The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-12
ADJOURNMENT NEXT.
Senate Will Insist After Passage Of
Tariff Bill.
CURRENCY QUESTION WILL NOT
BE CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY.

Proposition for a Sitting E,s y Ill Day
Democrats Will Fight Adoption M
Conference Report If Certain Articles
Are Taken From the Free List.
Washington July 11-Beyond the fact
that the general deficiency appropriation
bill probably will be passed and that the
Senate will stand ready to take up the
tariff bill at any time that report may be
brought in by the conference committee,
little can be predicted of the course of
events in the Senate during the present
week. The disposition is to do little in
the way of general legislation, and there
is no proposition under consideration by
the leaders of the two sides of the cham
ber to adopt the plan now in vogue in
the House for sitting only every third
day after the deficiency bill shall have
been disposed of.
This suggestion has been made in view
of the possibility of pressure to take up
the matter of appointment of currency
commission. The general impression
about the Senate is that the House will
pass such bill on this subject as the
President will recommend, but there is
no probability that the Senate will take
the matter up seriously. The desire is to
make this intention clear by infrequent
meetings.
There are, however. some matters on
the executive calendar demanding atten-
tion and there may be an effort to clear
this calendar during the week. If such
should prove to be 1.-The caseIthere would
be more or less discussion in the executive
session over the McCord, Warner and
Goodnow nominations. The friends of
the Hawaiian annexation treaty on for
eign relations committee also. hope to be
authorized to report ratification reso-
luton at their meeting next Wednesday,
but it is by no means certain that the
committee will be able to reach, an agree
ment so soon. Monday will be devoted
to the general deficiency bill, particular
attention being given to the provision
for the purchase of armor plate at 1926
per ton. This portion of the bill will be
seriously antagonized and quite fercely
debated. Senator Harris of Kansas will
endeavor to get up his resolution regard
ing the reorganization Of the Union Pa
cific railroad during the week, butain this
hes will be opposed and it is not. likely to
succeed.
The tariff conferees confidently expect
to bring in the tariff bill by Thursday.
The length of the debate on the report
will depend upon how we'll the Senate
conferees may have succeeded in main :
tanning the integrity of the Senate bill.
The Democrats and other opponents of
the bill make no secret of their inten-
tion to oppose the adopt jon Fof the report
if it appears that the amendment which
they were instrumental in securing, put
ting cotton bagging, cotton ties, burlaps,
paris green. ETC., on the free list, have
been receded from.
Several of the eminent lawyers in both
branches of Congress question the con-
stitutionality of the power conferred upon
the President by the Senate reciprocity
provision. The stamp tax on bonds and
stocks provided for in one of the Senate
amendments has not yet been accepted.
The revenue by it furnishes strong
argument for its acceptance in view of
the heavy anticipatory importations
and there Is talk of widening it's scope
so as not only to include tax on actual
transfers, but on all recorded sales. This
necessity of revenue also furnishes
strong argument for the restoration Of
the House rates on imported tobacco. 1t
is impossible to estimate yet when final
agreement will be reached, although
various dates are given as to the length
of time the bill will be in conference,
ranging from Tuesday to week from
tomorrow. One of the most influential
of these conferees said tonight all esti-
mates were necessarily Fpure guess work.
He said that the decisions on the mat
ters of transcendent Importance in the
bill were SO lnterdependent that an ultl-
mate decision on ono might involve
complete agreement on the others and
this final agreement might come at any
time after the rest of the matters of Sec
ondary importance were out OF the way.
When the report is completed it will at
once 90 to the House where it is not like
ly that more than one day will be allowed
for debate. The anxiety to get the bill on