The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-30
CONGRESS NEXT WEEK
FINAL SESSION OF THE PRESENT
BODY TO BEGIN DEC. 2.
Nearly 800 Bills on the Calendars of
the HOuse-Little Probability
that Many VIII Pass.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-It is not prob
able that the House at the coming session
or Congress, which begins week from to-
morrow, can dispose of much of the pro-
posed legislation which incumbers its
calendars. Little Is usually accomplished
at the short session beyond the passage of
the regular supply bills. Still, the House
with its instrumentalities for the expedi-
ton or business, can accomplish a great
deal In brief time. The question Of legis-
lation for additional revenues for the gov
ernment will depend on the Senate. IN
which body the House sent the Dingley bin
almost year ago. Should it be impossible
or be deemed inexpedient to press that
measure through the Senate there is. of
course, possibility that the proposal to
increase the revenues by an additional tax
on beer or the imposition of a duty on tea
coffee, etc.. may take tangible form. and If
so, such legislation must originate, under
the Constitution, in the lower branch of
Congress.
There are on the several calendars of the
House Lass bills reported from the various
committees, and the proportion that will
pass at the coming session must be neces-
sar1ly almost infinitessimal. Most of them
are, OF course, private bills (of which there
are 1,lOO), but there are also 256 bills on the
calendar on the state OF the Union and
ninety-nine public bills on the regular
House calendar. Some of these are of very
great public Importance and those inter-
ested will no doubt do all in their power to
secure action upon them. The powers
lodged in the hands of the committee on
rules, which give the members of that
committee control of the House pro-
gramme, will make that committee the
practical arbiter of what shall be SUBJ
mitted to the House for its action That
committee Is composed, as at present con-
stituted, OF the speaker, 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 COMMITTEES.
which must be filled by the speaker The
| names principally mentioned in connection
| with the vacancy are Mr.. Bailey of Texas.
Mr.. Catchings of Mississippi. Mr. Turner
OF Georgia, Mr. Richardson of Tennessee {,
| and Mr.. Dockery Of Missouri.
The bill which in many respects Is
| fraught at this time with most interest and
| which will press hardest for consideration
Is the Pacific railroad funding BILL The
| payable early in the coming year, and
either an extension or a foreclosure stares
the roads in the face. For eight years
/ of the attention Of Congress. The present
\ bill. of which Mr.. Powers. of Virginia is
the author. was reported shortly before the
II
| be done by those interested in 1t to secure
| consideration. The friends of the Mica
ragua canal are also bending every energy
| to secure action on the bill reported by
| Mr.. Doolittle. which provides for a guaran-
tee by the United States of 800. 900 600 OF
Dbonds for the construction of the canal
| The war claims committee. which showed
1 fight on several occasions at the last ses-
1 sion. promises to renew its aggressive
ness this winter. especially for the passage
| OF the claims awarded under the Bowman
| act and the French spoliation claims
| These claims, the former amounting tC
t5S and the @ latter r, to s. 50s 1876 We're put
as rider by the Senate. but the bill was
vetoed by the President and they were
| then dropped Mr.. Mahon, who is chair
| man of the war claims committee. will also
press the Pennsylvania border claims
| which have been pending in Congress fol
| years.
The Loud bill to cure the abuses of the
| law relating TO second-class mail matter
by which newspaper matter is transmitted
| at l cent per pound, and which has beer
| the subject of much criticism of the Post
| office Department because of the advantag,
taken of the law in various ways for tn,
transmission of books and pamphlets. viii
also be pressed. as will the Pickler servc,
pension bill. WI ich occupeS favorabl,
position on the calendar as privileged re
| port Among the other bills are the Wads
worth bill for the creation OF "A bureau o
animal industry. for the inspection of mea
and the regulation OF the trahnI,ssportation ton Q
ering bill for ascertaining the feasibilit.
and cost of a ship canal from the grea
lakes to the Hudson. several importan
sion of the Territories and many others o
especial interest to particular localities
There are also several important measure
i'm the Senate which might come over Il
the House for consideration.
New Secretary for Pnuncefotc.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 20. = Embassado
Pauncefote has been officially notified o
the appointment of Mr.. Maurice De Bun
sen as secretary of the British embassy a
| this capital. The secretary has seel
distinguished diplomatic service in a mum
| ber OF capitals in Europe and the Orient
| and he succeeds Viscount Cough. the pres
| ent secretary. who will go 10 Germany
| The latter Is now absent from the city.
Coal Coming Down the Ohio.
| PITTSBURG. Pa, Nov. 29-The rive
| reached boating stage to-day and some
thing over four million bushels of coal wa