The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-05
CONGRESS
ASSEMBLIES
The Presidents Message Alone Oc-
cupies the Opening Session
APPROPRIATION MEASURES LEAD

Little VIII Be Accomplished at This
Session Beyond the Passage of the
Money Budgets. Though Hawaii May
Be Declared Territory.
Washington, Dec 5.-The curtain
rang up at noon today upon the closing
session Of the F'ifty-fifth congress. The
war and the fruits of the American
victory carry in their wake many prob
lens which the national legislature
must solve. But though many ques-
tions may press for solution, the brief
space covered by this session, which
expires by limitation March 4, pre-
cludes the possibility of much being
accomplished beyond the passage of the
regular money budgets, the legislation
for the increase of the regular army,
which the administration deems neces-
sary to meet the obligations imposed |
upon the government by the result OF
the war and probably the enactment
of law to give a permanent territorial
government to the Hawaiian Islands.
This covers all the important legisla-
ton which the congressional leaders
expect TO see eHdCleu dl llllS StoolOh'
1t is almost the unanimous sentiment
of the leaders that no attempt should
be made to legislate concerning the
possessions acquired by the war with
Spain at this session.
There are earnest advocates of the
Nicaraguan canal bill who will strive
to secure its passage now, and they
may possibly be successful, but neither
1t nor any one of the other measures,
like the pooling bill, anti-scalpers' bill,
etc, which have strong friends, will be
allowed to interfere with the bills the
passage of which is deemed absolutely
necessary. The leaders at both ends
of the Capitol have put their heads to-
gether, and the work of the session Is
to be entered upon with the idea of
avoiding an extra session. With this
purpose in view, the appropriation
bills are to be given the road at both
| ends of the Capitol and pressed through
with all possible haste.
Two sub-committees of the appro-
priations committee of the house have
been at work for a week. The de-
| ficiency bill to meet the extraordinary
expense of the army and navy during
| the six months from Jan. l, 1888, to July
| 1, is ready to submit to the full com
| mittee today, and the regular District
| of Columbia appropriation bill will be
| ready by the end of the week. 1t is
necessary that the former should be-
| come a law before the holiday recess,
which this year is to be shorter than
| usual, and Chairman Cannon hopes
to see it through the house and into
the senate before the end of the present
week The Democrats of the house have
1T. ,ss I,Nt tg
! not believed they will seek to obstruct
an appropriation bill necessary for the
maintenance of the army now in the
field. Should there be a disposition to
open up and prolong a debate upon the
conduct of the war upon this bill it is
safe to assume that the committee on
rules will be invoked to bring in an
order to close debate.
Intense interest is manifested in the
5 presidents message, which was sub
D mitted to congress today, on account
of the great Importance OF the many
questions with which it deals, and no
presidential message in years, 1t Is
safe to say, has been listened to with
the eagerness and interest with which
, the reading of President McKinley's
1 message was heard today.
L The first thing in order after Speaker
Reed called the house to order today
I; was a call of the roll to determine the
J. presence of a quorum. quorum hav'
n ing been developed, committees were
appointed to wait upon the presiden
It and the senate to inform them that thu
% house is ready to proceed to business
+ Pending the arrival of the president
E, message several new members elected
,. to fill vacancies caused by deaths o
a | in nd i'm
G mediately after the reading of the mes
II sage was completed the house adjourn
It ed out of respect to the memory o
It Messrs. Love of Mississippi and North
q way of Ohio, who died during the re
I, | cess. Tomorrow or Wednesday at tn
rs latest the house will plunge into it
work Chairman Cannon will have tn
Vt deficiency bin ready, and it will occup,
10 the attention of the house to the ex
Y, clusion of everything else for the re
IN mainder Of the week.
to Senators express a determination t
Ii take up the work of the session vigor
n- ously in the beginning, with the hop
of having il well advanced before tn
OF holidays, and they are counting upo
j. taking up the appropriation bills at
ID very early date, for the purpose of pre-
he venting an extra session due to an
i'd failure of part of the national bulge
le 1t is expected that the army defiicienc
bin will reach the senate during tn
IN present week, the understanding at tn
j. north end of the Capitol being that IL
ID house will dispose of it within a ver
Is few days after assembling. The con
he mittee on appropriations will bring
re in early for the double purpose of hay
at ing it passed quickly and of testing IL
i'd feeling of senators on questions COL
ne nected with the war, The first day
nd session was given up almost entirely
he the presidents message. After II