The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-21
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J

Washington, May 20.-While Cuba and
the tariff are absorbing attention in the
Senate there is a prospect that the House
will before long take up the considera-
| tion of the bankruptcy bill In three
| previous Congresses the House has passed
national bankruptcy bills, but they have
never come to a vote in the Senate This
Congress the Senate took the matter up
and sent to the House bill which was
drawn by Senator Nelson of Minnesota.
| This bill is what is known as a volun-
| tary BILL that is, it provides way for
the debtor to go into bankruptcy when
ever he may be able to convince the court
that he is insolyent; but the creditors
are given no facilities for testing the SOL
| vency of the debtor. The bills which have
passed the House heretofore have had
both the voluntary and involuntary feat
ures, so the Nelson bill is very different
from what the sentiment of the House
has in the past favored.
| Two ways are open to the House for
the consideration of the bill. 1t may be
considered under an order from the COM
mittee on rules, without reference to the
judiciary committee, which is not ap-
pointed yet. If the Senate bill were one
in which the House would concur with
out many changes this method would
probably be followed. But it is proba-
BILE that the House will consent to no bill
that does not embody the involuntary
features, and therefore it seems proba-
BILE that the measure will be considered
in the judiciary committee and be report
ed with all after the enacting clause
stricken out and new text substituted.
If this is done it will be necessary to
appoint the Judiciary committee, and it
would not be surprising if this should be
done.
| The appointment of the judiciary COM
mtitee would tend to settle a great many
expectations in the House. If the old
members are reappointed, as they probab-
ly will be, there will be only about half a
dozen vacancies. For these vacancies
there are about 40 applications. There is
greater rush for it than for any other
committee, and it's selection will probably
be one of the Speakers most difficult
tasks.
The majority of the House having al
ways been in favor of bankruptcy bill
with the involuntary as well as the vo l.
untary features the committee when con-
stituted, will undoubtedly favor the
House idea. Party lines are not drawn
strictly upon the bill Mr.. Bailey, the
Democratic leader, favors the Senate bill,
but some of the Democrats favor an in.
voluntary feature. And some Republi-
cans favor the Senate bill. In general it
may be said that the sparsely settled por-
tions OF the country, or the newer por-
tions, favor the Nelson plan, while the
great commercial centres favor the other
The consideration of the bill is now
awaiting the convalescence of General
Henderson of Iowa, who has been suffer
| ing from erysipelas in the stump of the
leg shot off in the war. He is better now,
and will probably be ready soon to go
on with the bill, as he will undoubtedly
be chairman OF the Judiciary committee.
THE SUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
The sundry civil appropriation bill,
which carries the large appropriations
for Portland harbor, is just now in con-
ference between the two houses on account
of certain Senate amendments affecting
other matters in the BILL But while his
is the parliamentary situation the confer
ence has not actually begun, ,as it is await
ing the return of Senator Allison, one of
the conferees, who is in Iowa.
PERSONAL.
General A.D. Squirting of Illinois, form
erly of the First Maine Cavalry, ard later
the commander of the Second Maine
Cavalry, is in Washington, and is can
didate for the Argentine mission. General
Squirting was formerly post ffice in
spector, and was active in Maine at the
time of the count out troubles y being
an active opponent of the Fusionists.
Mr.. Charles Hill Pierce of Portland, has
assumed his duties as assistant clerk
of the Senate committee on commerce,
of which Senator Frye is chairman.
Mr.. Pierce is taking course of law at
Columbia University in this city.