Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-19
55th CONGRESS.
The Holiday Recess Will Last
from Dec. % to Jan. 4.
Unprecedented Progress Made With
Legislation Now Before Congress.
The Peace Treaty Will Go before Senate at an
Early Date.


Washington, Dec. 1S.-The holiday re-
cess, by the terms of the resolution re-
ported by the ways and means commit
tee, is to begin, Thursday and extend
until, Wednesday, Jan. 4. 1t is likely,
however, that the resolution will be
amended SO as to make the recess be-
gin, Wednesday. instead of, Thursday.
The appropriation bills are farther
advanced now than they have been for
many years at the short session. AL
ready the naval and army deficiency.
special bill, and three of the regular
bills-the pension, District of Columbia,
and Indian, have passed the House.
The agricultural bill was reported, yes
terday, and will be taken up, Tuesday.
Four of the regular money budgets out
of 10 will. therefore, have passed the
lower House before the holiday recess.
an unprecedented thing in legislative
annals.
The military academy bill could have
been added to this list had it not been
THAT Chairman Hull of the military af-
fairs committee, declined to allow the
attention of the committee to be drawn
from the bill for the increase of the
army even for the limited time requir-
ed to prepare the academy bill.
The latter, however, will be reported
before the recess.
The friends of the naval personnel
bill and the bill for the Philadelphia
exposition of 1899, have been urging
the committee on rules to grant time
for their considera ton. Time will be
allotted for the former bill soon after
the House reconvenes after the holt
day recess. 1t is possible that the
Philadelphia exposition bill may be
called up and placed upon it's passage,
tomorrow, as tomorrow, under the
rules. is suspension day.
The bill to extend the navigating
laws of the United States over Hay
ali which was pending, yesterday,
when the House adjourned, may also
be voted upon under suspension of the
rules.
The week ins the Senate will be open
ed with a speech by Senator Plat of
Connecticut ON the question of eXpan-
sion. He has given notice of an add
dress to begin Immediately after the
conclusion of routine morning business,
Monday. Mr. Plat will reply to the
speech of Senator Vest, last Monday.
and, as he has given very careful at
tentiOn. to the extension of our terri
torial area, no little interest is mani
Tested among senators in his presenta-
ton of the matter and it is not improb-
able, unless the Nicaragua canal bin
prevents, that the speech Will precipi-
tate more or less general debate upon
this question. Whether ut does or not.
number of speeches ON the same SUBJ
ject win be made after the Christmas
holidays, preparatory to the considera-
ton of the peace treaty.
1t is hoped that the treaty will be
taken UP for discussion early in jan
uary. Already there is talk of thu
probability of disposing of the treaty
during the present session and the, i'm
preston is favorable to this result. A
few senators manifest disposition to
debate the treaty at length and some
profess unalterable opposition, but the
feeling is so strong against an extra
session and in favor of the postpone
ment of the settlement of the DISPOSE
ton of the Philippines after they come
into our possession, that it now seems
that even the minority will consent tosa
the treaay's ratification without mater-s
ial delay.
The friends of the treaty, who are
giving attention to the closest details
of opposition as they develop, have
taken the pains to have enumerated
the names of the signers to the memo
rails against annexation which haves]
reached the Senate. and they find thai
there are fewer than 1000 of them, dis
tributed among the states as follows;
Massachusetts. 145 West Virginia,
101; Indiana, a. Ohio, so; Florida, Al,
New York. As; Virginia, 80; Vermont.
20; Maryland. 16; Pennsylvania AMI
Is each: Rhode Island, u: New
6; California and Missouri
3 each: Wisconsin and Tennessee. ?
each; Maine, Colorado, Iowa and Ne
yada, l each.
Senator Morgan said, today. that he |
meant to press the Nicaragua canal |
bill as vigorously as possible and he |
expressed the hope that he might ,se-