The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-01-03
THE WORK OF CONGRESS-
House Will Devote Its Time to Civil
Service Discussion.
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION TREATY

VIII Occupy the Attention of the Sem
ntors, But WIN Probably Not BE
Brought Up Until Next week-To
Force Test Vote on silver Question
Washington, Jan. 3.-The time of the
house this week after it meets on We'd
nesday probably will be entirely de-
voted to the debate on the civil SER
vice question. By general consent the
appropriation in the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial bill for the main
tenance of the commission, upon which
the debate will be based, went over
until after the holidays. 1t is intended
by the opponents of the civil service
law that the debate shall cover the
whole question, and they expect to de-
velop and exploit some very interest
ing facts. The defenders of the law
have made elaborate preparations to
meet these assaults, and some higly
! interesting, if not sensational, incidents
are anticipated. The records of in
dividuals are likely to be very much
in evidence. 1t is not expected that
| the debate will be concluded this week,
as Saturday has been set aside for pay
ing tribute to the memory of the late
Representative Wright, of Massashu-
sets.
General Grosvenor, of Ohio, who has
been one of the mainstays of the oppo-
sition to the law, is very desirous of
participating in the debate, but owing
to the senatorial fight now in progress
in Ohio he probably will not be able
to return until next week. 1t is not
believed that there will be any at
| tn s1n ho ho 70 hofo ha
has had an opportunity to make the
elaborate speech which he has pre-
pared. No one seriously believes how
ever, that the upshot of the present
| debate Will be the striking out of the
| appropriation for the commission. The
only practical effect of the debate will
| be to place the members on record for
the future.
The prevailing opinion among sena-
tors is that very little Legislation will
| be attempted during the present week.
| The fact hat congress will not recon-
vene until Wednesday will probably be
| taken by the absentees to mean that
nothing will be attempted until the
| following week, and as a consequence
1t is doubtful whether there will lbe a
! quorum present in the senate on We'd
nesday, in which event there will prob
| ably be an early adjournment until
the following day, and then an ad-
journment until Monday. In any event
it is not probable that any important
question will be raised during the pres
| ent week.
The general understanding is, how
ever that the work of the session will
begin in real earnest after this week,
! and that henceforth there will be no
justification of the complaint of dull
ness of the proceedings. Among the
questions which will engage early at
tention are the Hawaiian annexation
question, the claim of Mr.. Corbett to a
seat in the senate from Oregon, the
immigration bill and the financial ques-
ton. In all probability the committee
on privileges and elections will meet
during the present week, and the
chances are that an early report on the
Corbett case will be ordered, even
though it may not be favorable. The
Republican side of the chamber will
not be a unit in Mr.. Corbett's interest
Senator Burrows, of the committee
which has charge of the case, is pre-
pairing an exhaustive speech antago-
nistic to Mr.. Corbett, and the opposi-
ton are counting upon the assistance
of still others from that side of the
chamber. 1t is not believed that there
will be any serious antagonism to the
immigration BILL but there may be con-
siderable time consumed in speeches
upon the subject.
1t is probable that Senator Davis,
chairman of the committee on foreign
relations, will make an effort during
the present week to get day fixed for
taking up the annexation treaty, and
there is no apprehension of any OBJ
jections to naming a day in the early
future. The plan of the supporters of
the treaty is to take the question up in
executive session on a resolution of
ratification and to debate the treaty
for few daYs in executive session,
pursuing this course long enough to de-
termine their strength and commit
those who profess to be with them. If
they find that they have the necessary
two-thirds to secure ratification they
will press on to the end, but If they
discover themselves to be deficient in
voting strength they will change their
policy and take UP the question of
annexation on Senator Morgans reso-
luton to that end. There is no doubt
that a majority Of affirmative votes
can be secured and that a resolution
of this character can be passed If a
vote can be reached. The present in
dicatlons are that the treaty as such
will fail of ratification by from two to
six votes, but friends of the agreement
have by no means lost hope that they
will succeed in securing the entire &c
votes necessary to ratlfy
The promised explanation by Sena-
tor Wolcott of the result of his BIZ
metallic mission to Europe is expected
when made, to open up the discussion
of the attitude of the administration
on the silver question, and the debate
may even be sprung in advance of his
speech. The pronounced free silver ad-
Vocates are determined to secure a
test vote during the session on the
silver question, ans Senator Teller has
decided to introduce the Stanley Mat
thews resolution of the Forty-fifth con.
gress declaring for the payment OF
bonds in silver, with this end in view
Mr.. Wocott does not expect to be able
to present his statement before the
Ikth of tha month