Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-13
NOT A LONG SESSION
Conditions Promise Speedy Trans
action Of Business.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS POSTPONED
Legislation Necessary for Govern
ment of Dependencies.
T QUESTIONS POSTPONED
WORK OF THE COMMITTEES

1t is expected by the congressional man.
ayers that the present session will be I'M
usually short for the first of a Congress.
1t is not intended by the republican lead
ers that the session shall be dragged out
unnecessarily. and the conditions promise
to be favorable to the speedy transaction
OF such business as is intended to be dis
posed of. The present manner in which the
House has taken hold and will dispose of
the financial measure is indicative of the
course contemplated with respect to all
legislation mapped out for this session.
While many matters of great importance
demand the attention of this Congress,
present plans contemplate only the initia-
ton of legislation with respect to most of
them.
The Isthmian Canal.
The progress of the investigation ordered
by the last Congress of the several pro-
posed routes for interoceanic canal is
not such as to render possible legislation on
that subject at this session. 1t was appar-
ent at the last Congress that a majority of
both houses was favorable to legislation at
that time for the construction of the Mica
raguan canal. but it sidetracked by
clever manipulation, and the authorization
of a commission to examine into the merits
of all routes proposed appears to have eff
fectiyely blocked legislation for this ses-
sion.
Conditions are not such as to warrant any
comprehensive legislation at this session
with reference to the Philippine Islands. If
it is deemed desirable for Congress to take
any action whatever at this time as to the
Philippines it will probably be in the nature
of simple resolution extending the power
of the President in such manner as may
be needed to enable him to restore order
on the islands. Even this may not be
deemed necessary if to attempt it would be
to open up the whole controversy in Con-
gress.
With these two vexing questions post
poned much of the time-consumng conten-
ton of the session may be avoided.
Government of the Colony.
1t is not anticipated that there will be
much real opposition of the sort that leads
to a prolonged fight over the legislat ton
necessary to extend proper civil govern
ment by the United States over Hawaii
and Porto Rico The President having
taken the attitude he has with reference to
the freedom of trade with those posses
sions and the United States ports the OPP
position in some quarters, based entirely
local interest, to the extension of our
revenue laws to Porto Rico will probably
not be at all effective. Any measure having
remote reference to the new possessions
will undoubtedly be made the basis and ex-
cuse for a great deal of political harangue-
ing by the minority on the subject of i'm
perialism,' but there promises to be little
real opposition to the legislation which will
be proposed.
Subsidies for Ships.
The most troublesome question is likely
to be that with reference to ship subsidy,
to promote American commerce.; and
the next most troublesome, that with ref
erence to the construction of a Pacific
cable. The hostility which exists In Con-
grcss to ship subsidy is of a most bitter
and determined character and not entirely
vfs--,,, VInr
Payne proposition will likely fight 1t in
every way hey know how and with per-
sstency; that 1t is not impossible that
this may be one of the measures that will
so over to another session. The fight
against the construction of Pacific cable
will be made with the knowledge on the
part of those opposed to it that the cable
has become a commercial necessity. The
opposition will be a part of the general
resistance Of every step of progress of this
government in the Philippines and the
orient. the objection to the cable being
that Ii would bring us closer to the Phil
ippines, which the anti-imperialists desire
should remain remote and inaccessible to
the authority of this government
The Appropriations.
The committees being announced before
the Christmas holidays, those having press
ing and important matters to consider will
probably organize and get to work. through
subcommittee, during the holiday recess.
II Is expected that the appropriation COM
mittee will have an appropriation bill ready
for the consideration of the House soon
after Congress re-assembles at the close
of the holidays, and it is part of the plan
of procedure that the appropriation bills
shall be prepared and disposed of as speed
lily as possible. so that none will be left
hanging to the last as an excuse for pro-
longing the session.
Under this management, with a large ma
Jority in the Senate, and rules governing
the House which can be invoked to pre-
vent wanton waste of time, it is believed
that the legislation designed to he had at
this session can be disposed of with a
rromptness which will enable an unusually
carly adjournment of the session.
Speaker Henderson indicates disposition
to treat the democrats in the House with
generosity. He has stated his purpose to
comply as far as possible with the requests
of Mr.. Richardson, the chosen spokesman
of The minority, as to the minority commit
tee assignments. and will increase the DEM
ocratc representation on all the important