The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07
CONGRESS- This WEEK.
Members Will Listen to the Presi.
dents Message
AND EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS
and CONDOLENCE.

The Immigrants Exclusion Act the First
on the Programme-some Details of
the Measure-Other Postponed Lsgisla-
tion.
Washington, Decem ber Git is not
likely that anything will be done In
either House of Congress tomorrow ex-
cept tn exchange congratulations or con-
dolences rs the case may be, over the re-
suits of the elections and listen to the
Presidents message.
When the last session closed the House
immigration bill had and now has. the
right OF way in the Senate. 1t is uu-
finished business and will be called up
pro forma at the expiration Of the morn
ing hour, two O'Clock.
Although known as a House bill on
the calendar, as reported to the Senate by
Mr.. Lodge it is materially different
measure, all House provisions having
been stricken out except the enactinR
clause and new bill substituted. This
bill will be called up Tuesday by Sena-
tors Lodge and Chandler, who desire to
push it to a vote as quickly as possible
AS the bill came from the House. it
provided not only for the exclusion of
immigrants who could not fill the educa-
tional test, and went at some length into
the regulation of alien contract labor.
Mr. Lodges substitute provides for an
educational test and excludes all persons
over fourteen years who cannot read and
write the language of their native
country or some other language except
an aged person not so able: who Is
parent or grandparent of an admissible
immigrant, may accompany or pe sent
by such Immigrant. For the purpose Of
establishing the ability of an immigrant
to read and write, citation of five lines
from the Constitution of the United
States is to he used, printed in the
various languages of the immigrants In
good sized readable type, known as
double small plea.
The Constitution, thus cut into five
line slips, forms lottery from which the
Immigrant having designated the lan-
guage in which he prefers thestest to be
made draws ut random, reads and writes
down what he has read. Failure to com-
ply with this test means deportation to
the country whence the Immigrant came
Mt the expense of the steamship company
carrying him.
An effort will be made to secure new
dates for the consideration Of special
orders that were not reached during the
last session. These measures now coming
under this preferred head are Sennte bill
1912. to prevent the desecration Of the
national flag; House bill 1906, to amend
the act to prevent the determination of
the fur bearing animals of Alaska;
House bill a78, to reduce cases In which
penalty of death may be inflicted: Senate
joint resolution proposing an amendment
to the Constitution providing for the
election Of Senators by popular votes.
An important local bill on which there
hss developed bitter fight is the Detroit
Bridge bill for bridge across the Detroit
river 1t was postponed at the last session
until the first Monday in December.
In addition to the appropriation bills
there are several measures that will con-
tend with each other for the right of
way. Prominent among these are the
bills to refund the Pacific railroad debt !;
to admit the territories of New Mexico
and Arizona; authorizing the Secretary
of the.Navy to enlist additional men now
pending in the Senate on motion TO re-
consiner the vote by which it was passed: !:
Mr.. Davis's resolution relative to tho as
sartion and enforcement of the Monroe
tion of the cable between this country
and the Republic Of Hawaii; providing
for uniform classifi cation and grading of
agricultural products, and one providing
for the reorganization of the consular
and diplomatic seryice.
In the House OF Representatives there
will be the swearing in of two new NOM
bers to first engage the attention ut
Speaker Reed, and the House, Messrs.
Boatner of Louisiana and Stokes of
South Carolina. These gentlemen enjoy
the very unusual distinction Of having
twice received certificates Of election
to one Congress.
At the last session their seats were do
cIared vacant, but the contestants did
not suooesd in establishing their rights
ther,to, and new elections were ordered
to fill the vacancies. Since Congress ad-
iourned another vacancy occurred, that
ocoasionsd by the death of ex-Speaker
Crisp. His son, who was his father 3
clerk, has been nominated to I'LL the un-
expired term. The election will not be
held until the 10Th.
The death of the late ex-Spsaker Crisp
will probably be announced by one of his
former colleagues and after the reading
of the Presidents message tho House
will adjourn in his honor.
Mr.. Blue, chairman Of the sub-co
mittes. of the committee on appropria-
tions. at suitable opportunity will re-
port the general pension bill to the