The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-06
The Outlook in Congress.
What the Two Houses are
Likely to do this Week.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3-Just before
the holiday recess the house of Rep
reseutatives, upon the recommends
ton of the committee on rules, ar
ranged the business of the House for
the first week of the new year On
Tuesday and Wednesday the Loud
bill to amend the postal laws so as to
prohibit the transmission of the mails
Of. serial novel publications and
"sampe" copies Of newspapers at
the second class rate will be the
special order. Discussion under the
general rule will continue from the
reading of the Journal on Tuesday,
the 9Th instant, until 2 p N on
Wednesday, and under the FIVE
minute rule upon the proposed
amendment until 4 o'clock, when vot
ing will begin upon the pending
amendments and the final passage of
the bill. When the bill was called
up rather unexpectedly eeveral weeks
ago it developed surprising strength.
but since then the opposition has been
active, and the chances of it's pass
age are now considered rather doubt
full.
After this bill has been disposed of
the rest Of the week-Thursday, Fri
day and Saturday-will be devoted
to the consideration of the Pacific
Railroad funding bill, reported by
Judge Powers, chairman of the COM
mittee on Pacific railroads Two
days will be given 20 general discus
sion and ore day to debate and action
in committee of the whole upon the
proposed amendments. The bill will
be reported to the House at 5 O'Clock
Saturday, and the vote on its pas
sage taken on Monday, the 18th in
stant, Immediately after the reading
of the Journal
The debate on this measure VII:
dou5tlesss be interesting, owing to
the opposition which exists among
members of the House to the action OF
the majority ofthc committee The bill
proposes to extend the Government
lien overall the physical proper.
Of the companies. which, it is claim
ed, the present lien does not cover,
and substituting for all outstanding
obligations a new 4 per cent mort
gage, the Government debut to be
carried at 2 per cent per annum
When the Senate meets on Tuesday
morning after the holiday recess it is
quite likely that the matters pertain
ing to our foreign relations and the
position assumed by Secretary Olney
for the Executive will at once begin
to take shape. Whether Senator
Cameron will call up the Cuban reso
luton on the opening day of the ses
sion is not yet known, for he has not
returned to the city, and the subject
is entirely in his hands 1t is hardly
thought that he will seek to force the
issue on the opening day, owing to
the fact that there is not likely to be
quorum Of the Senate present
Senator Hale, who is looked upon
as the leader Of the Anti Cuban re-
c"gnition sentiment. in the Senate
said yesterday that several Senators
who have been heretofore silent on The
subject had come out against the
Cameron resolutions. and there was
now no possible chance for its pas
cage
On the other hand, Senators Came
ron, lodge, Chandler, Morgan and
Mills assert that the Sentiment favor
ing action by Congress is becoming
more vigorous, and that the fighting
will be forced from the start Sena
tor Hale, who in the absence of Sen
ator Allison, is acting chairman o
the committee on appropriations, ex
poets to have the army bill reported
to the Senate on Wednesday, and
this will be put forward to antago
nize the Cuban proposition.