Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-05
CONGRESS MEETS TO-DAY.
Intense Interest Manifested in the
Presidents Message.

IT rs THE PLAN OF THE LEADERS
TO RUSH THE APPROPRIATION
BILLS WITH ALL SPEED, IN THE
HOPE OF AVOIDING AN EXTRA
SESSION. FORECAST OF LEGIS-
LATION' IN SENATE AND HOUSE.
Washington, December 4.-The cur
tain will ring up tomorrow at noon
upon the closing session of the Fifty
fifth Congress. The war and the fruits
OF the American victory carry in their
tional legislators must solve. But
though many questions may press for
solution, the brief space covered ~
this session, which expires by limita-
ton March 4th, precludes the probable
ity of much being accomplished beyond
the passage of the regular money
budgets, the legislation for the increase
of the regular army, which the admin
istration deems necessary to meet the
obligations imposed upon the country
by the result of the war, and probably
the enactment of law to give per-
manent territorial government to tie
Hawaiian islands. This covers all the
important legislation which the con-
gressional leaders expect to see en-
acted at this session. 1t is almost the
unanimous sentiment of the leaders
that
MO AuTUnspr CLIOJrI n pE MAnE
to legislate concerning the possessions
acquired by the war with Spain at this
session.
There are earnest advocates of the
Nicaragua canal bill who will strive
to secure it's passage now, and they may
possibly be successful, but neither it
nor any one of the other 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 capitol
have. put their heads together, and the
work of the session is TO be entered
upon with the idea of avoiding an extra
session. With this purpose in view,f
the appropriation bills are to be given
the road at both ends of the capitol,
and pressed through with all haste.
The subcommittee Of the Appropria-
tons Committee of the House have
been at work for week. The deficien-
bill, to meet the extraordinary eX-
penses of the army and navy during
the six months from. January /, 1899,
to July 1st, is ready to submit to the
full committee tomorrow, and the reg
ular District of Columbia appropriation
bill will be ready by the end of the,
week. 1t is necessary that the forder
should become law before the holiday
recess, which this year is to be shorter
than usual, and Chairman Cannon
hopes to see it through the House and
into the Senate before the end of The
present week. The Democrats OF the
House have not disclosed their posi-
ton, but it is not believed they will
seek to obstruct an appropriation bill
necessary for the maintenance of the
army now in the field. Should there
be a disposition to open up and pro-
long a debate upon the conduct of the
war upon this bill, it is safe to assume
that the Committee on Rules will be
invoked to bring in an order to close
debate
Intense interest is manifested in
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
which will be submitted to Congress
tomorrow, on account Of the great i'm
portance of the many questions 1t Will
have to deal with, and no presidential
message in years, it is safe to say, has
been listened to with the eagerness
with which the reading of President
McKinley's message will be heard to-
morrow. The reading Of the message
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 deter
mine the presence OF quorum. Con-
corning this there is little doubt, as
the members are arriving by every
train, and the hotel Hobbies are already
thronged. A quorum having been de-
veloped, committees will be appointed
to wait upon the President and the
Senate, to inform them that the House
is ready to proceed to business. Pend
ing the arrival of the Presidents mes
sage, several new members elected to
fill vacancies caused by deaths or res
ignations will be sworn in, and imme-
diately after the reading of the mes
sage is completed the House will adj
journ out of respect to the memory of
Messrs. Love of Mississippi, and North
way of Ohio, who died during the re-
cess.
On Tuesday or Wednesday, at the
latest, the House will plunge into its
work. Chairman Cannon will have the
deficiency bill ready and it will occupy
the attention of the House to the ex-
clusion of everything else for the re-
mainder Of tho week