, 1896-11-30
WORK OF CONGRESS-.
SPECULATION AS TO THE PAS
SAGE OF BILLS AT THE
SHORT SESSION.
It May Be That Congress Will Con-
slider a Tax on Beer Advisable
The Pacific Funding Bill VIII
Press Hardest for Consideration
Postal Matters Demand Attention.

Press Hardest for Consideration
Postal Matters Demand Attention.
Washington, d. c.. Nov. 29.-It is
not probable that the house, at the
coming session of congress. which be-
gins a week from tomorrow. can dis
pose of much of the proposed legisla-
ton which enCumbers its calendars.
Little is usually accomplished at the
short session beyond the passage OF
the regular supply bills. Still the
house. with its instrumentalities fer
the expedition of business, can accom-
plish a great deal in a brief time. The
question of additional revenues for the
government will depend on the SEN
ate, to which body the house sent the
Dingley bill almost a year ago. Should
it be impossible, or be deemed ineSpedi-
ent. to press that measure through the
senate, there is, of course, a possibility
that the proposal to increase the reve
nues by an additional tax on beer OF
tit llhtoslllSH Va " - '' ''"' ''N
etc, may take tangible form, and if so
| much legislation must originate, under
constitution, in the lower branch CT
congress.
There are on the several calendars
of the house, 1.465 bills reported from
/ the various committees and the pro
portion which will pass at the coming
session must be, necessarily. almost
infinitesimal. Most of them are, of
course. private bills (of which there
are 1.1OO). but there are also 25G bills
on the calendar on the state Of the un>
ion and 80 public bills on the regular
very great public importance. and
those interested will no doubt do IN
in their power to secure action upon
them. The power lodged in the hands
OF the committee on rules. which gives
the members of hat committee control
of the house program, will make that
committee practically arbiter of what
shall be submitted to the house for its
d'llOH. lHdL committee Is CUlllpUStu
ss at present constituted, of the speak
err. Mr.. Henderson of Iowa. Mr.. Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, and Mr.. McMillin OF
Tennessee. The death of ex-Speaker
Crisp creates a vacancy at the head Of
the minority of the committee, which
must be filled by the speaker. The
names principally mentioned in con-
Iection with the vacancy are Mr.. Bail
ey of Texas. Mr.. Catchings Of Missis,
sippi, Mr.. Turner of Georgia. Mr..
Richardson Of Tennessee and Mr..
Dockery of Missouri.
The bill which. in many respects, is
fraught this time with most interest
and which will press hardest for con-
sideration, is the Pacific funding bill.
The bonds guaranteed by the govern
ment are payable early in the coming
year and either an extension for or a
foreclosure stare the road in the face
For eight years funding bills have oc,
cupied a good share of the attention
OF congress. The present bill, of which
Mr.. Powers of Virginia is the author,
was reported shortly before the close
of the last session. Everything will be
done by those interested in it to secure
consideration.
The friends of the Nicaragua canal
are also bending every energy to Sc
cure action on the bill reported by Mr..
Doolittle, which provides for a guar
antee by the United States Of 800, OOO,-
900 of bonds for the construction of
the canal. The war claims committee,
which showed fight on several occa-
sions at the last session, promises tot
renew their aggressiyeness this win
ter, especially for the passage of the
claims awarded under the Bowman
act and he French spoliation claims.
Mr.. Mahon, who is chairman of the
war claims committee, will also press
the Pennsylvania border claims, which
have been pending in congress for
years.
The Loud bill, to cure the abuses OF
the law relating to second-class mail
matter. of which newspaper matter is
submitted at l cent per pound, and
which has been the subject of much
criticism of the postoffice department,
because Of the advantage taken OF the
law in various ways for the transmits
sion of books and pamphlets, will also
be pressed, as will the Picker bill
which occupies a favorable position on
the calendar as a privileged report.
There are also bills for ascertaining
the advisability of a canal from the
lakes to the Hudson, immigration.
public land bills, the admission Of the
territories. the bill for the inspection
OF meat and regulation of transporta-
ton Of live stock, and senate bills that
might come over to the house for o
s~ideration.-
NRpTp(E AJTRnEP