The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-09
CUTTING OUT WORK
WHAT THE CONGRESSIONAL COM
MITTEBS ARE DOING.

on Rules During the Holidays and May
Consent To Permit the House to do
Something Contested Elections Will
be Handied by Three Sub Committees
as Before-Rivers and Harbors VIII
Levy the Usual Tribute-Foreign ke-
Iations-Other Committees
Washington. Dec. S.-The committee on
rules of the house of which Speaker Reed
is chairman, will get together during the
holidays TO consider such change of the
house rules as experience has shown 10
be desirable. II is not expected that
these will touch any vital point, but Will
be rather in the nature Of routine
changes TO facilitate the dispatch OF busa
ness. Messrs Walker and Barrett, both
Of Massachusetts, have submitted pro-
posals for numerous changes, which viii
De considered.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
The three house committees on cleo
lions are beginning TO map out their
work with a view to determining contest
ed election cases at the earliest possible
day, There are twenty-one Of these con-
fists pending Some Of these will require
extended hearings, but quite a number
can be disposed Of without much delay.
AT best, however, it is not expected that
any Of the contests can be brought De-
fore the house before the holidays.
Chairman Taylor, OF Committee No. l,
sal dtoday that there was nothing in the
current reports that these contests would
be brought before the house with view
to occupying time and thus limiting the
work on general legislation. He pointed
out in this connection that even when re-
ported to the house, election cases take
little time for consideration, seldom
more than a day or two, so that they
could not postpone any other business
for any material length of time. Mr..
Taylor feels, however, that the right to
q seat in the house Is Of primary i'm
portance both to the sitting member and
the contestant and for this reason he
posed of by the house at the earliest
moment. The contest of w. f. Aldrich
against T. S. Plowman for the Fourth
Alabama district was set for December
u before Committee No. l.
RIVERS AND HARBORS.
The river and harbor committee will
meet the early part OF next week. AL
ready strong pressure is being brought to
bear for the preparation of river and
harbor bill The indications are that it
Will result in the reporting Of such a bill,
Notwithstanding efforts toward retrench-
ment.
PACIFIC RAILROADS BILL.
Senator Gear today introduced a bin
authorizing tlns secretary of the treasury
10 enter a bid for the United States on
bond-aided railroads and 30 clear off lines
paramount 70 those of the United States
and appropriating the amount necessary
for this purpose. The provision is as
follows:
''The secretary of the treasury shall,
under the direction Of the president, re-
deem or otherwise clear off such para
mount hen or mortgage or other incum-
brance by paying the sums lawfully due
in respect thereof out Of the treasury;
may bid and purchase in the name and
for the United States the property af-
fected by the incum5rance subject to
such paramount lien al any sale thereof
made under any order of the court or any
judgment or decree Of foreclosure of such
lien or interest Of the United States
The bill is understood to have been
framed by the attorney general, and 1t is
intended 10 open the way TO the settle
ment of the Kansas Pacific debt.
AID FOR KLONDIKERS.
Senator Mcbride has received a teie-
gram from w. s. Mason, president of the
chamber of commerce Of Portland, Ore,
regarding the Klondike relief which
says:
Citizens Of Portland are subscribing
with lavish hand TO the Klondike relief
fund. Portland alone will donate not less
than 100 tons of food. Hearty contribu-
tions expected from interior cities. Peo-
pie are enthusiastic and await with
eagerness congressional action
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
The Democrats of the mouse will cau-
Gus soon on party policy. Representative
Richardson, the caucus chairman, said
today that he expected the meeting
would occur the latter part OF this week,
or early next week. Considerable diff
ference of opinion has arisen among the
Democratic members as to the necessity
OF a caucus and some of the Democratic
leaders have withheld their names from
the call on the ground that caucus
AT this time could do no good and might
~ "a What .