The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-04
WILL HANG IN THE BALANCE IN
THE TWO HOUSES THIS
WEEK.
FUNDING THE PACIFIC DEBT
FORECLOSURE ON THE ROADS
WILL FOLLOW If THE BILL
FAILS TO PASS.
Pettfgrew's Bill Accusing OppOsI-
ton I'm the East-Cuba In the
Background.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-The house.
will get down to serious business as
soon as 1t reasSembles after the hoIi-
day recess on Tuesday. Probably, the
two most important pieces of general
legislation to be acted upon at the
short session have been made special
orders and will consume the entire
week They are the Loud bill, to amend
the laws relating to second-class mail
matter so as to prevent the shipment
OF books and serial publications in con-
nectlon with newspapers at the cent
per-pound rate, and to cut off the news
paper sample copy privilege and the
Dill prepared by the Pacific railroad
committee to fund the debts of the Pa
cine railroads and extend their paw
ment for fifty years at 2 per cent The
fund bill has already been debated one
day, and, under the order adopted, the
debate will continue Tuesday and
Wednesday, and-the bill will be brought
10 a vote on the latter day at o'clock.
The Pacific railroad bill will be taken Up
on Thursday. The general debate will
continue until Friday evening Saturday
the bill will be open to amendment I'M
DER the hVe-minute rule, and on Mon
day the vote will be taken on the bill
and pending amendments The fate of
the measure viii determine whether the
government will foreclose it's MORTGAGES
on the Union and Central Pacific. Both
these roads have defaulted, and Presi-
dent Cleveland served notice in so
many words in his message to congress
-tnat unless some congressional action
was taken Immediately steps would be
taken under the authority of the pres
ent law to protect the governments in
tereSt by foreclosure proceedings The
friends of the roads realize fully that
this is the last chance they will have
to accomplish the funding of the debt.
for which they have striven for ten
years, and they will use all their influ-
ence in its behalf. But the bill has
also many bitter enemies, especially in
the West and on the Pacific coast. Mr..
Powers, of Vermont, chairman Of the
committee, will be its principal cham
pion on the floor, while Mr. Sulzer. of
New York, and Mr.. MaGuire. Of Cali
fornia, will lead the opposition. Both
sides are now figuring on a majority
and the fate of the bill is in grave
doubt. The debate is expected to be Of
a very lively nature, and there may be
some sensational incidents.
THE SENATE.
Beyond the fact that the bill Drovid
ing for homesteadS on former Indian
reservations on the calendar is the ''un-
finished business" the senate has no
programme for this week. There Is
liable to be sharp clash in the effort
to secure consideration and a possl-
bllity that this clash may develop an
interesting situation. The friends of
the Pacific railroad funding bill will
make an effort to get that measure
up for consideration unless they con-
clude that in doing so may impair its
chances of passage Until the pa st
day or two it appeared certain that
the Cuban resolutions would be sprung
Immediately after the beginning of
business Tuesday. it is now possib BILE.
even probable, that both questions will
go over, at least for a few DAYS.
the movement to have the committed
on foreign relations again consider the
question as to when it shall be taken
up prevails, the question cannot be
raised until after the committee meet
ing on Wednesday, and the advocates
or delay are becoming quite sanelline
that, II they succeed in preventing
consideration until Wednesday. thew
VIII secure a still further postpone
ment Senator Gear, chairman of tha
Pacific railroads committee. is douht-
full of the advisability of pressing
the consideration Of his funding bill
until after the action of the house on
the same measure, and may wait 1lnon
that body. If he does not DELAY on This
account, he will make an effort to
get the bill up on Tuesday or imne
dlately after the homestead bill shall
be disposed of. If either the Pacific
Dill or the Cuban resolution secures
consideration, there will be a sharp
contest and much animated debate
me homestead bill will be opposed
by Senator Platt and others. while
Senator Pettigrew will take tbe 1eaI
in it's advocacy.