Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-20

A1s A4V
week will be a busy one in the Senate.
With only twelve days Of the session
left, all Senators appreciate the neces-
sity of very strict and close attention
% business in order TO get through the
bills which all admit must become
laws in order to prevent an extra ses-
sion Of Congress. Very rarely has it
occurred that there have been so many
Important measures on the Senate cali
endar SO short a time before the final
adjournment of the last session of Con-
gress. There are, however, only COM
paratively few of these bills outside
the appropriation bills which must nee
essarily be acted upon before adjourn
ment. and if the Senate disposes OF
these with the same facility 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 reorgan-
ization bill and the census 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 reason
ably sure of enactment in some shape.
The army bill is yet to receive the at
tention of the Senate. Other measures
which will be pressed to a certain ex-
tent are the Alaskan code bill, the Ha-
waiian territorial organization bill and
various other bills pertaining TO Ha-
wall.
A contest over the army bill, which
was promised for last week, and post
pOned until the present week, largely
because the storm of the first days OF
the week prevented consideration of the
bill by the Military Committee. Sem
ator Hawley, chairman of the Commit
tee 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, will make a mo-
ton to this effect. There is no prob
ability that the bill will not be taken
up, as the Democrats as well as the Re-
publicans 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 reasons of the opposition to a per-
manent increase in the army, and he
will be followed by other Senators in
the opposition so long as no disposi-
ton 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 dura-
ton of time for which the increase Of
the army is to be made. The Republi-
can demand that it shall be perma-
nent, and the Democrats refuse to
make it more than temporary. The
latter declare that they viii not aban-
don this position, and say that what
ever 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 only a specific
time; but the Democrats generally
manifest a disposition not to accept
this change, as they say It would leave
the way open for the Republicans to
gte the legislation they want in the
next Congress by repeating the tenn
porary provision. So far no tangible
BASIS FOR A COMPROMISE
has been suggested on either side, but
some of the most influential 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.
The Rivers and Harbor bill win
probably arouse considerable discus
sion and there will be an effort to de-
feat the Nicaragua canal Amendments
on a point of order.
There are still four important appro-
priation bills, namely the naval, army,
Notifications and deficiency bills,
which have not yet been received
from the House Of Representatives.
Senator Cullom says he will maks
an effort to get up the general bill pro-
yiding a government for Hawaii, but
the chances of success are very slim.
Senator Fairbanks viii also undertake
to call up the bill extending the anti
contract labor laws to Hawaii. There
may be an effort t amend this meas
ure and it also may fail. Senator Car
ter will continue to press the Alaskan
bill whenever opportunity affords. The
Sampson-Schley controversy bill viii
be abandoned. For the rest, there ara
many minor bills on the CALENDAR
which will give the Senate plenty to
do when it is not engaged with the
more momentous questions. Wednese
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