The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-01
The Indications Are Good for a.
Long Session.
A RAFT OF LEGISLATION
An Irrigation Bill to Be Pushed - Argyll
ments unanswere BILE Con-
tests Scheduled-McGrawH Has
Strong Case
"ashinG ton Bureau of the Standard,
No. 1146 G. Straet n VI

sainted Grover Cleveland, will have
congress on his hands, There is every
advance indication that it will stay with
him a long time, too. The first session
of the Fifty-sixth congress will hardly
close before September or October of
the presidential year. It seems alto
gether probable that the session will be
spirited from start to finish as many
highly important and interesting sub
jecta are UP for consideration and set
tls4nent. Since the United States has
become a so-called world power the
scope of congressional activity has been
vastly enlarged. and many new SUBJ
jects are sure to be covered in the leg
1slatlon OF the end-of-the- century year.
1t is too early to predict the character
OF legislation, but some of the leading
SUBJECTS are sure to be the disposition
of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine
archipelago; the form of government
for Hawaii; the Anglo-American-G
man treaty for the partition of Samoa;
the various matters in controversy be-
tween this government, the Dominion
ana the British empire, embracing in
ternatlonal boundary, Atlantic fisheries
lumber tariff, warship building on the
American inland seas and others; the
financial question in many phases: the
Roberts case with its qualifications; I,
half dozen exceedingly warm senatorial
contests, including that against Quay.
involving the seating of new senators
from Utah, California and Delaware;
and the effort sure to be made by the
senators and members from the Rocky
mountain states to secure irrigation leg
lslation on a large and comprehensive
scale This last feature of legislation
is one that has long been the dream
OF Western senators and representa-
tlves, particularly Of the former who
are proportionately much stronger than
the later Senator Warren of Wyoming
avows his intention of pursuing his eft
fort for river and harbor amendment
expanding in irrigation enterprises
from 100000 to $40, 900, in behalf
of which she talked all night and he
talked all day during the closing hours
OF the last congress. When he finally
abandoned the fight he grimly an
a,ounced his determination to keep it up
with "a hang-on like a terrier pup" in
the new congress. He has vague idea
that he can win. with the cooperation
of the other mountain senator's which
of course he will have in the main.
There are, however, many diverging
views among the mountain senat tors
themselves as to the proper legislation
to be enacted. but all are agreed that
this congress-reaching as it does into
new century-shall not be allowed to
close without some extensive general
Legislation on the subject of irrigation.
Probably the irrigation proposition,
when finally determined upon, can be
added to the river and harbor bill in
the senate, where the states most con-
cerned can muster very heavy vote.
It's fate in the house is quite another
matter. Many matters of legislation
strong i'll one house are very weak in
the other. and irrigation is a notable
instance. In the house Congressman
Shafroth may succeed in getting his
celebrated arid land bill through. He
has made a gallant fight for it in two
congresses. and has secured two favor
able reports from the committee on ir-
rigatSon of arid lands, OF which he is a
member. His chances of securing the
passage Of the bill last congress were
good, if it could have been taken up
on suspension day, but an obstreperous
member from Pennsylvania blocked the
measure.
The Western senators and represent
,tatives who are here say they regard
the arguments for irrigation legisla-
lation unanswerable in view of the
miles away in the imperialistic expert
unent Why should not the Rocky
mountain and great plains regions re-
ceive attention, particularly in a period
of unexampled prodigality of expendi-
ture? Why spend many. many millions
islands and in amalgating people of
foreign and inferior race and treat
the great West like a Sahara spanning
the American continent? There is GER
tain ITO be a good fight all along the
line on the irrigation question, the
strongest ever made in congress.
OF the contests for seats in the new
house that against Mr.. Roberts of
Utah will probably reach a hearing
first, and certainly at present attracts
most attention. Mr.. Roberts has been
on the scene of action for a week, and
a7as made very favorable impression
by his appearance and manner, by the
force of his arguments and his conf
dence of success in retaining his seat.
Rev. George lift of Salt Lake, the
.anti-Mormon preacher. has also been
here circulating tracts" against Rob
erts and doing other missionary
work.
Next in interest is the Quay case.
On dts determination rests THE appoint
ment and admission of a democratic
senator from Delaware and senators
from California and Utah. Possibly
the Utah senator will be an alleged
silver republican, but he will be of
the same brand as Wolcott. Warren,
Shoup and Carter. G., a republican
who believes in silver bun does not
believe in doing anything in favor of
1t. The Quay case is sure to be de-
o.
all probable that it can be made a
party question. Quay cannot be seated
without a number of senators stultify-
ing themselves. but the Quay people
insist that majority will vote 10
give him his seat. Every state in the
Union will take an interest in this con-
test. inasmuch as a decision in favor
of Quay will be apt to lean to dead
locks in all legislatures In the future
where there is any rivalry for the
election and result finally in what
would amount No the election of sena-
tors by legislatures becoming a dead
letter. the selection being made by
governors. Ike ordinary state patron
age, The democratic state committee
of Pennsylvania has rather indiscreet-
ly rushed into the contest with an
appeal against Quay. which is not at
all likely to injure him with the re-
publicans. who are in q very large
majority in the senate. Still, there are
several leading republicans who. in