The record-union., 1898-01-03
Doubtful if There Will be a Quorum In the
Senate.
The Annexation Of Hawaii, the
Consideration Of Corbctt's
Claim and the immigration and
Financial Questions Will Occu-
py It's Attention Next Week
The Civil Service Question Will
be the Prominent One in the
House.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-The pre-
vailing opinion among Senators is that
very little legislation will be attempted
during the present week. The fact
that Congress will not reconvene until
Wednesday viii probably be taken by
the absentees to mean that nothing
will be attempted until the following
week, and as a consequence it is doubt
full whether there will be a quorum
present in the Senate on Wednesday.
in which event there Will probably be
an early adjournment, and then an adj
journment until Monday. In any event,
it is not probable that any important
questions will be raised during the
present week.
General understanding is, however, that
the work of the session will begin in
real earnest after this week, and that
hencaforth there will be no justifica-
tion of the complaint of dullness of the
proceedings. Among the questions
which will engage early attention are:
The Hawaiian annexation question,
the claim of Mr.. Corbett to seat in
the Senate from Oregon, the immigra-
ton and financial questions. In all
probability the Committee on Privi-
legaS and Elections will meet during the
present week and the chances are that
an early report on the Corbett case
will be ordered, even though it may not
be favorable The Republican side of
the chamber will not be a unit in Mr..
Corbatt's interest. Senator Burrows,
of the committee which has charge of
the case, is preparing an exhaustive
speech antagonistic to Mr.. Corbett, and
the opposition are counting upon the
assistance of still others from that
side of the chamber. 1t is not believed
that there will be any serious antago-
nism to the immigration bill, but there
may be considerable time consumed in
speeches on the subject. 1t is prob
able that Senator Davis. Chairman of
the Committee on Foreign Relations,
will make an effort durings the present
week to get a day fixed for taking up
the annexation treaties, and there is
no apprehension of any objection to
name day in the early future. The
plan of the supporters of the treaty is
to take the question up in executive
sessi IN on a resolution of ratification
and to debate the treaty for few days
in executive session, pursuing this
course long enough to determine their
=
fess to be with them.
If they find that they have the neces-
sary two-thirds to secure ratification,
they will press on to the end, but if
they discover themselves to be def
cient in voting strength they will
change their policy and take up the
question of annexation on Senator
Morgan's resolution to that end. There
&c ha q r1ainrifV Of 9ffiTTnq-
tive votes can be secured, and that a
resolution of this character can be
passed if a vote can be reached. The
present indications are that the treaty
as such will fail of ratification by from
two to six votes, but friends of the
agreement have by no means lost hope
that they will succeed In securing the
entire sixty votes necessary to ratify.
They claim that they have been max
ing headway in securing votes during
the recess, and are hopeful of still add
ing tc the number. They now assert
that a solid vote may be expected from
the Republican side of the chamber,
and that several Democrats who have
been claimed by the opposition are on
the fence and are liable to come to
them. The circumstances which have
the treaty are the conduct Of the Euro
pean Powers in apparently preparing
for the partition of China. Many Sen
ators feel that this is an event which
calls for prompt action on the part of
this country in the Hawaiian matter,
and there is no denying that this view
has rade some impression upon Sem
ators who have heretofore been classed
as doubtful.
The promised explanation of Senator
Wolcott of the result of his bimetalic
mission to Europe Is expected when
made to open up the discussion Of the
attitude of the Administration on the
silver question, and the debate may
even be sprung in advance of his
speech. The pronounced free silver ad-
vocates are determined to secure a test
vote during the session on the silver
question, and Senator Teller has de-
cided to introduce the Stanley Matth-
ews resolution of the Forty-fifth Con-
gress, declaring for the payment of
bonds in silver, with this end in view.
Senator Wolcott will, in all proba-
bility, make a simple, straightforward
statement, avoiding all controverted
points as far as possible. but there are
other Senators who will not be content |
to allow the matter to drop there, and |
they viii seek to open the entire ques- |
ton of the position of the Administra- |
tion toward international bimetallisrn. |
Mr.. Wolcott does not expect to be able |
to present his statement before the |
10Th Of the month.
The time of the House this week af- |
ter il meets on Wednesday will prob |
ably be entirely devoted to the debate |
on the civil service question. BY gem
eral consent the appropriation in the
executive, legislative and judicial bill |
for the maintenance Of the commission, |
upon which the debate will be based |
went over until after the holidays. 1t |
is ntsnded by the opponents of the |
civil service law that the debate shall |
cover the whole question, and they ex-
pect to develop and exploit some very |
interesting facts.
The defenders of the law have made |
elaborate preparations to meet these |