The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-27
WILL NICARAGUA BILL
BE PASSED BY HOUSE ?

BIZ PASSED 81 hUUSE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The House
will devote practically all of the closing
week of the session to the appropriation
bills and conference reports, and the
prospects are that every minute of the
time will be required to get them
through before noon on March 4. An
order has been made TO meet at II
o'clock each day, but in addition to this
night sessions will be held, and it would
surprise none if one or more all-night
sessions should be necessary. Every
thing else except the appropriation bills
and the army reorganization bill will
go by the board in the final crush. A
few minor bills may go through by
unanimous consent, but there is no
longer any time for the consideration
of important general measures.
The bill for the government of Hawaii
has been abandoned, and althoughs the
friends of the public building bills IA
vorably acted upon by the committee of
the Thole ten days ago still cherish
lingering hope that time will be given
for their consideration in the House, the
chance is so insignificant that it is bare
ly worth more consideration. Hundreds
of bills will die on the calendar.
Though the thought of an extra ses-
sion practically disappeared with the
agreement in the Senate upon the army
reorganization, it will require the most
arduous labor to get through the appro-
priation bills and conference reports be-
fore the curtain falls next Saturday.
The actual physical work of engross-
IL
bills during the last forty EIGHT hours
Will necessitate a large temporary addi-
ton to the clerical force. The engross-
ment of bills il done at the government
office when no special exigency exists,
but by special resolution, passed Fri
day, permission to engross by hand dur
ing the remainder of the session was
given. In the final adjustment Of diff
ferences between the two houses, the
House is agreeable to bring every prop
osition to a vote quickly under a sus-
pension OF the rules, a motion to sus-
pend the rules being in order at any
time during the last week of the session.
This gives the House a distinct advan-
tage and enables it at the flag end of
the session to transact an enormous
business in very short time.
The condition of the appropriation
bills is such that the situation might
we'll cause alarm were 1t not for the al
most universal desire OI DOlIi SUES OL
the House to obviate the necessity for
an extra session Of Congress. Only
three of the fourteen supply bills have
gone to the PreSident-the pension,
military academy and diplomatic. Six
have passed both houses. Five OF these,
the legislative, executive and judicial,
the postoffice, the agricultural, District
of Columbia and Indian, are in confer
ence where the representatives of the
two houses are working to adjust the
differences. The other, the river and
harbor, has been referred to the River
and Harbor Committee of the House.
The sundry civil passed the House and
is under consideration in the Senate.
The naval bill has passed the House,
but has not yet been reported to the
Senate. The army bill is being consid-
cred in the House, and two Of the bills,
the Notifications and general deficiency,
are vet to be acted upon by the House.
Most of the bills in conference have
problems which will be more or less
difficult to solve, but none of these diff
ferenceS have been so serious as to
make the promise of a deadlock, which
might result in their failure, with the
single exception of the river and harbor
bill, and its loss would not neceSSltate
an extra session.
The fight over the Nicaragua canal
amendment, which the Senate placed
over this bill, is very bitter and to the
death. The canal proposition would
command a majority of the votes of
the House. but against ii are arrayed
the Appropriations Committee and the
ablest men of the House, who do not
believe that such enormous appropria-
lions should be hastily passed during
the dying hours of Congress Every
strategy known to parliamentary law
will be employed to defeat the PROPOSE
ton. and, If necessary, probably kill the
rlroflr ifS dpa n
to it's enactment without the canal
amendment After the committee con-
siders the Senate amendments Chair
man Burton will come into the House
with motion for a disagreement on
all amendments and get the Senate's
request for a conference
Hepburn, chairman OF the interstate
Commerce Committee, will give concur
renee in the canal amendment, which
motion is in order and viii take prefer
ence. But as the amendment carries
an appropriation it must be considered
in the committee of the whole first, and
here it is opposed by bitter fight. The
most obstructive influence will be en-
ployed, but it lies in the power of the
majority to win in the end, and 1t is
probable that upon a vote the House
may agree to the amendment. Put this
will not close the contests by any
means. 1t can be transferred to all
conference reports upon the bill and
prolonged to the jeopardy OF the appro-
priation bills to such an extent that it
would seem that in the final issue
the passage of the canal amendment
would simply be blocked unless it COM
manded the necessary tWo-tnlrds TO
suspend the rules. If this can be done
the bill will probably become law,
with the canal amendment in it. If it
cannot, the bill will probably fall un-
less the Senate at the last moment Jet
tisons it. Altogether, the promise is for
an interesting and memorable week In
the House.
SPANISH IMMIGRANTS.