The times., 1899-02-20
TWO MORE WEEKS OF CONGRESS
Only Time for Action on the Appro-
priatiOn Bills.

Only Time for Action on the Appro-
printiOn Bills.
1t is highly improbable that any impor-
tant legislation other than the appropria-
tion bills will pass the House during the
two weeks that remain to the session. The
Nicaragua Canal may get through as n
rider to one of these, and the $50, 600 600
TO Spain may pass either as a rider placed
on the Sundry Civil by the Senate or as
an Independent bill.
II the latter gets on as a rider in the
Senate the House will probably have no
opportunity TO add TO it the McRae amend
ment pledging this Government 10 grant
the Filipinos their independence. If this
should be the case and it is probable that
it will be. the Republicans should be CRATE
ful to Representative Wheeler for making
his point of order against it, as the presi-
dent will thus be freed from the necessity
of acting in regard to il.
There are still four appropriation bills
that have not been passed by the House.
/ The Naval bill is now pending in that
body The Fortifications and Army bills
have been reported and the General De-
! ficiency is still in the Committee on Appro-
priations.
The present week will be almost wholly
devoted to these, and every minute of it
will be consumed in their consideration. 1t
would not be surprising If nothing but ap
preparation bills should be even considered
during the rest of the session, though an
effort will be made perhaps at night ses-
sion, to dispose of the resolution from the
Judiciary Committee unseating Representa-
tiyes Wheeler Of Alabama, Colson, Robbins
and Campbell
Chairman Babcock, of the District Com
mittee, still hopes TO get District day to
pass some Senate bills agreed to by the
House Committee. but it is doubtful
whether he will do so.
1t is very unlikely that there will be any
practical result from Senator Fryes at
tempt 10 engraft the Pacific cable on the
Sundry Civil appropriation bill. AS mat
ter of right TO be on that bill or on the
River and Harbor bill, the cable stands Oh
exactly the same plane as the Nicaragua
Canal, but as matter OF expediency it is
on very different footing. Practically
everyone not directly interested in one of
the companies formed to build the Nicara
qua Canal favors the construction of that
gigantic work by the Government, but
comparatively few have as yet made up
their minds what ought to be done in re-
gard to the cable. Besides, the canal has
been discussed for years, and every posi-
BILE detail Of its conditions is understood as
thoroughly now as it can ever be in al
vance of construction, while the cable is
an entirely new question far as practi-
cal consideration goes.
Hence Senator Frye's attempt to put
through bill authorizing it and paying
the company that will build it a subsidy
of S2 O0O, 600 in the aggregate. however JUS
tifable it may be, is not likely TO be ac-
cepted and rushed through Congress in its
closing days on an appropriation bill
Further there are two companies in the
field competing for the honor of laying the
cable, and the friends of each are opposed
TO the others walking off with the prize.
There seems not a pins choice between the
two companies, so far as rich men in them
are concerned. one having ID. o. Mills J.
J. Hill, l.. Y. Spalding, and a. S. Hewitt,
and the other having ]. Pierpont Morgan,
]. Kennedy Tod. and J. a. Scrymser on its
board OF directors. First these companies
! asked $3.50. O0O year for twenty years, and
then reduced this amount to $100 900 for
the same length of time. The last offer is
enough to pay the first cost to Hawaii, 10
which point the company guarantees 10
build within two years. OF course,
further extension would mean more sub
sidy. amounting at the same rate to some
$1,000, 600 altogether.
In his recent message to Congress on
the subject President Mckinley took care
not to advocate either company, or even TO
! express q preference as to whether the
cable should be laid by private corpora
| tion or by the United States Government.
/ Ii is known. however. that the President
would prefer TO have the work done by the
Government. At his suggestion the Ha-
waiian contract OF the Scrmyser Company
! was Cancelled just before it would have
become binding, and steps have been taken
| to assert American sovereignty over Wake
Island, intended for a relay station on the
| cable route Recent reports indicate that
| Wake Island is entirely submerged 1t Ger
, tain seasons of the year, and that cOnsd
! cradle work Will be necessary to erect
| structure that will sustain the long rollers
of the Pacific and preserve the cable and
| its connections and attendants from harm
| However. all this matter will. it is be
| lieved, be allowed TO go over to the next
| Congress. when there will be time to con-
| slider il at leisure.
| For the rest. the Hawaiian government
| bill may possibly get chance, though 1t is
most unlikely. The Ship Subsidy bill is
| hopelessly dead. are also the big public
buildings bills. The Washington Free Lii
| brary may get through by unanimous con-
| sent, but even this is doubtful