The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-20
WILL Be A BUSY WEEK
Important Measures on the Sem
ate Calendar.
THE ARMY BILL CONTEST
Democrats Will Refuse to Make the In
crease OF the Army Permanent.
No Tangible Basis for
Compromise.

Washington. Feb. 19-The week will
be busy one in the senate. With only
Il days,of the session left. all senators
appreciate the necessity of very strict
and close attention to business in order
to get through the bills which all ad-
init must become laws in order to pre-
vent an extra session of congress. Very
rarely has it occurred that there have
been SO many important measures on
the senate calendar so short time be-
fore the final adjournment of the last
session of congress. There. however,
are only comparatively few of these
bills outside of the appropriation bills
which must necessarily be acted upon
before adjournment and if the senate
disposes of these with the same facil-
ity that it has used in getting rid of
other important bills during the past
week, the session will be closed up in
good order and With time to spare. The
army reorganization bill and the CEN
sus bill are in reality the only two
measures aside from the appropriation
bills upon which final action would
seem absolutely necessary The census
bill has passed both houses and is now
IN conference and is reasonably sure of
enactment in some shape. The army
-bill Is yet to receive the attention of
1.-THE senate. Other measures which
VIII be pressed to a certain extent are
the Alaskan code bill, the Hawaiian ter
11torial organization bill and various
other bills pertaining to Hawaii.
A contest over the army bill which
was promised for last week, was post
poned until the present week, largely
because the storm of the first days of
the week prevented consideration of the
Dill by the military committee. Sena-
tor HaWley, chairman of the committee
on military affairs, has given notice
that he will seek to have the bill taken
up for consideration Immediately after
the disposal of the routine business
Monday morning. He will first ask for
unanimous consent to take the bill up
and If this is refused he will make a
motion to this effect. There is no prob
ability that the bill will not be taken
up, as the democrats as well as the
republicans, concede the necessity for
some legislation increasing the army to
cover the present emergency. With the
bill once before the senate, Senator
Cockrell will proceed to give the rea-
/ sons of the opposition to a permanent
increase in the army and he will be
followed by other senators in the OPP
position. as long as no disposition is
manifested to abandon at least some
portions of the house bill. The vital
point of difference between the two
sides of the chamber is the duration
of time for which the increase of the
army is made. Republicans demand
=. that it shall be permanent and the dem
f,,r.
i porary. The latter declare that they
= will not abandon their position and say
+ that whatever is done must be done
with this understanding. Some of the
friends of the bill have suggested the
acceptance of the Hull bill with an
amendment making the increase for on
ly specified time; but the democrats
generally manifest disposition not to
accept this change, as they say it would
. leave the way open for the republicans
TO get the legislation they want in the
Y next congress by repeating the Tempo
rary provision. So far no tangible basis
for compromise has been suggested
on either side. but some of the most in
f1uential members of the senate are
working to that end and the prediction
is freely made that they will succeed
before the close of the session. 1t has
Il never been supposd that any common
ground would be found until the cham
pions on the two sides should have an
opportunity to test the metal of each
others weapons. This opportunity will
come Monday, and it is expected that
on Tuesday a chance will be
found for conference looking to an
amendment. This opportunity will be
afforded by taking up the river and
harbor bill if present plans are carried
into effect. OF the supply bills, the SEN
ate has now before it only the postoffice
"a ri>-
harbor bill. OF these the postoffice bill
has received partial attention and the
river and harhor bill none 1t is eX-
pected that the sundry civil bin will
probably arouse considerable discussion
and there will be an effort to defeat
the Nicaragua canal amendment on "a
point of order.
priation bills, namely, the army, navy,
Notifications and deficiency bills,
which have not yet been received from
the house of representa- tiVeS Senator
Cullom says he will make an effort to
take up the bill providing a government
f for HAWAII, but the chances of success
are very slim. Senator Fairbanks will
also undertake to call up the bill ex-
tending the anti-contract labor laws to
Hawaii. There may be an effort to
amend this measure and it also may
fail Senator Carter will continue to
press the Alaskan bill whenever oppor-
funity offers. The Sampson-Schley con-
troversy will almost certainly come up
in an executive session. For the rest
there are many minor bills on the cal
endar, which will give the senate plen-
ty to do when it is not engaged With
the more momentouS questions. Wed
lesday will be devoted to the reading
of Washington's farewell address and
to eulogies on the late Senator Morrill,.