The sun., 1898-12-11
I WEEK IN INlCONGRnss

Resolutions Pending Before the NJ
tional Body.-.Amusemen Over
speaker Reeds Role.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.--The first week
Of Congress has produced nothing excit.
ing, whatever the remainder OF the ses.
sion may bring. II the President in
tended his message TO have q soothing
effect, by reason OF what it did not con-
tain, he can congratulate himself on biz
success. There was little or nothing In
the message to cause Congressional
wrang.ing, but there is q manifest dispo.
sition on the part OF number Of the
Senators and Representatives to antici-
pate matters and do considerable talking
about expansion, even II they do mot
know what the policy Of the Administra-
ton Will be towards the Philippines,
The daily sessions of both HOUSE and
Senate have been short this week. but
much work has been done by the com.
mittees. lssy
In the Senate the following resolutions
have been offered: By Senator HalG5{0r
monument to the sailors ef t. fbattle.
ship Maine, and for the revival of the
grades Of admiral and vice. admiral; by
Senator Morgan, for q monument to the
late Rear Admiral Ammen: by Senator
Morrill,, resolution adopted by the Ver-
mont Legislature, asking that the grade
OF admiral be revived and that Rear ADJ
miral Dewey be promoted thereto. In
the House, Representative Sulzer offered
q resolution for the investigation OF the
war, which was sent to the Military
Committee, to die. The House passed
the Anti.Scalping bill.
For many years Senator Vest was con-
spicuous at every session of the Senate,
but bad health has prevented his taking
very active part during the last two or
three sessions. His health is somewhat
better, and he has already given notice
OF his intention to jump into the expan.
sion fray, by offering resolution declar-
ing it to be unconstitutional for this
country to acquire territory to be held
and governed permanently as colonies.
The principal object Of Mr.. Vest in Of
fering this resolution is believed to
be the furnishing of foundation upon
which he and other Senators OF
the same mind may stand, and speak in
open session against ratification OF the
treaty Of peace, thus getting better ep-
portunity to influence the public against
the treaty than they could by making
speeches in executive session. But the
friends OF the treaty-more than two.
thirds OF the Senate-expect to defeat the
object OF Senator Vest by moving for an
executive session when he or any other
Senator starts to speak on his resolution.
Senator Morgan thinks Democrats will
make a mistake by antagonizing the
treaty of peace, and thus states his own
position: 81 do not propose to see the
Republicans get all the glory of the re-
suits OF the war. 1t was not partisan
war to begin with, and the American
flag having been planted in the Philip
pines, | want to be participator in the
glory which attaches to its presence
there" That there are other members
of his party in the Senate who think as
Mr.. Morgan does will soon become ap-
parent.
The report of the Hawaiian Commits
sion, now before Congress, is for a terri
torlal form of government differing little
IN important matters, except that it pro-
vldes a property qualification for suffrage,
from those of our existing territories.
Representative Payne, OF New York, has
introduced bill to extend all United
States laws relating to customs, commerce
and navigation to the Hawaiian Islands.
The bill makes all the group one collec-
ton district, with Honolulu as the port
OF entry.
There is more or less amusement in
Congressional circles over the assump.
hv Snun t.r panl
ton, Of the role timid man. The
cause was the vacancy in the chairman
ship OF the Committee on Rivers and
llaroors, made by the resignation of
Rep.eee ntative Hooker, Of New York.
Representatives Burton, OF Ohio, and
Cooper, OF Wisconsin, were both after
the place, and both had strong follow.
ing. When Speaker Reed was approached
and asked to choose between those two
gentlemen he told lis callers that he
thought the rules provided that the
othe members OF the committee should
select the chairman when there was
vacancy to be filled. The members of
the committee say they thought it was
the Speakers duty to choose the chair
man, but they elected Mr.. Burton.
In letter to Secretary Alger advocat-
ing his plan for the reorganization of
the army, which plan provides for the
revival OF the grade OF general and for
two ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, General Miles
says his plan sis similar to the organiza-
ton which has been found most efficient
in the armies OF all other civilized ma
tlons, and also to that which was found
to be most effective in the Confederate
Army between the years 1861 and 1865.
A similar organization has been recon-
mended by General Sherman and Lieu
tenant. General Schofeld." Bills have
been introduced in both House and
Senate for the reorganization of the
army on a basis of 100000, but neither
OF them follow the recommendations OF
General Miles.