The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-27
INCREASE in THE ARMY
FATE OF THE COMPROMISE LIKE.
LY TO BE DECIDED
TODAY
BITTER FIGHT ON CANAL BILL
River and Harbor Rider VIII Sup
ply the Spectacular Features in
the House During the Closing
Week of the SessiOn--Five Big
Supply Bills Are Still to he Acted
UpOn--FinaI Rush.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 26.-The week
will open with the compromise army
Dill still before the senate. but it is
| impossible to say how long it may con-
tlnue to demand the attention Of that
body. The best opinion is to the effect
that vote will be secured Monday
but this depends largely upon the tenn
per Of Mr.. German and his friends,
who insist upon the amendment of the
| army bill so as to further curtail the
size of the army in 1901.
1t is not, however, believed that they
| will press their opposition to the point
| of extending the controversy over the
merits of the measure. and the friends
| of the bill count confidently on a vote
before adjournment Monday
Mr.. German disclaims any intention
to force delays. but says he will press
his measure as long as there Is any
| chance of success.
If the debate should be continued to
any considerable length the action
would be generally accepted as in
| dicating a purpose to force an extra
session, as all admit that with as many
| appropriation bills as are impending 1t
Is 1mpractlcable to give very much
more time to the army bill and still
| pass the supply bills before March a..
There is yet no great danger Of the
failure Of either an army bill or the
appropriation bills. No senator can be
found who avows himself as desirous
of forcing called session. Hence the
general belief Is that all these meas
ures will become laws and that when
congress adjourns next Saturday legis-
lation will be in such a state as to
render 1t possible for the legislators
to remain at their homes until next
| December. There seems no doubt of
the passage Of the compromise army
bill by a large majority when the vote
| Is taken.
| FIVE BIG BILLS.
The appropriation bills will demand
almost all the attention of the senate
when the army bill is out of the way,
and the senate will have to materially
increase the length of its sessions in
| order to secure their enactment into
laws. There are still five Of these bills
which have not as yet received atten-
| ton from the senate; and five others
which are in conference and which will
require more or less consideration are
those providing appropriations for the
| Indian office, postoftice and the agri-
| cultural department snd for the Dis
! trict of Columbia and the Improvement
| Of rivers and harbors. There are no
| radical points Of difference in any of
these bills, except in the river and har-
! q
| requiring adjustment and they will
| necessarily demand time for this pur-
| pose.
The river and harbor bill carries the
| Nicaragua canal provision and other
additions appropriating large sums OF
| money.
The five bills which have not been
reported to the senate are: The sundry
| civil, the naval, the army, the fortifi-
cations and general deficiency. All are
important and each will require con-
siderable time for disposal. OF these
five, the committee on appropriations
has considered only the sundry civil
| BILL The senate will get them all
| through. however, unless unexpected
| opposition should be developed to some
| of them.
| The calendar is full of bills Of pri-
vate and semi-private nature and also
| contains many measures of general
| public Importance. Many of these are
| unobjectionable to all Of the members
| of the senate and majority Of those
| Of this class will pass.
The beginning of the days session
| will probably be changed to 10 or II
| o'clock each day of the week and night
| sessions are also counted on for the
| greater part Of 1t.