Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-02-22
CONGRESS Is NEAR THE LIMIT OF
IT'S EXISTENCE.
RUSH OF WORK FROM NOW ON.
MEMBERS WITH PET BILLS WILL.
CLAMOR FOR RECOGNITION.
Appropriation Bills and Conference
Reports to Have u Clear Track
Speaker Reed Fighting to
Keep Down ApprOpria-
tions-The Senate.

Washington, Feb. N.-CongresS adJourns
sine die week from Thursday and the
rush and jostling which marks the closing
days of a session will begin tomorrow.
Washington's birthday will be celebrated
by hard work. Members with pet meas
ures. the passage of which have more or
less bearing upon their political fortunes.
will begin their clamor for recognition,
but they will appeal in vain as long as
appropriation bills and conference reports
are before the house for action, as these,
by the rules. have the right of way. Be
side, the house managers are anxious to
put through with the least possible delay
the last two budgets. SO that the decks
may be cleared for the final struggle with
the senate over the latter's amendments
to the money bills.
Speaker Reed and the house managers
are using all their power and influence to
keep down the appropriations to the lowest
limit, as they already promise to exceed
those of the Fifty-first congress, and the
increases which the senate makes will be
fought to the bitter end. The influence of
this purpose to keep down appropriations
to the minimum was apparent yesterday
when the naval committee, after agreeing
to recommend an appropriation for a new
battleship and training ship for the An
napolis cadets, upon consultation with the
leaders, rescinded its action and decided
to report the bill without any recommenda-
ton for an increase of the new navy.
The general deficiency bill, which has
been under consideration for two days in
the house, will probably be completed to-
morrow. An effort will be made to strike
out the appropriation of $1,310,000 for the
Southern Pacific, being the amount with
held by the government pending determi-
nat inn nf no ia of hat fo he
Union and Central roads. 1t probably will
fail, however. The naval appropriation
bill will follow. Owing to the controversy
over the price to be paid for armor plate
and the numerous accidents to the yes-
sells of the new navy, this bill may lead to
protracted discussion, but If it hangs fire
until Friday it can be put through under
suspension of tine rules, as the last six
days of the session are suspension days.
Conference reports probably will begin to
appear with a rush before the middle of
the week and be sandwiched in at every
spare moment. 1t is likely that before the
week is over the house will find the pres
sure so great that night sessions will be
entered upon and the daily sessions may
also be extended at the other end by fixing
an earlier hour for meeting. Two contest
ed election cases still remain undisposed
of, and as these are matters of the high
est privilege, all else must give way II
their consideration is insisted upon. But,
as both are unanimous reports (the COM
mittee's resolution being for the sitting
member in the Watson-Black case and the
Benoit-Boatner case), they should not re-
quire much time for discussion.
The only measure of considerable fur
ther importance which seems to have a
chance of running the gauntlet during the
closing days is the senate joint resolution
for an international money conference
looking to the adoption of International
bimetallism. The resolution was unani-
mously reported to the house yesterday
and its friends are very anxious to have it
passed. Speaker Reed Is said to be friend
ly to it, and a special order may be brought
in for its consideration during the week.
Little time, however, will be allowed to de-
bate it. as the house has no time now to
waste in long financial debate over a
resolution, the purpose and scope of which
are well understood.