The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-05
Members of Both Houses Anxious to
Dispose of the Appropriation Bills
Promptly as Possible.
FEW GENERAL MEASURES
WILL BE PRESSED, OWING To THE
sHORTNEsS or THE SESSION.
Proposition to Give Hawaii n Terri
tOrial Form OF Government Likely
to Meet with OppOsItiOn.

WASHINGTON, Dec 4-The curtain will
ring up tomorrow at noon on the closing
session of the Fifty-ifth Congress. The war
and the fruits Of the American victory carry
in their wake many problems which the ma
tional legislators must solve. But though
many questions may press for solution, the
brief space covered by this session, which
expires by limitation March a. precludes the
probability of much being accomplished be-
yond the passage of the regular money
budgets, the legislation for the increase of
the regular army, which the administration
deems necessary to meet the obligations i'm
posed on the country by the result of the
war, and probably the enactment of a law
to give permanent territorial government
TO the Hawaiian islands. This covers all the
important legislation which the congress
sional leaders expect to see enacted at this
session.
1t is almost the unanimous sentiment Of
the members that attempt should be
made to legislate concerning the possessions
acquired by the war with Spain at this ses-
sion. There are earnest advocates of the
Nicaraguan canal bill, who will strive to
secure its passage now, and they may pos
sibly be successful, but neither 1t nor any
one Of the measures, like the pooling bill.
anti-scaplers' bill, etc, which have strong
friends, will be allowed to interfere with the
bills the passage of which is deemed abso-
lutely necessary to prevent an extra session.
The leaders at both ends the Capitol
have put their heads together and the work
of the session is to be entered on with the
idea Of avoiding an extra session. With this
purpose in view, the appropriation bills are
to be given the road at both ends of the
Capitol and pressed throughout with all pos
sible haste. Two subcommittee of the ap-
preparations 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 Jan. l, 1899. to July 1. is ready to be
submitted to the full committee tomorrow,
and the regular District of Columbia appro-
priation bill viii be ready by the end of the
week. 1t is necessary that the former
should become a law before the holiday re-
cess, which this year is to be shorter than
usual, and Chairman Cannon hopes to see it
through the House into the Senate before
the end of the present week.
DEMOCRATIC PLANS SECRET.
The Democrats of the House have not dis
closed their position, but it is not believed
they will seek to obstruct a bill appropriate
ing the money necessary for maintenance Of
the army now in the field Should there be
q disposition to open up and prolong de-
bate on the conduct of the war upon this
bill 1t is safe to assume that the committee
on rules will be invoked TO bring in order
TO close debate.
Intense interest is manifested in the Presi-
dents message which will be submitted TO
Congress tomorrow, on account of the great
Importance of the many questions it will
have to deal with. and no presidential mes
sage in years, 1t is safe to say, has been
listened to with the eagerness and interest
with which the reading of President Nc
Kinley's message will be heard tomorrow.
The reading of the message will occupy
probably two hours.
The first thing in order after Speaker Reed
calls the House to order tomorrow will be
call Of the roll to determine he presence of
a quorum. Concerning this there is little
doubt as the members are arriving by every
train and the hotel lobbies are already
thronged. A quorum having been developed,
committees will be appointed to wait on the
President and the Senate to inform them
that the House is ready to proceed to busi-
ness. Pending the arrival of the Presidents
message several new members elected to
fill vacancies caused by deaths or resigna-
tion will be sworn in, and Immediately after
the reading of the message is completed the
House will adjourn out of respect to the
memory of Messrs. Love, of Mississippi, and
Northway, OF Ohio. who died during the re-
cess. On Tuesday or Wednesday at the
latest the House will plunge into work
Chairman Cannon will have the deficiency
bill ready, and it will occupy the attention
OF the House to the exclusion of everything
else for the remainder of the week.
IN THE SENATE.
Senators express a determination to take
up the work of the session vigorously in
the beginning, with the hope Of having it
well advanced before the holidays, and they
are counting taking up the appropriation
bills at a very early date for the purpose
of preventing an extra session due to any
failure OF part of the national budget. 1t is
expected that the army deficiency bill will
reach the Senate during the present week
the understanding at the north end of the
Capitol building being that the House will
dispose of it within a very few days after
assembling. The committee on appropria-
tions will bring it in early for the double
purpose Of having it passed quickly and of
testing the feeling OF senator's on questions
connected with the war The first days ses-
sion will be given up almost entirely to the
Presidents message. and there is great in
terest manifested in hearing the minutess
details OF the Presidents recommendations.
After the reading OF the message the SEN
ate will adjourn until the next day. All
plans and legislation of general scope awaits
the PRONUNCIATION OF this document, and as
a consequence one hears far less than usual
Of measures TO be introduced.
It is impossible to say what matters win
occupy the week after the disposal OF the
message, but is is probable that some