Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-12-07
TILE mEnrMG oE CONGRESS-.

The second session of the fifty-fourth
congress will begin ut noon today.
While the session promises to be inter-
ssting. there is not much reason to eX-
pect any important results from it be-
yOnd the passage of appropriation bills.
The question of paramount concern Is
that of providing for more revenue and
the indicat tons are that no measure Tor
this purpose can pass. 1t appears to be
almost assured that the emergency bill
passed by the house at the first session
and now on the calendar of the senate
will encounter the same hostility that
prevented action on it by the senate,
should the republicans decide to urge
it's consideration. 1t is possible that
few sound money democrats may be
found willing to give it their support
and also that some of the silver repub-
leans will be disposed TO favor it, but
it is not doubted that the opposition will
be strong enough TO defeat it, 1t seems
to be the fixed purpose of the house
republican leaders not to frame new
revenue BILL so that if the senate should
| it came from the house. or one based
on it, there will be no revenue legisla
ton at this session. There is diversity
of opinion among republicans as to
whether there should be any, the judg-
ment of many being that the matter
had better be deferred to the next con-
gress. which it is understood will be
called in extraordinary session imme-
dately after the induction of the new
administration. A caucus of republic
ans will be held ut once to determine
what course shall be pursued.
There is another measure that passed
the house at the first session which may
be heard of at the present session. This
is the bill relating to bond issues and
authorizing the secretary of the treas
ury to issue certificates of indebtedness
to provide temporarily for deficiencies.
The senate substituted for this meas
ure n bill for the free coinage of silver,
which the house by n large majority re-
fused to concur in, but did not ask for
conference committee. 1t may now
ask for such committee and in that
case it is possible that legislation can
be had under which the secretary of the
treasury can issue certificates of in
debtedness to n limited amount, bearing
low rate of interest, 10 meet dciicien-
cies. If revenue legislation is to be post
poned until it can be provided by the
next congress, the eXpedient of issuing
certificates of Indebtedness may be
necessary to avert another sale of bonds
and for this reason 1t is likely to have
the support of the republicans in con
greSs. 1t should also be favored by the
sound money democrats, since it has
the recommendation of the secretary of
the treasury in his last annual report
But this also would undoubtedly be
persistently antagoniZed by the free
silver senator's, so that the passage of
such legislation cannot be regarded as
ut all probable.
There is abundant work already cut
out in pending measures, to keep both
houses busy. The house committee on
appropriations has been at work on ap-
preparation bills for "A week or more
past, so that il is probable the house
will be able to dispose of these bills
earlier in the session than usual In
the meanwhile the senate can devote its
attention to some of the numerous meas
ures of more or less importance on its
calendar. The outlook is. however, that
little will be done beyond voting the APP
preparations necessary to keep the ma
chinery of the government in operation.