The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-28
ARE HEADING OFF DAVIS
ANTI-ANNEXATIONI WANT AN
EARLY ADJOURNMENT

Prefer to Defeat the Hawaiian
Scheme without Having to Go ON
Record Against the Administra-
tfOn-Work of Session So Well
Along 1t Can Be COMPLETED in May
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The house
leaders have been straining all their
energies to expedite the appropriation
bills with view to an early adjourn
ment and they are succeeding beyond
their most sanguine expectations. Not
in a quarter Of a century have the ap-
preparation bills been so far advanced
in the long session as they are at this
time. Only three of the thirteen regu-
lar bills remain in committee. The other
ten have gone through one or more leg
tslative stages and one-the military
academy-is in the hands Of the preSi
dent awaiting his signature.
The condition of the other nine bills
is as follows: The pension bill has
passed both houses and the differences
have been agreed upon in conference;
the legislative, executive and judicial,
the army, the Notifications and the ag-
ricultural bills have passed both houses
and the differences are being adjusted
in conference; the senate amendments
to the diplomatic and consular bill have
been agreed upon by the house COM
mittee on foreign affairs, and the bill
only awaits confirmation Of this action
by the house before going to the presi-
dent; the Indian bill has passed the
senate and the amendments placed on
the bill there are being considered by
the house committee; 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 unreported to
the house, both the naval and post
office await contingent developments
before they can be completed. The ma
val bill is practically complete, save
for the provisions for the dry docks and
new ships. On both these propositions
the developments of the next few days
are expected to control the action of
the committee.
New BattIeships.
If the board Of inquiry into the Maine
disaster should render a finding which
portends strained relations with Spain,
the most liberal provisions will be made
both for dry docks and ships. If the
disaster was not due to accidental
causes aboard the ship, it is almost GER
provided for, one recommended by the
secretary of the navy and one to re-
place the Maine, and that at least one
Of the new dry docks recommended will
be authorized.
In case the Maine disaster is found
to have been caused by accident, it is
probable no provision for battleships
will be made in 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
bill is always the last of the bills to
be reported, as 1t includes such def
ciencies and other items as must be
provided for at the close of every SEES
sion. With the appropriation bills and
the immigra ton bill, the consideration
of which has been set for March Is, out
of the way, nothing remains to pro-
long this session of congress save the
question Of the annexation of Hawaii
or war. The leaders of both sides look
ing ahead, eliminating both these sub
jects as probabilities 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, it would be necessary for
congress to act both in the formal dec
laration of war and in furnishing ways