The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-22
S0h0pS VERY BUSY
RUSH WHICH MARKS THE CLOSING
DAYS OF CONGRESS-
is ON.
NO REST ON G. WIS ACCOUNT.
WASHINGTON,s BIRTHDAY VIII,
BE CELEBRATED BY GOOD
HARD WORK.
~ = f1f's WITH PET MEASURES
VIII crowd Everything but Ahso
IutelV Necessary ApDrODria
lions Off the Board.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Congrese
adJourns sine die a week from Thurs
oay' and the rush and jostling which
mark the closing days of the session
VIII begin tomorrow. Washington's
birthday will be celebrated by hard
work Members with pet measures
the passage of which has more or
less bearing on their political fortunes.
VIII begin their clamor for recognition
out 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 rnanaeers
are anxious to put through with the
least possible delay the last two hud-
sets SO that the decks may be cleared
Tor the final struggle with the senate
over the latters amendments to the
Oils. Speaker Reed and the house
managers are using all their power and
lhHuence to keep down the appropri-
atoms to the lowest limit, as they
already promise to exceed those OF
the F1fty-first congress, and the in
creases which the senate makes will be
Iought to the bitter end The influence
OF this purpose to keep down appropri-
at1ons to the minimum was apparent
yesterday, when the naval committee.
after agreeing to recommend an ap-
preparation for a new battleship and a
training ship for the Annapolis ca
diets, upon consultation with the lead
ers rescinded its actions and decided to
report the bill without any recon-
mendation for an increase of the new
navy. The general deficiency bill.
Which has been under consideration for
two days in the house, will probably
be completed tomorrow. An effort will
De made to strike out the appropria-
ton OF $1,310O00 for the Southern Pa
c1t1c, being the amount withheld by
the government pending the determin-
alton Of the liability of the road to the
Union and Central roads. 1t probably
will fail, however. The naval ap-
preparation bill will follow. Owing to
the controversy over the price to be
paid for armOr plates, and the numer-
GUS accidents to the vessels Of the new
navy, this bill may lead to protracted
discussion, but if it hangs fire until Fri
day, it can be put through under sus-
pension Of the rules, as the last six
days Of the session are suspension
days
conference reports probably will be-
gin to appear with a rush before the
middle of the week and be sandWiched
Ill at every spare moment 1t is likely
that before the week is over the house
will find the pressure for time so great
that night sessions will be entered upCn
and the daily sessions may also be
extended at the other end by fixing
an earlier hour for meeting. Two con-
tested election cases still remain I'M
disposed of, and. as these are matters
OF the highest privilege, all else must
give way If their consideration is in
sisted upon. But, as both of them are
unanimous reports (the cOmmittee's
recommendation being in favor Of the
sitting member in the Watson Black
case and the BenOit-BOatner case), they
should not require much time for dis
cussion. The only measure Of con-
siderable further Importance which
seems to have chance Of running the
gauntlet during the closing days is
the senate joint resolution for an in
ternational monetary conference look
ing to the adoption Of international
bimetallism. The resolution was unan-
imOusly reported to the house yes
terday and its friends are very anxious
tC have it passed. Speaker Reed is
said to be friendly to it and a special
order may 0e brought in for its con-
sideration during the week. Little
time, however, will be allowed to de-
bate it, as the house has no time now
to waste in a long financial debate over
a resolution the purpose and scope OF
which are we'll understood.
THE SENATE
will begging the week by listening to
Senator Daniel read Washington's
farewell address, but will not observe
WashingtOn's birthday to any greater
extent.
1t is expected that very little will be
attempted bepond appropriation legis-
lation during the week, and it appears
probable that most Of the time will be
given up to the Indian bill now in
progress Of consideration. and the bill
providing for appropriations for the
District Of Columbia. which will next
be taken up. There are many pro-
visions 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 its many provisions.
BY the time these bills are out of the
way in the senate, the postoffice and
sundry civil bills will be reported.
Consequently there is no probability Of
q lack Of material in the way Of ap-
preparation bills to proceed with.
Senator Sherman has announced his
purpose not to again bring up the
arbitration treaty for debate so long
as the appropriation bills are pressing
for consideration. but if there should
be a hull In this work he may renew
his efforts to secure ratification. There
Is no probability, however. that this
result can be accomplished. Senator
Hoar is waiting anxiously to get up the
bankruptcy bill He said today that
he believes the senate could be brought
to pass the bill after few hours de-
bate if it could be gotten up, but adj
mitted that for the present the appro-
priation bills would probably monopo-
lie the attention of the senate.