The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-28
to unduly press the treaty in antago.

VIII be reported by the Committee on
Appropriations during the week. There
are only five Of the appropriation bills
TO be considered by the Senate, which
Is record far in advance of that usual
~ made at this date in long sessions of
Congress. This fact is causing Sena-
tors to begin to talk about final adj
Journment at a far earlier date than
usual.
Three of the bills which are as yet
unconsidered are the District of Co
iumpla, the naval and the sundry civil
OILS. These are all important meas
ures and each is liable to arouse de-
pate, out Senators generally agree that
uhlesS there is some other reason for
postponing adjournment it can be
reached by May or June. The friends
VI the hawaiian treaty say, however,
that some of the appropriation bills
VIII be held back until the question Of
annexation is decided upon and this
determination is one of the circum-
stances which may cause the post
ponement of adjournment
The House leaders have been strain
ing all their energies to expedite the
appropriation bills, with a view to an
carry adjournment, and they are sue
ceedlng beyond their most sanguine
expectations. Not in a quarter of a
century have the appropriation bills
peen SO far advanced in the long SEES
sion as they are at this time. Only
lhree or the thirteen regular bills re-
main IN committee. The other ten have
gone through one or more executive
Stages and one-the military academy
plll-1s In the hands of the President
awaiting his signature. The condition
OF the other nine bills is as follows
Inc pension bill has passed both
houses, and the differences have been
agreed in
tive, executive and judicial, the army,
the fortlf1cationS and the agricultural
Dills nave passed both houses, and the
olHerences are being adjusted in con-
ference; the Senate amendments to the
diplomatic and consular bill have been
agreed upon by the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, and the bill only
awaits confirmation of this action by
the House before going to the Presi-
dent; the Indian bill has passed the
senate and the amendments placed on
the Dill there are being considered by
the House committee; the District of
Columbia bill which has passed the
House, is still in the Senate committee,
and the sundry civil bill will probably
pass the House tomorrow.
OF the three bills still unreported to
the House, both the naval and post
office await contingent developments
before they can be completed. The
naval bill is practically completed, save
for the provisions for dry-docks and
new ships On both these propositions
the development of the next few days
are expected to control the action of
the committee. If the board Of inquiry
into the Maine disaster should render
finding which pOrtendS strained re-
lations with Spain, the most liberal
provisions will be made both for dry
docks and ships. If the disaster was
not due to accidental causes aboard
ship, it is almost certain that two new
battleships will be provided for-one
recommended by the Secretary of the
Navy, and one to replace the Maine
and that at least one of the new dry
docks recommended will be authorized.
In case the Maine disaster is found to
have been caused by accident, it is
probable no provision for battleships
will be made in the new bill.
The completion of the poStofflce bill
depends upon the action of the House
upon the Loud bill, relating to second
class mail matter, which is to be acted
upon this week. The general deficiency
is always the last of the bills to be re-
ported as it includes such deficiencies
and other items as must be provided
for at the close of every session.
With the appropriation bill and the
immigration bill-the consideration of
which has been set for March bout
Of the way nothing remains to prolong
this session of Congress save the queS-
lions of annexation of Hawaii or of
war The leaders of both Sides lock-
ing ahead, eliminating both these sub
jects as to probabilities or possibilities
of delay, agree that the appropriations
bills should be passed and that Con-
gress should be ready to adjourn early
in May. If such a contingency as war
should arise, it would be necessary for
Congress to act both in the formal dec
laration of war and in furnishing ways
and means for it's prosecution.
With regard to Hawaiian annexation
there is no doubt that if the present
treaty is abandoned in the Senate no
move for annexation by legislative en-
actment will be initiated by the House.
The sentiment both among the friends
and opponents of annexation in the
House seems to be that after the long
contest at the other end of the capitol
the Senate should retain jurisdiction of
the subject. Action by the Senate on
a resolution of annexation would there
fore precede any action by the House.
and it is this which gives color to- the
general impression in the House that
action upon q resolution in the Senate
can be delayed until both houses have
completed their other work and that
then an effort will be made to adjourn
and leave the question suspended.
Speaker Reed makes no concealment
of his personal opposition to annexa-
ton, and says that other very promi-
nent Republicans, members like Can
non of Illinois, Walker of Massachu-
sets and Johnson of Indiana are out
spoken Some of the others, like Chair
man Dingley Of the Ways and Means
Committee, have made no public dec
larations upon the subject, but are be-
lieved to be in sympathy with the oppo-
nents of annexation. large majority
of the Republicans. however are of
course, in favor Of the administrators
policy, many of them enthusiastically
so.
ADVERT