The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-28
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST
House Leaders Working for an
Early Adjournment.
is BREAKING THE RECORD
Appropriation Bills Nearly All Disposed
Of-Naval Bill Awaiting the Report
OF the Board of Inquiry-Reed
Opposed TO Annexation.

ers have been StraininE all their energies
TO expedite the appropriation oils, with
a view to an early adjournment, and
they are succeeding beyond their most
sanguine expectations. Not in quarter
of a century have the appropriation bills
been so far advanced in the long SEES
sion as thy are at this time. Only three
of the IS regular bills remain in COM
rnlttee The other 10 have gone through
one or more of the executive stages and
one--the military academy bills IN
the hands of The president awaiting his
signatura.
/ The condition of the other nine bills
is as follows The pension bill has
passed both houses and the differences
have beai agreed upon in conference.
the legislative, executive and judicial,
the army, the Notifications and the agri-
cultural bills have passed both houses
and the differences are being adjusted III
conference; the senate amendments 10
the diplomatic and consular bill have
been agreed upon by the house commit
tee on foreign affairs and the Dill only
awaits confirmation of this action by the
house before going TO the president; the
Indian bill has passed the senate ana
the amendments placed on the bill there
are being considered by the house COM
,nittee: the District of Columbia BILL
which has passed the house, Is still in
the senate committee, and the sundry
civil bill will probably pass the house
Tomorrow OF the three bills still I'M
reported to the house, both the naval
and postoffice await contingent develop
ment before they can be reported.
The naval bill Is practically completed,
save for the provisions for dry docks
and new ships. On both these PROPOSE
tions the development of the next few
DAYS are expected to control the action
of the committee. If the board of in
curry should render a finding which
portends strained relations with
Spain, the most liberal provis-
ions will be made both for dry
docks and ships. If the disaster was not
due to accidental causes aboard ship. 1t
is almost certain that new battle
ships will be provided for; one recon-
mended by the secretary OF the navy
and one 10 replace the Maine, and that
at least one of the new dry docks rec
commended will be authorized. In case
the Maine disaster is found to have been
caused by accident it is probable no pro-
vision for battleships will be made III
the new bill
The completion Of the postoffice bill
depends upon the action of the house
upon the Loud bill relating to second
class mail matter, which Is to be acted
upon this week.
The general deficiency is always the
last of the bills to be reported, as 1t
includes such deficiencies and other
close of every session. With the APP
preparation bill and the immigration
bill, the commission Of which has been
sent for March Is, out of the way moth
ing remains to prolong this session of
congress save annexation of Hawaii or
war. The leaders of both sides looking
ahead, eliminating both these subjects
as proba bilties or possibilities of delay.
agree that the appropriation bills should
be passed and that congress should be
ready TO adjourn early in May. If such
a contingency as war should arise, 1t
would be necessary for congress to act
both in the formal declaration of war
and in furnishing ways and means for
its prosecution.
With regard to Hawaiian annexation,
there is no doubt that If the present
treaty is abandoned in the senate, no
move for annexation by executive enact
ment will be initiated by the house.
Sentiment both among the friends and
opponents of annexation in the house. is
10 the effect that after the long contest
the other end of the capitol. the senate
should retain jurisdiction of the sub
ject. Action by the senate on a resoln-
ton of annexation would therefore pre-
cede any action by the house, and Ii is
this which gives color to the impression
in the house that the action upon a reso-
luton in the senate can be delayed until
both houses have completed their other
work, and that then 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 prominent
republicans. members like Cannon of
Illinois, Walker of Massachusetts, john
son of Indiana. are outspnken. Some of
the others. like Chairman Dfngley of the
ways and means committee, have made
no public declarations on the subject.
but are believed to be in sympathy with
the opponents Of annexation. large
majority of the republicans. however
are of course in favor of the admins
tration policy. many of them enthusiast
tically So
Chairman Hit OF the foreign affairs
committee il placed among the support
ers Of annexation. but ii Ii probable thai
the real brunt of the battle. If the con-
test Is transferred TO the house this ses-
sion. will be borne by General Grosyennr
of Ohio and General Henderson Of Iowa
both of whom are enthusiastic in their
support of it,
AS stated, the indications all point 10
a concerted plan on the part of the enc
mics of annexation at both ends of the
capitol to hurry through the apprupria-
tion bills and adjourn before action can
be had on the joint resoiusion in the sen-
ate. This. IL Is pointed ons, would lie tie
easier way To defeat, or at least post
pone action. as once the resolution got
INTO lns mouse Inc DIVISIONS IN the re
publican ranks would be uncovered and
the leaders would be forced on opposite
sides. Some Of the republicans who are
opposed TO the annexation do not care
TO be forced into a position of public
antagonism to the administration If IL
can be avoided. They would of course
prefer to see the question postponed
rather than have it brought TO an issue
in the house. The democrats. with COM
paratiTely few exceptions are hostile ia
annexation. The programme Of the house
for the coming week includes the COM