The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-22
RUSH BEGINS.
Congress 10 Start to Push
Business Today.
WaShingtOn's Birthday Will
Not Be Observed.
Preparing for Final Fights--Fate Of
Arbitration Treaty.

Washington. Feb. 22.-Congress ad-
| journs sine die week from Thursday.
and the rush and jostlng which marks
the closing days of a session begins to-
day. Washington's birthday will be
| celebrated by hard work Members
with pet measures, the passage or which
have more or less bearing on their poll
tical fortunes. will begin their clamor
for recognition, but they will appeal In
! vain as long as appropriation bills and
conference reports are before the house
| for action, as these, by the rules, have
the right Of way.
Besides, the house managers are anx-
ious 10 hurry through with the last two
budgets, so that the decks may be
cleared for the final struggle with the
senate over the latter's amendments TO
the money bills. Speaker Seed and the
house managers are using all their pow
er and influence To keep down the ap-
propriations to the lowest limit, as they
already promise To exceed those or the
Fifty-first congress-. and the increases
which the senate make will be fought
to the bitter end. The influence of this
pnrpose TO keep down appropriations to
the minimum was apparent Saturday,
when the naval committee, after agree
ing TO recommend an appropriation for
new battleship and a training ship for
the Annapolis cadets. upon consultation
with the leaders. rescind>sl its action and
decided TO report the bill without any
recommendation for an increase for the
navy. The general deficiency bill,
which has been under consideration for
two days in the house, will probably he
completed today. An effort will he
made TO strike out the appropriation of
81. 900 for the Southern Pacific. being
the amount withheld by the government
pending a determination of the liability
of that road TO the Union and Central
roads. II probably will fail, however.
The naval appropriation bill will follow.
Owing to the controversy over the price
To be paid for armor plate and the num-
-erous accidents to the vessels of the new
navy. this bill may lead TO protracted
discussion but If il hangs fire until FRI
day IL can be put through under sus-
pension of the rules. as the last six days
OF the session are suspension days.
Conference reports will probably begin
Io appear With TuSu DtIOTt the
of the week, and be sandwiched In at
every spare moment. II is likely that be-
fore the week Is over the house will find
the pressure for time SO great that night
sessions will be entered, and the daily
sessions may also be extended at the
other end by fixing an earlier hour for
meeting. Two contested election cases
still remain undisposed OF. and, as these
of ha "a
all else must give way, If their consid-
GRAFTON is insisted upon. But, as both
OF them are unanimous reports (the COM
mittee's recommendation being in ia
vor of the sitting member in the watson
Black case and the Bennoit- Boatner
case). they should not require much time
for discussion.
The only measure Of Importance which
seems to have a chance of running the
gauntlet during the closing days is the
senate Joint resolution for an interna-
tional monetary conference. looking to
the adoption of international bimetal-
ism. The resolution was unanimously
reported to the house Saturday. and it's
friends are very anxious TO have it
passed. Speaker Reed is said to be
friendly to 1t, and a special order may be
brought in for its consideration during
the week. Little time. however, will be
allowed to debate it. as the house has no
time now to waste in long financial de-
bate over the resolution, the purpose and
scope of which are well understood.
The senate begins the week by listen
Ing to Senator Daniels read Washing
tons farewell address. but will not
observe Washington's birthday to any
greater extent 1t is expected that
very little will be attempted beyond
appropriation legislation during the
week. and ii appears probable that most
OF the time will be given up TO the Indian
BILL now In progress OF consideration.
and the bill for the appropriations for
the District OF Columbia, which will
next be taken up. There are many
provisions in the unconsidered portion
Of the Indian bill which will arouse de-
bate, and the District bill never gets
through the senate without elaborate
discussion of it's many provisions
BY the time these bills are out OF the
way I'm the senate the postoffice and
sundry civil bills will be reported
Consequently there is no probability OF
a lack OF material I'm way Of appropri-
alton bills To proceed with
Senator Sherman has announced his
purpose not To again bring up the ar
hitration treaty for debate SO long as
the appropriation bills are pressing for
consideration. but If there should be n
lull in this work he may renew his
efforts To secure ratification. There
is no probability. however. that this re-
suit can be accomplished.
Senator Hoar is waiting anxiously TO
bring up the bankruptcy bil He saws
that he believes that the senate can be
brought to pass the bill after a few
hours debate II IL can be gotten up. but
admits that for the present the appro-
priation bills will probably monopolize
the attention OF the senate.