The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-20
Congress Hopes to Dispose of All
Urgent Measures.
EXTRA SESSION DANGER
ARMY REORGANIZATION MUST
BE DISPOSED OF.
Warm Controversy Over This Meas
ure VIII Occur In the Senate This
Week-Nicaragu Canal Amend
ment Will Complicate Matters In
the neutrality-suspicious. Bills.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 19.-The week
Will be a busy one in the senate. With
only twelve days OF the session left, all
senators appreciate the necessity of
very strict and close attention to bust
ness in order to get through the bills
which all admit must become laws in
order TO prevent an extra session of
congress.
Very rarely has it occurred that there
have been so many important measures
on the senate calendar so short a time
before the final adjournment OF the last
session of a 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
disposed Of these with the same IA
cility 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
measurer aside from the appropria-
ton 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 the
senate.
Other measures which viii be pressed
20 a certain extent are the Alaskan
code bill, the Hawaiian territorial or
ganizatiOn bill, ana 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
bill by the military committee. Sena-
tor Hawley, chairman of the commit
tee on military affairs, has given no
tice that he will seek to have the bill
taken up for consideration Immediately
after the disposal of the routine bust
ness Monday morning. He viii first
ask for unanimous consent to take the
bill up, and if this is refused will make
a motion to this effect. There is no
probability that the bill will not be
taken up. as the Democrats as well as
the Republicans concs<le 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 disposition
is manifested to abandon at least some
portions of the house bill. The vital
point OF QiutlEntt between Ailt Two
sides of the chamber is the duration of
time for " hich the increase of the army
is made. Republicans demand that it
shall be permanent and the Democrats
refuse to make it more than temporary.
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 accept
ance of the Hull bill. with an amend
ment making the increase for only a
specified time; but the Democrats gen
orally manifest d disposition not to ac-
cept this change, as, they say, il would
leave the way open for the Republicans
to get the legislation they want in the
next congress by repeating the tempo
rary provision.
SO far no tangible basis for a COM
promise 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. It has never been
supposed that any common ground
would be found until the champions on
the two sides should have an oppor-
tunity to test the metal of each others
weapons. This opportunity viii come
Monday, and ii is expected that on
Tuesday a chance viii be found for
conference looking to an agreement.
This opportunity viii be afforded by
taking up the river and harbor bill if
present plans are carried into effect.
OF the supply bills, the senate now
has before it only the postoffice an
preparation bill and the river and
harbor bill OF these the postoffice bill
has received partial attention and the
river and harbor bill none. 1t is eX-
pected that the sundry civil bill viii
probably arouse considerable discus
sion and there viii be an effort to de-
feat the Nicaragua canal amendment
on a point of order
There are still four important appro-
priation bills, namely, the army, navy,
fortifications and deficiency bills, which
have not yet been received from the
house OF representatives
Senator CullOm SAYS he Will make
an effort to get up the general bill pro-
viding a government for Hawaii, but
the chances of success are very slim
Senator Fairbanks Will also undertake
to call up the bin extending the anti
contract labor laws to Hawaii There
may be an effort to amend this meas
ure and it also may fail. Senator
Carter viii continue to press the
Alaskan bill whenever opportunity af-
fords. The Sampson Schley contro-
versy Will almost certainly come up in I
executive session. The anti-scalping 1
bill Will be abandoned. For the rest, /
there are many minor bills on the !
calendar which viii give the senate /
plenty TO do when it is not engaged !
with the more mOmentous questions /
Wednesday VIII be devoted TO the read |
ing of Washington's farewell address /
and TO eulogies on the late Senator /
Morrill,.