The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-04
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST
SUBJECTS WHICH WILL ENGAGE HOUSE AND SENATE THIS WEEK.

Amend the Postal Law and the Pacific Road Bills Will be Disposed of-In the Senate an Attempt Will be Made to Pass
 the Cameron Cuban Resolution. Washington, Jan. 3.-Just before the holiday recess, the house, upon the rec- ommendation of the committee on rules arranged the business of the house for the first week of the new year. On to amend the postal laws so as to pro- hibit the transmission in the mails of serial novel publications and sample copies of newspapers at the second class rate, will be the special order. Discussion under the general rule will continue from immediately after the reading of the journal on Tuesday, the 9th inst, until ? p. m., Wednesday, and under the five-minute rule upon when voting will begin upon pending amendments and the final passage of the bill. When the bill was called Up, rather unexpectedly, several weeks ago, it developed surprising strength, but since then the opposition has been ac- tive, and the chances of its passage are now considered rather doubtful. . | After this bill has been disposed of, the rest of the weell-T thursday, Fri- | 5ox f,,,. 1,o tr, the consideration of the Pacific railroad funding bill, reported by Judge Pow CTS, chairman of the committee on Pacific railroads. Two days will be given to general discussion, and one Eday to debate, and action in committee of the whole upon proposed amend ments. The bill will be reported to the house at o'clock Saturday and the vote on it's passage taken on Monday, the 11th instant, immediately after the reading of the journal. The debate on this measure will doubtless be interests ing, owing to the opposition which ex- ists among members of the house to the action of the majority of the com mittee.
 l The bill proposes to extend the gov- ernment lien over all the physical prop critics of the companies, which 1t is claimed the present lien did not cover, and to substitute for all outstanding obligations a new per cent. mortgage, the government debt to be carried aI 2 per cent. per annum. In addition to 1 this, the Southern Pacific Raliroadl company is required to pay the amount I charged against the Central Pacific company, so long as it remains lessee 4 thereof. The amount of the Union Pacific mortgage will be $54,73l, ,0oO and of the Central Pacific net s52, ,s01 ,000. Messrs. Hubbard of Missouri and Hell of Texas have made minority reports, opposing the recommendation of the committee, the former recommending the bill drawn by Attorney General Harmon, and introduced by Senators Brice and Morgan, to enforce the gov- ernment liens upon the property by proceedings in the court of appeals of the district of Columbia, and the lat ter that the debts of the companies may be extended at per cent, instead of 2, secured by a first mortgage upon all their properties. They will probably lead the debate against the committees bill.
 l by IlLS lelIllS UL luG OIuGTS IIldAlllES these measures, the special business. consideration of any other matters is shut out, and it will take unanimous I consent to act on anything else until the orders have been exhausted. On Friday night private pension bills will be discussed for two hours and half, as usual, without a quorum.
 When the senate meets Tuesday morning, it is quite likely that the de- bate on matters pertaining to our for eign relations and the position assumed by Secretary Olney for the executive will at once begin to take shape. Whether MT Cameron will call up the Cuban resolution on the opening day of the session is not yet known, for that senator has not returned to the city and the subject is entirely in his hands. It is hardly thought that he will seek to force the issue on the open- ing day, owing to the fact that there is not likely to be a quorum of the sen- ate present.
 During the morning hour, however under any guise that may be put for ward, the debate on the subject can be commenced, but 1t must give way to the unfinished business at o'clock un- less there are sufficient votes to dis place the Oklahoma free homestead bill, with the more pressing question of Cuba. The homestead bill, which is championed by MT. Pettigrew, is not to have smooth sailing.
 A strong minority report by MT. Platt is to be presented and that sena- tor will lead the opposition to the measure on the floor of the senate.
 MT. Hale who is looked upon as the leader of the anti-Cuban sentiment in the senate, said yesterday that several senators who had been heretofore silent on the subject had come out against the Cameron resolution and there was now no possible chance for it's massage
 Or the other hand, Messrs. Cameron, Lodge, Chandler, Morgan and Mills as- sert that the sentiment favoring action by congress Is becoming more vigorous and that the fighting will be forced from the start. MT. Hale, who, in the absence of MT. Allison, IS acting chair man of the committee on appropria- tions, expects to have the army bill reported to the senate Wednesday, and this will be put forward to antagonize