The San Francisco call., 1897-04-12
The Senate Dallying With
Three General Appro-
priation Bills.
Arbitration Treaty May Be Per.
mitted to Die a Peaceful
Death.
House Standing Com mittee Vacancies
to Be Filled When the Tariff Is
Disposed Of

WASHINGTON, D. c.. April 1l.-Be'
yond the consideration of the three gen.
eral appropriation bills-the agricultural
Indian and sundry civil-there appears to
be no definite programme in the Senate
for the week. Even these may not be
discussed, as Chairman Allison of the
Appropriations Com mittee finds all his
time occupied with the sub committee on
the tariff bill. While the appropriations
carried by these bills. which failed to be-
come laws last Congress because of Cleve-
lands refusal to sign them, will not be
necessary until the beginning of the next
fiscal year, yet the Repu blican leaders are
anxious to get them out of the way before
the tariff bill is taken up. They should
occasion very little debate, however, be-
ing practically in the same shape as
passed last session.
The bankruptcy bill remains unfinished
business, and debate on this measure will
fill any time after the morning hour each
day that may hang heavily on the Senate.
1t will not be considered very seriously,
however, as there is q general disposition
action upon almost every thing except ap-
committees are filled.
The Republican steering committee is
greatly encouraged with the progress
made in this work, and claim that their
plan of making up the com mmittees will
succeed, Notwithstanding the efforts to
combine the Democrats, the free-ailver
Republicans and Popu!ists in opposition.
The general treaty of arbitration with
Great Britain may be taken up again at
any time, though its friends are not over
confident OF its passage and may, if they
cannot command the necessary two-thirds
majority, allow it to die the most peaceful
death possible 1t has remained in a
comatose condition all the week, owing to
the absence of several Senators who are
opposed to the conven ton, and great fl
Guilty is experienced in arranging their
pairs, it being necessary to pair each Sem
ator in the negative against two in favor.
Until this tangle is straig htened out there
will be no vote on the treaty. The instru-
ment has passed the amendment stage,
and any speeches yet to follow must be
directly upon the treaty itself.
Thurston of Nebraska, according to pre-
vious notice, will on Tuesday continue his
I6m6ChS Oh tue FORECLOSURE OF the mort
gage against the Union Pacific.
There is not apt to be any change this
week in the present programme of the
Republican majority of the House, which
is to meet on Wednesday and Saturday
only and adjourn without transacting
any business. 1t was thought that Secre-
tary Longs communication on Saturday
regarding his inability to procure armor
for the new battle-ships, as the price
fixed by law might induce the managers
to deyiate from their announced policy so
far as to permit the House TO do some
thing 10 relieve the SscretaIys EN- barrass-
ment, but as the reduction in the price of
armor from $500 to $500 per ton was an
original Senate proposition the House
will probably await the action OF that body
in the matter. Long will send a COPY of
his recommendation to the Senate to-
morrow. Should the Senate before the
end OF the week dispose OF any of the
three great appropriation bills now on
the calendar the House will promptly
send them 10 the President, as what few
amendments have been made by the Sem
ate com mittee are unimportant.
A broad intimation was given TODAY
that Speaker Reed would not wait until
Congress reassembles in Decem Der to
name the standing committees of the
House, but that as soon as the tariff bill
was out OF the way they would be an
nounced. With this was coupled the
! statement that some matters might then
! be considered before the extra session,