The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05
The Meeting of Congress.

! The Meeting or congress.
The session of congress which begins to-
morrow win be a comparatively short one
in all probability. The opinion of some of
the leading members is that it will not
| last longer than June I. II is not expected
| that there will be any legislation that
would have a disturbing effect upon bust
ness. Therefore the meeting of congress is
not regarded with uneasiness in business
centers.
There IS a very general desire that the
currency shall be reformed, but the pros
pect for the passage of a currency reform
measure is not promising. 1t would not be
difficult to get such a measure through
the House. but the silver majority in the
| Senate makes it quite certain that no bill
satisfactory to the sound money senu-
ment of the country viii be passed by that
| body before the next congressional cleo
lions have been held. No doubt currency
reform bills will be discussed by the
House, and that branch of congress may
pass a bill of that kind, but If so 1T would
be more for the purpose of showing the
people where the republican party stands
on the currency question than with the
expectation of securing legislation on
that question.
A bankruptcy bill may be passed. There
is an urgent demand for a bankruptcy law,
and the sentiment in congress is quite IA
vOrabe to such a law. Congress has been
discussing the Torrey bankruptcy bill for
long time, and the country seems to re-
probability that it will be passed in its
present shape, but in all probability it will
be the basis for bankruptcy legislation.
Nobody can predict with any degree of
certainty whether or not the railroads will
be successful in their efforts to have a
law enacted permitting them TO pool their
earnings They are going to make big
fight to get pooling law, and the small
shippers in all parts of the country are
going to help them. There is stin decided
opposition to a law of that kind however,
some of it coming from railroad men. a
pooling bill will be one of the important
measures before congress this winter
The session, however, will not be an al
together tame one. The annexation of
belligerent, are questions which are going
to cause lively and even exciting debates
The republican leaders talk of the annex
alton of Hawaii, as If there were no doubt
that it would be accomplished either by
treaty or resolution. It is worthy of notice
that there is a growing public sentiment
against hasty action in the Hawaiian mat
ter and the republican leaders may be
! surprised at the strength Of the opposition
to annexation.
The effort to induce this country to lend
Cuba helping hand will be a strong one
Many congressman are confident that the
Cuban cause is a popular one, and popu-
larity is what the average congressman
| seeks just before the congressional cam
paigns begin. There are men in both
branches of congress who would take the
Cuban question out of the hands of the
President and state department If they
could, not because they care much about
Cuba, but because they think they can in
| crease their chances of reelection by Of
fering lingo resolutions, and making lingo
speeches. The conservative element, how
| ever, will probably have the majority, and
they will be careful not to let the Cuban
| question get out of the realm of dplo-
macy and into the arena of politics. While,
therefore, the session may be marked by
| some sensational scenes and incidents there
is no probability of legislation that would
| deeply agitate the country or unsettle
| values.