prevent the
passage of the bill. The provision in
the Bill will retain Mr.. Spofford as IL
brarian and increase his salary from
$4,000 to $4,000. Their provisions abolish
the position Of librarian and create a
director of the library at $4,000. Tomor-
row, under the rules, is suspension day,
but 1t Is probable that the appropria ton
bills Will consume the session.
LEGISLATION DESIRED
CINCINNATI. O.. Dec. 2O.-Among
the subjects that will be presented be-
fore the national board of trade by the
delegation from the Cincinnati chamber
OF commerce are recommendations fav-
oring uniform freight classification, re-
vision of the tariff, retirement Of the
greenbacks, reduction Of the tax of bank
notes to one-half of one per cent, in
crease Of circulation of national banks
to par value Of bonds deposited, estab.
lishment of q national clearing house.
issue of no bank notes for less than IS
after July, 1885, international bimetal-
lism. discontinuance of the sub-treas-
ury system, extension of the Torrens
system, Improvement Of the inter-
ior waterways, adoption by all nations
OF a monetary unit Of a common value
and the establishment Of department
OF commerce and manufactures.