The record-union., 1898-02-28

move TO- annexation Uy iSSlSlduNe eil-
actment will be initiated by the House
The sentiment both among the friends
and opponents of annexation in the
House believe that after the long con-
test ut 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 that gives color to the
general impression in the House that
action upon resolution in the Senate
can be delayed until both houses have
completed their work, and that Their
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 prom
| inent Republican members, like Can
non Of Illinois, Walker of Massachu-
sets. Johnson of Indiana, are out
spoken. Some of the others. like Chair
man EiHgley of the Ways and Mea1s
Committee, have made no public dec
larations upon the subject, but are be-
lieved 10 be in sympathy with the OPP
ponents OF annexation. \ large ma
jority of the Republicans. however, are,
of course, in favor of the Adminstra-
tons policy, many of them enthusiasts
tically SO.
Chairman Hit of the Foreign At
fairs Committee is placed among the
supporters of annexation but it IS
probable that the real brunt of he
battle, # the contest is transferred TO
the House at this session. will be borne
by General Grosvenor of Ohio and Cen
eral Henderson of Iowa, both of whom
are enthusiastic in their support Of 1t.
AS stated, the indications all puint
TO Il conc erted plan on the part of the
enemies of annexation at both ends Of
the Capitol to hurry through the APP
preparation bills and adjourn before
action can be had ON the joint resou-
ton in the Senate. This, it is pointed
out, WOULD be the easier way to defeat
or at least postpone action, as if the
resolution got into the House the di-
visions III the Republican ranks would
be uncovered. and the leaders would
be forced ON opposite sides. Some Of
the Rel ublicans who are opposed TO
annexation do not care to be forced
into q position of public antagonism 10
the Administration if ii can be avoid
ed They would of course, prefer to
see the question postponed rather than
have II brought to an issue in the
House. The Democrats. with comDar-
atively few exceptions are hostile TO
annex alton. The programme Of the
House for the coming week includes
the completion of the civil sundry
bill, which has been under considera-
ton since last Wednesday, action on
the bill for the relief of the victims
and survivors of the Maine disaster.
the Senate bill authorizing the enlist
ment Of two additional regiments Of ar
tillery, ard the Loud bill, relating to
second-class mail matter.
The latter bill has been made the
special order for Tuesday Wednesday
and Thursday. A spirited contest vs.
anticlpated, but Loud the author 81
the bill, and the Chairman of the Post
office ana Post Roads Committee. is
confident that it will pass The bill
takes all complete books printed in
serial form out of the second-class
rate Zone cent per pound), and places
them on the regular book-rate class,
which pays eight cents per pound 1t
also prohibits the transmission OF
sample copies" at pound rates If
the bill should pass and be executed
according to its spirit, Loud estimates
the annual savings to the Government
effected by it during the next four
years would approximate 81, 000. 900.
Many publishers and newspapers are
very hostile to the measure. but thus
far the opposition has not been so ac-
tive as it was during the last Congress-
To-morroW, under the rules. is Dis
trict of Columbia day, but Chairman
Cannon, in charge of the sundry civil
bill, Will probably insist upon going
ahead with the bill. He refused yes
terday to yield to Boutelle, who was
extremely anxious to secure the i'm
mediate passage of the bill for the re
lief of the Maine victims. This latter
measure viii be doubtless called up as
soon as the appropriation bill is out
of the way, but the bin for two addi-
tional regiments of artillery will prob
ably not Ire taken up until the special
order for the consideration of the Loud
bill exhGusts itself.