Evening journal., 1896-12-07
he S0LONS ASSEMBLE
eginning of the End of the
Fifty-fcurth Congress.
LBSTY OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

z no HirSt Week-The DineIey Bul Not
o BE Passed-Prospects Of the Fifty
ifth Congress.
81 W AsHINGToN, Dec. z. The senate and
mouse OF representatives convened to-
81 lor the second session of the Fifty
" irth congress. After the usual opening
S nlanties both branches listened with
" 'rked attention and interest to the read
II OF President Cleveland's annual mes
nc, which is q document of quite nm
lal length, treating comprehensivelv
IN detail the various questions involved
v our foreign relations and domestic
81 airs.
Mlhe first week of the session is not ex-
Z ted to be productive of important re.
q is in a legislative way. There are many
ators who think that but little or moth.
h, should be done beyond the PASSAGE of
e appropriation bills at this session and
these measures necessarily originate in
house there will be disposition 10
II tpone TIE season of activity until Soma
these bills can be received from the
Il er end of the capitol. The probabilities
that the daily sessions at the begin
Il g VIII be comparatively brief and that
senate will content itself with four
s work each week.
Wide Range of Material.
he calendar presents a wide range of
81 terial for consideration in case the sen
81 shows a disposition to busy itself. In
Hs is included the immigration bill,
& ich is the unfinished business, " the
n ,iflc railroad refunding bill, the state
s u bills and the Dingley tariff and bond
s, as well as the Cuban and Hawaiian
,stion. Senators Lodge and Chandler
& e announced their determination to
ss the immigration bill to vote as
edily as they can. 1t will be the first
ular business to be taken up and can
be displaced except by vote or unani
4us consent. They hope TO get the bill
<ough before the holidays. 1t is also
E sible that the presidents message may
& gest subjects for speeches, and there
those who predict that the Cuban ques-
will receive vigorous attention from
beginning of the session.
81 is generally agreed that the Republic
u will hold caucus to determine upon
+ ne of policy, especially with reference
he tariff, and until after the exchange
Jews, which this conference will permit,
step is likely to be taken which will
unit the party to any position on any
'stion Of political significance.
Regular Appropriation Bills.
The opening week promises to see the
s lse put its shoulder to the wheel of the
+ /ular appropriation bills. Chairman
Nlnon and the committee on appropria-
+ rs were at work all last week, and It Is
ir earnest intention to pass two, and
& sibly three, of the bills before Christ
5 holidays The pension and legisla-
+ 3 appropriation bills are about ready
I work on one or the other of these will
begun in the house before the week
ses The pension bill, although it car
a larger amount of money than any
he other supply bills, is very brief, and
less some political discussion is precipi-
ed is not likely to consume much time
its consideration. Beyond those two
Is nothing is in sight at present IL is
course not unlikely that the committee
rules will provide something for the
lse 20 do in case the committee on APP
4 lpriations is not prepared to go ahead
th either Of these appropriation bills.
q course of the legislation, so far as the
portant measures on the calendar is
icerned, like the Pacific railroad fund
( bill, the Nicaragua canal bill, etc,
. u lee determined entirely by the rules
+ mmittcc.
The Mex Administration.
f There is comparatively small interest in
work of the coming session itself apart
+ ~ the Presidents message, but clouds
speculation arc ahoat dealing with the
\ .c.cs oi the new administration to be
|'uVuratei on the 4th of March and with
e personnel of the cabinet 1t is Unani-
I 1usly conceded that the Republican pro-
ammo was to ignore the Dinglcy tariff
and to summon an extra session Of
q Fifty fifth congress, for the 18th Of
rch, for the purpose of passing a now
( Irif measure, so these features of the sit
,tion, which have absorbed the attention
the politicians recently, had ceased to
, Of interest.
One of the central figures here is Mr..
ARGUS A. Hanna, who is looked upon as
advance agent Of the Mckinley admin
tration, with a commission to feel tho
llse of congress and to communicate the
,licy of the president elect TO the lend
s. When Mr. Hanna appeared in the
bby of the hotel after dinner, accompa-
ed by c. p Payne of Wisconsin, who is
ated as cabinet probability; c. j.
awes of Chicago, member of tho Re
lblican committee, and General Horace
crter, the marshal of the inaugural pa
lde, the party was surrounded by con-
ressmen and other politicians, who escort
them to Mr.. Hanna rooms.
Hanna's Visitors.
The Republican chairman was invisible
uring yesterday, trying to put aside poll
cs for Sunday, he explained, but through
at last evening he was heset by visitors
omc Of the most conspicuous men about
ne hotel, most of whom talked with Mr..
anna during the evening, We're Senators
,ett of Connecticut and Aldrich of Rhode
sianu, Chairman Babcock and Vice Chair
ian Mercer Of the hecongressional campaign
ommittee, General Grosvenor of Ohio,
'ongressmen Lacey of Iowa, Gillette Nc
'ormack and Wilson of New York; Foss,
3elknap and Losier of Illinois, Chairman
annon Of tho committee on appropria-
Ions of tho house and Deacon S. Y. White,
be New York fnancier. who served a
erm in congress, and seldom fails to at
end the opening of a session. With most
4 his callers Mr.. Hanna does much listen.
ng and little talking.
Interest in the affairs Of the Hawaiian
epuhlic has been rekindled by the dinner
which was given Saturday night bv ex
Secretary OF State John w. Foster TO Mr.
lama The guests who nu,,barad q