The herald., 1897-12-05
md the country would be oil the better

u"u tHe country would De oil tne Dettel
for 1t.
"And yet" continued General Hen.
derson, STRONG resistance will undoubt.
edly be offered to the enactment of sucf
legislation and no man ought now to at.
tempt to predict what the outcome may
be, so far as the coming session is con-
cerned. The most dare say is that
| my hope is strong"
Representative Mercer of Nebraska
VINO Is chairman of the House Committee
on Public Buildings and Grounds, agrees
with General Henderson as to the de-
STABILITY of bankruptcy legislation. In
conversation with a Tribune correspond
ept, Mr.. Mercer said:
1T Is absolutely necessary, in my opin-
Ion, that bankruptcy law should be en-
acted at the coming session. We have
thousands of men in Nebraska who were
laid flat by the hard times Of the last
three or four years, who will never be
able Ito regain their feet, financially
speaking. until such law is passed. If
they were released from the burden OF
Indebtedness that is keeping them down
they would at once re-engage in the ac-
tivities of business and not only be shar-
ers In but contributors to the prosperity
which the Dingley law is restoring to
the country. "A good bankruptcy law
would be fairly supplementary to the
new tariff, because it would add to the
Influences at work in behalf Of the ma
tional prosperity"
Chairman Cannon Of the House Appro-
priations Committee was found in his
committee room. In reply to q ques-
tion as to whether the people in his part
of the country are in favor of bank
ruptcy legislation at the coming session
Mr.. Cannon said:
mo, not in the country districts. There
is considerable feeling in favor Of it in
Chicago, and also considerable opposi-
tion to it, I understand. 1t might per-
haps be a good thing to have voluntary
bankruptcy law, to expire by limitation
six months after it's enactment"
CURRENCY QUESTIONS
what do you think of the prospect of
currency legislation?" asked the corre-
spondent
ooh, what's the use Of talking about
that in the face of the condition of affairs
in the Senate? Why if the House should
pass a currency bill the Senate would
probably strike out everything after
the enacting clause and send us a free
coinage bill. What's the matter with
the currency, anyhow, if we can collect
revenue enough to pay the current eX-
penses of the government and have lit
tie left? So far as the retirement of the
greenbacks is concerned do not believe
that bill containing that provision
could pass the House."
"Then why not let we'll enough alone 2"
"We've got to fight the free silver
battle over again in 1900 and we had bet
ter prepare for it,"
"What about appropriations? ?" Chair
man Cannon was asked.
"Well, If we keep the driftwood out of
the appropriations 1 guess we should
manage to get along, but I do not sec
how great reductions can be made. We
cannot cut down the appropriations for
pensions. AS the country grows in pop
ulation, the cost of the postal service ma
turally and necessarily increases. The
expenses of the military and naval es-
Establishments cannot be very we'll re-
duced. We will be obliged to pay $40, 0OO,-
900 year for the next two years on con-
tracts already made for river and har-
Dor improvements and so on. The fact
is, the country is growing and for tha
simple reason the multifarious expenses
of the government are also growing
Thta's all there is to it,
Be-" THE LATE ARRIVALS
Speaker Reed was at the capitol to-
day, greeting the incoming members and
talking over the prospects Of the ap-
preaching session. ~ T.
= Senator Davis of Minnesota, chairman
of the senate ,comrNittee on foreign re-
lations, was among theieongressional ar
rivals today. He stated that the Ha-
waiian annexation treaty would be
taken up by the senate next Tuesday
and be considered thereafter in executive
session.
Chairman Dingley Of the ways and
means committee was among the ar
rivals today. After comforting with
Chairman Cannon of the city committee
on appropriations, the general program
of the opening day of the house was
mapped out Mr.. Dfngley was informed
that the two appropriation bills-pen-
sions and legislative, executive and ju-
dicial, were practically completed. 1t
was determined, therefore. to take these
up at the outset. When they are out of
the way it is probable that the bank
ruptcy legislation will have hearing.
Representative Bailey, the Democratic
leader on the floor of the house, arrived
today. He preferred to wait for the
message before expressing
his views on leading topics. On Cuba,
however, he said that while he would
not venture to say what the house would
do, in his opinion, it ought to pass reso-
luton granting recognition to the Gu
bans as belligerents, and placing them
on the same footing as the Spaniards.