Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-25
WASHINGTON.

Senators and Representatives already
in Washington are discussing with
much interest the probable length of
the coming session of Congress. The
hope is general that the session may not
exceed six months but the opinion is
also general that its length will depend
entirely upon circumstances. If no fl
nancial legislation is attempted, it will
be comparatively easy to complete the
business of the session by the first of
June. possibly as early as the first OF
MAY. as no time will have to be lost in
organizing and selecting the House
Committees. as is usual at the begin
ming of the long session; but If fnan-
cial legislation of Importance Is to be
put through the House and to be attemp-
ted in the Senate, everybody may as
well make up their minds to an extend
ed siege, with probable failure in the
end Knowing the situation IN the
Senate many Republicans favor letting
financial legislation alone until 1t Is GER
tain that something can be accomplish
ed. They argue that the agitation that
they would necessarily accompany an
attempt to legislate on the subject
would hurt business and could do no
good.
1t is thought by those who ought to
know that the Presidents action IN lssu-
ing a proclamation exempting Mexican
vessels in ballast and steam vessels
from the payment of tonnage duties
usually imposed upon foreign vessels IN
our ports, will give American coal COM
plete control of the Mexican market
it was an act of reciprocity, as Mexico
makes the same exemption in favor OF
our vessels.
Chairman Cannon, of the House Ap-
propriations Committee, doesn't intend
that the work of his Committee shall
furnish any excuse for lengthening the
coming session of Congress. He has an
nounced all of the sub committees and
notified the members to report for work
on the bills in their charge on the 9th
instant more than a week ahead OF the
assembling of Congress.
AS President Mckinley has never had
doubt that the Senate would ratify the
treaty for the annexation of Hawaii, he
was not surprised at the publication OF
trustworthy poll of the Senate showing
that more than the required two-t thirds
of the Senate had stated their intention
to.vote for ratification The only thing
that can make trouble in this connection
will be for the handful of Senators who
are opposed to ratification to take advan-
tage Of the absence of a cloture rule in
the Senate and stave off a vote indeh-
nitely by talking against time when
ever the treaty is taken up.
If attorney General McKcnna Of Cali
fornia is placed on the U. S. Supreme
Court in the place Of Justice Waite
whose resignation takes effect on Dec.
st. ex-senator John Nipple Mitchell of
Oregon and formerly of Butler may be
given McKsnna's place.
Regarding the coming session Repre-
sentative Dalzell is qnoted as follows
''There will be no radical legislation,
not even on the currency question.
Something may be done III the way OF
remedial propositions, but nothing that
will 90 to the root of the matter. Not
only would it be impossible to pass any
thing radical through the Senate, but
doubt if we could get an argument
in the House. There would he so many
theo res advanced, and such a differ
ence of opinion, as to add confirmation
of this opinion. A man with theory
is always the most tenacious of custo-
mers and the hardest man with whom
to argue.
Comparatively little will be done in
Congress on other subjects. Hawaii
will probably be annexed, but there
will not be much agitation OF the Gu
ban question, because when the facts
are officially laid before Congress they
will show that the situation has greatly
improved, and that many of the objec-
tionable features of the war have been
removed.
1T is possible that an migration bill
well be passed, and the bankruptcy bill
will also go through the House. The
Senate may agree to some kind OF Il
bankruptcy bill. but will hardly accept
the one which the House will pass.