The Portland daily press., 1898-03-21
a MESSAGE LOOKED FOR
II 1t Arrives Will Take Precedence
Of Everything.
WAR PREPARATIONS WILL PRO
WOKE DEBATE IN HOUSE.

Opportunity Offered by the Consider a
of the Naval Bill-Relief Bill for
Maine Victims To Be Called Up To-
day-some Patriotic Speeches FIX
sag pected.
Washington, March 20.-Whether or not
the board of inquiry on the Maine disaster
goes to Congress this week with special
message frcm the President calling for
Congressional action, our relations with
Spain and the proximity of a war, as
viewed from the standpoint of the
emergency preparations now going on to
place the country in a state of defense,
probably will be exhaustively debated
in the House in connection with the naval
appropriation bill the consideration of
which will begin on Tuesday. The many
emergency items in the bill, the large in
crease in the enlisted force; the liberal
revision for battleships, torpedo boats
ject of the necessity for these preparations
directly before the House.
While the conservative leaders doubt
loss will seek to prevent Infiammatory ex-
pressions, under the recent ruling of the
Speaker, which practically places no limit
upon the latitude of debate in the COM
mittee of the whole, on the state of the
Union, the leaders, except by their ex-
ample will be unable to repress sensation
al speeches. An effort will be
made upon the part Of some of
tie radio Is to force from those
in the confidence of the administration
a decla1atio of the policy Of the admins
I'll a;iof regarding Cuba. This they hope
to do by taunting them with some of the
rumors which have been floating about
in the newspapers during the past few
days. 1t is altogether likely that there
will be a general expression of the senti-
inent of the House on this question before
the bill is passed.
Should the President transmit the re-
port of the board of inquiry with a re-
quest for Congressional action during the
week, every thing else will give way to 1t.
Any action which might ba decided upon
would be in the complete control of the
Republican leaders MS to the limit to be
put upon debate. If the report of the
board does not go to Congress this week !,
the time tomorrow.
But II it should be passed before Satur-
day, which seems unlikely, the bill for
the reorganization of the army and the
authorization for recruiting it to foot
ing ageregaUing lC4. 900 men in time Of
war will be taken up. Tomorrow the
bill for the relief of the victims Of the
the reading OF the journal under the ar
rangement made last week. 1t is not ex.
pected to consume much time, but
probably will be made the occasion for
several patriotic speeches in eulogy OF the
heroism of the sailors who went down to
their tragic death. The rest of the day
will be occupied in the consideration of
private bills in pursuance of the order
made last Friday. Altogether it promises
to be an exceedingly eventful if not sensa-
tional week in the House.
No programme has been prepared for
the Senate for the present week and the
course of events is liable to be Influenced
largely by developments from the outside.
The quarantine bill is the unfinished
business on the Senate calendar, and If
opportunity offers, Senator Pettigrew
will get up his public land bill. 1t is eX-
pected that the sundry civil appropriation
bill will be reported Wednesday or Thurs
day and If it should be, it may be taken
ND later in the week. The Senate COM
mittee is making many changes in this
bill and it will consume several days of
the time of the Senate when considered.
1t is also understood to be Senator Davis S
intention to bring up the Hawaiian
treaty in order to get vote on the Bacon
amendment. 1T is still Mr.. Daviss in
tention to move to lay the amendment on
the table as soon as Senator Bacon con-
cludes his speech in its support. All these
plans are liable to be changed if the re-
port of the court of inquiry into the
Maine disaster should be received. The
have the effect of springing Cuban de-
bate, which would sidetrack all other
questions.