The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-05
CONGRESS- ASSEMBLIES.
The Presidents Message Alone 0c-
\ cupies the Opening Session.
APPROPRIATION MEASURES LEAD

"oucS DuuketSs HAoS
Be Declared n Territory.
Washington, Dec. 5.-The curtain
fang up at noon today upon the closing
session of the Tifty-fifth congress- The
war and the fruits Of the AniSrican
victory carry in their wake many prob
lens which the national legislature
must solve. But though many ques-
tions may press for solution. the brief
space covered by this session. which
expires by Limitation March 4, pre-
cludes the possibility of much being
accomplished beyond the passage of the
regular money budgets, the legislation
for the increase Of the regular army,
which the administration deems neces-
sary to meet the obligations imposed
upon the government 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 legisla-
lion which the congressional leaders
expect to see enacted at this session.
~ 10 dllIiOsl tllt oChliIliNht
Of the leaders that no attempt should
be made to legisate concerning the
possessions acquired by the war vita
Spain at this session. I
There are earnest advocates of the
Nlcaraguan canal bill who will strive
10 secure its passage now, and they
may possibly be successful, but neither
rlt nor any one. of the other measures,
like the pooling bill, anti-scalpers' bill,
i, ptc., which have strong friends, will be
allowed to interfere with the bills the
passage Of which is deemed absolutely
necessary. The leaders at both ends
of the Capitol have put their heads to-
gether, and the work of the session is
to be entered upon 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 through
with all possible haste.
Two subcommittee of the appro-
priations committee of the house have
been at work for week. The de-
fciency bill to meet the extraordinary
expense of the army and navy during
the six months from Jan. t. 1898, to July
]. Is ready to submit to the full COM
mittee today, and the regular District
of Columbia appropriation bill will be
ready by the end of the week. 1t is
necessary that the former should be-
come 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
kbn IA bnF,, hn ,p hn ,In
week. The Democrats of the house have
not disclosed their position, but 1t is
not believed they will seek to obstrurt
an appropriation bill necessary for the
maintenance Of the army now in the
field. Should there be a disposition to
open up and prolong 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 was sub
mitted to congress today, on account
of the great Importance of the many
questions with which 1t deals, and no
presidential message in years, it Is
safe to say, has been listened to with
the eagerness and interest with which
the reading of President Mckinley's
message was heard today.
The first thing in order after Speaker
Reed called the house to order today
was call of the roll to determine the
presence of quorum. A quorum hav-
ing been developed, committees were
appointed to wait upon the president
Hnd the senate to inform them that the
house Is ready to proceed to business.
Pending the arrival of the presidents
message several new members elected
90 fill vacancies caused by deaths or
designations were sworn in. and I'M
mediately after the reading of the mes
sage was completed the house adjourn
ed out of respect to the memory of
Messrs. Love of Mississippi and North
way of Ohio, who died during the re-
cess. Tomorrow, 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-
mander Of the week.
Senators express a determination to
take up the work of the session vigor-
S"S'y - Wv ''b'ii WIN INV iopC
of having it well advanced before the
holidays, and they are counting upon
taking up the appropriation bills at a
very early date, for the purpose of pre-
venting an extra session due to any
failure of part OF the national budget.
1t is expected that the army deficiency
bill VIII reach the senate during the
present week, the understanding at the
north end of the Capitol being that the
house will dispose of it within very
few days after assembling. The COM
mittee on appropriations will bring it
In early for the double purpose Of hav-
Ing it passed quickly and of testing the
Feeling of senators on questions con-
nectcd with the war. The first days
kession was given up almost entirely to
the presidents message. After the
reading Of the message the senate ad-
DOurncd until tomorrow.
1t Is impossible to say what mat
lers Will follow the disposal Of the
message, but 1t Is probable that some
speeches may be delivered upon the
policy indicated by the message and |
also that the calendar may be taken |
Ap. There are many measures which
nave pcVH i0poilei, anu lHeIe Will DE
no difficulty to find employment If the |
senate is disposed to settle to routin. |
30 early in the session.
During the closing days Of the last
session Senator Morgan gave notice |
of his intention to call UP the Mica |
Fagua canal bill at the beginning of |
the present session. He unquestionaby !
will redeem this promise. and would |
doubtless seek the first opportunity but |
Tor the possibility of change of SEN
timent in favor of having the govern. |
ment undertake the entire responsible
ity Of building the canal All the in
dications are that this question will be
one of the most prominent subjects |
under consideration during the session.