The San Francisco call., 1898-12-05

MY row at noon on the closing
 session of the Fifty-fifth Con-
 gress The war and the fruits of the American victory carry in their wake many problems which the na- tional legislators must solve. But though many questions may press for solution the brief space covered by this session, which expires by limita- tion on March 4, precludes the possibil- ity of much being accomplished beyond the passage of the regular money budgets, the legislation for the in crease of the regular army which the administration deems necessary to meet the obligations imposed upon the nation as result of the war, and prob- ably the enactment of law to give a permanent Territorial government to the Hawaiian Islands.
 This covers all the important legisla- tion which the Congressional leaders expect to see enacted at this sesslon. It Is almost the unanimous sentiment of the members 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 who will strive to secure the passage of canal bill now, and in this they may possibly be successful, but neither 1t nor any of the measures like the pooling bill, anti-scalpers' bill, etc, which have strong friends, will be al- lowed to interfere with the bills the passage of which is deemed absolutely necessary to prevent an extra session. The leaders at both ends of the Capi- tol have put their heads together at the beginning of the session and are bent upon the idea of avoiding an extra ses- sion. 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 Appropria- tion Committee of the House have been at work for a week. The deficiency bill to meet the extraordinary expenses of the army and navy during the six months from January 1, 1898, to July 1 is ready to submit to the full commit tee tomorrow and the regular District of Columbia appropriation will be ready by the end of the week. It 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 1t through the House and into the Senate before the end of this week. The Democrats of the House have not dis closed their position but 1t is not be- lieved they will seek to obstruct any appropriation bill necessary for the maintenance of an army now in the field. Should there be a disposition to open up and prolong a debate upon the is safe to assume that the Committee on Rules will be invoked to bring in an order of closed debate.
 Intense interest is manifested in the Presidents message, which will be sub- mitted to Congress tomorrow, on &C., count of the many important questions it will have to deal with, and no Presi- dential message in years has been listened to with the eagerness and in terest with which the reading of Presi- dent McKinley's message will be heard tomorrow. The reading of the mes- sage will occupy probably two hours.
 The first thing in order after Speaker Reed calls the House to order to-mor- row will be a call of the roll to de- termine the presence of a quorum. Concerning this there is little doubt, as members are arriving by every train and the hotel Hobbies are already thronged with them. A quorum hay