New-York tribune., 1897-11-22
PRICE THREE CENTS.
CONGRESS HAS MUCH TO Do.
AN IMPORTANT SESSION WILL BEGIN
TWO WEEKS FROM TO-DAY.
PROBLEM LIKELY TO COME TO THE FRONT
EARLY-BANKRUPTCY. IMMIGRATION AND
THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY QUESTION
AMONG THE OTHER TOPICS
CALLING FOR ACTION

AMONG THE OTHER TOPICS
CALLING FOR ACTION.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rsrBuSEI
Washington Nov. 21.-when the Lvth Con.
gress reassembles. two weeks from tomorrow.
both branches will be ready for business. and
will find a good deal Of work cut out for them
to do. Senator'S and Representatives have al
ready begun to arrive, but they will not be
numerous until after Thanksgiving Day. Some
OF those who on the ground have ventured
to express opinions both to the probable dura-
tion Of the coming session and what is likely
to be accomplished, and what left undone. As
to the former question, majority predict an
unusually short session. and an adjournment
as early as May, but. in view OF the number
and variety OF important matters which will be
pressed for consideration, this prediction VIII be
likely to fail. AS to what can or will be ac-
complished in the way Of legislation, there lie .
wider diversity Of opinion.
or course, there are usual several meas
ures which, In the opinion Of members Of the
Senate and House Of Representatives.. will take
precedence OF all others. although there 10 by no
means a. unanimity Of opinion to what these
measures will be, with perhaps two or three
exceptions. One Of the exceptions is the sub
ject OF Hawaiian annexation. which seems likely
to come to the front early In the session. All
the information that has been received here by
| the friends OF annexation indicates favorable
as we'll as speedy action.
PROSPECTS OF CURRENCY REFORM.
| Another exception is the currency question. In
Guiding that Of the coinage standard Scores AZ
bills relating to both subjects were introduced
at the special session: the Secretary OF the
Treasury will propose plan for currency ana
banking reform in his annual report, and II 10
expected that a somewhat different plan will bs
| proposed by the Commission Of which ex-senator
| Edmunds is the head. and which has been sit.
| ting In Washington at intervals for some weeks
past. II does not now seem probable that either
| OF the two latter plans will be acceptable to .
majority OF Congress. As everybody know2
| there is not a sound-money majority In the Sem
ate, while on the coinage question as a separate
proposition there is a majority In favor Of the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver by the
| United States on an independent basis In the
| House Of Representatives. on the other hand.
there is a strong sound-money majority and an
equally strong majority against silver mono
| metallisr But there are also wide diversties OF
opinion among the sound money members Of
that body respecting currency reform. both as to
its immediate and urgent necessity and the
| proper remedies to be applied.
| For example, II does not seem at all probable
that a proposition to retire the greenbacks
would command majority 1t may be remem.
bered that the House Committee on Banking
and Currency in the last Congress found Itself
unable to agree on any measure whatever Of
currency reform. although twelve OF the seven
teen members were sound-money men. Tho
committee in this Congress also consists OF
twelve sound-money men. four Democrats and
one silver man. Mr.. Walker, Of Massachusetts,
is again chairman. and with him are associated
Messrs Brosus, johnson, Of Indiana: Van
Voorhis McCleary, Fowler, spalding and Hill
(Republicans) Cox (DemocraO, and Newlands
(sver), who were members Of the committee In
the last Congress- and all Of whom have inde-
pendent and decided views on the currency
question-most Of them having introduced bills
on the subject The new members are Messra
southwick and Mitchell of New-York: Prince.
Of illinois, and Capron. OF Rhode Island (Repub-
Iicans) and Stallings. Ermentrout and MADDOX
(Democrats). a majority Of whom have also In
troduced currency bills and paid considerable
attention to the subject Of currency reform. IL
is pretty safe to say that none OF the older
members have materially modified their views
on the subject during the last two years ana II
this be true the prospect that the committee
will agree on any measure OF currency reform
does not appear exceedingly bright at this time
Senator Morrill,, the venerable chairman OF the
Finance Committee. Is among those who have
arrived When asked what he thought or the
nrospect OF financial or currency legislation. he
declined to commit himself beyond expressing
the opinion that the session would be quiet one
and that the indications were not especially ia
vorable to financial legislation.
Senator Carter said emphatically that there
would be no abatement in the efforts OF the Re-
publican party to 5ecure an international agree
ment but he was not at liberty to divulse tho
plans Of the American Commission so far as he
was familiar with them He said he had no
doubt Of the perfect good faith Of the Admins
tration in the matter. and he was still hopeful
of favorable results.
| BANKRUPTCY AND IMMIGRATION.
A subject which will probably be pushed to
| the front in the House Of Representatives early
| in the session is that Of a law to regulate pro-
ceedings in bankruptcy. There is a strong and
active sentiment, especially among Represents
tives from the West and South. in favor Of such
legislation. The Senate passed a bill at the
special session which will probably be reported
TO the House from the Judiciary Committee
early in the year. with amendments In its
present form the measure is not favorably re-
garded by many members who. nevertheless.
might vote for 1t rather than not have any law
| on the subject passed.
| Another measure which will be vigorously
pressed is that to amend the law restricting i'm.
migration. It will be remembered that Presi.
dent Clevelands veto killed bill with this OBJ
ject, which was passed by the LIvth Congress-
| A bill Identical with that and several other bills
on the same subject were introduced In both
branches at the special session.
The annexation Of Hawaii. II accomplished,
will give greater prominence than ever In Con-
gress to the project for a submarine cable be-
tween the Pacific Coast and the Sandwich Isl.
ands Bills to carry out the project were IA.
vorably reported from committees in both