The herald., 1897-10-16

rong session, but 1t only now and then
has continued beyond the first Of July
The business Of the government has 90
increased, and the number Of members
Of the two houses has become so much
greater than in the past, it is probable
that the first sessions will be longer in
the future than they have been. The
regular appropriation bills are passed
during the two regular sessions, and in
the second, or short, sessions the pas
sage Of these bills is the main work
done. Other measures of Importance,
and which involve extended discussion,
are acted upon chiefly in the first, or
long, regular sessions.
In the long sessions there is always
more or less maneuvering to gain polit-
ical advantages In the first after the
new president has been inaugurated tbs
object is to influence the elections of the
representatives, as it chooses a presi-
dent in case the ELECTORAL colleges fail
to elect, and in the second long session
the maneuvering is for the purpose OF
influencing the election for president.
The session which begins on the first
Monday of December proximo promises
to be an unusually long one. 1t is true
that Speaker Reed, under the rules
which have been adopted, can and
probably will program through the
measures the administration may desire
to have enacted, and that all else will
be cut off so far as the lower branch
is concerned. The senate, however, is
not tied, hand and foot, as the house is
and hence Mr.. Reed cannot adjourn
congress at his pleasure.
1t is true that the tariff law has been
passed and general legislation on tha.
subject may not be attempted, but
some changes in the Dingley law are alb
solutely necessary, and when amend
ments are presented it may be that the
whole tariff question will be opened and
debated in eXterso
But be that as it may, it is certain
that monetary legislation will be pro
posed by the administration party, and
it is subject on which debate promises
to be protracted. Views upon that sub
ject are more varied than upon the
tariff question and quite as decided. The |
views of a majority Of the senators ara
in conflict with the measure which it is |
probable the administration will pro-
pose, and a deadlock between the two
may be apprehended that no legisla-
tion on that subject will be enacted.
The annexation of Hawaii will be con-
tested, not only in the senate over the
ratification of the pending treaty, but
over the subject of the kind of govern
ment that shall be provided for the
islands.
1t cannot be supposed that congress
will be entirely silent over the loss the
government will sustain through the
sale Of the Union Pacific railroad, nor
in relation to the tremendous growth of
trusts under the Dingley tariff law.
There are other questions on which
there Will be spirited contention. In
consequence of the situation, there ia
reason for fearing that the impending
session will be of little value to the
country, though it is agreed, on all sides
that some monetary legislation is abb
solutely necessary to the general wei
fare and that much else needs to b.
done. Among those measures of great
pubic utility which will probably be
given the go-by is the Nicaragua
canal, which IS a measure of vast i'm
portance to the whole nation and par
tlcularly to the Pacific coast.