Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-20
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST.
important Rillste De Passed il II Days 10
Prevent special Session.

days of the session left, all senators ap.
close attention to business in order to get
through the bills which al. admit must
become laws in order to prevent an extra
session OF Congress. very , rarely y mas sn ~
important measures on the Senate calen-
dar SO short a time before the maj ao-
journmcnt Of the last session OF Con-
gress. There are. -hOweVer,-s oniy com.
paratively few of these bills, OUTSIDE @
the appropriation bills, which must neces-
sarilY be acted upon before sdlournncn.,
and If the Senate shall dispose OF tnese
with the same facility that II mas used Ia
getting rid OF other important biils duf-
ing the past week, the session VIII De
closed up in good order ana WIN ''ihe "
spare. -, a.,
census bill are IN reality the oniy Two
measures. aside IRON iron, uae n,a seem
absolutely necessary. The census Dill mas
passed both Houses and IS now IN confef-
ence anu Is reasomMbiy sure sL eiis'c.aten ~
receive the attention of the Senate other
measures wnicn WA ne pressed TO Ger
tain extent are the Alaskan code biii the
Hawaiian territorial organ cation bill ana
various other bills pertaining to Hawaii
The contest over the army bill which
was promised for last week. was, post
poned until the present week largely pc
cause the storm of the first days OF the
week prevented consideration OF the Dill
by the military committee. Senator HaW-
v,
tary affairs, has given notice that he VIII
seek to have the bill taken Immediately
up for consideration after Inc disposal OF
the routine business, Monday. lie Will
first ask for unanimous consent TO take
the bill up. and il this be refused, Will
make a motion to this effect There Is
no probability THAI the blll VIII not De
, saken up, as the Democrats as well as
the Republicans coneede tie necessity Tor
some legislation increasing the army 10
cover the present emergency.
thn IA hot a
Senator Gockrell will proceed to give the
recommended. or opposition 70 per,
| manent increase III The army and he VIII
be followed by other senators IN oppose
ton as long as no disposition is man.
tested to abandon at least some portions
OF the House bill. The vital point OF dii-
chamner is the duration 81 time for which
| the increase in the army IS 10 De Haue'
| The Republicans say that II snaii pe per
| manent and the Democrats not more than
! temporary. The latter declare tnat they
will not abandon this position ana SAY
| that whatever is done must be done with
! this understanding.
Some of the friends of The bill have sug
gested the acceptance of the Hull bill
| with an amendment making the increase
for only a specified time: but the Demo-
Gratis generally manifest a disposition not
to accept this change. as they say ii
would leave the way open for the Repub-
leans to get the legsla ion they want in
the next Congress by repeating the tenn
porary provision. So far no tangible ba-
sis for IA compromise has been suggested
on either side, but some of the most in
ing 10 that end and the prediction is
freely made that they will succeed before
the close of the session 1t has never
been supposed that any common ground
would be found until the champions OF
the two sides should have an opportunity
to test the mette of each others
Monday, and it is expected that, Tuesday
q chance will be found for conference
Looking TO an agreement This oppor-
tunity will be afforded by taking up the
river and harbor bill, If present plans are
carried into erect.
OF The supply bills the Senate now has
before it only the post office appropria-
ton bill and the river and harbo~ bill. OF
These the post Office bill has received par
tal attention and the river and harbor
bill none. 1t is expected that the sundry
The river and habor bill will probably
arouse considerable discussion and there
will be an effort to defeat the Nicaragua
sl Four on pon Of
bills, namely, the naval, army, fortifica-
| tons and deficiency bills. which have not
Yet been received from the House of Rep
resentatives.
senator Cullom says he will make an
! efforr TO get up the general bill providing
4 government for Hawaii, but the chances
banks will also undertake to call up the
bill extending the anti-contIact labor law
to Hawaii. There may bean effort TO
amend his measure, and it also may fail.
Senator Carter will continue to press the
Alaskan bill whenever opportunity af-
fords. The Sampson-Schley controversy
tive session. The anti-scalping bill will
be abandoned. For the rest there are
many minor bills on the calendar which
will give the Senate plenty to do when
il is not engaged with the more impor-
tant questions. Wednesday VII. be de-
voted to the reading of Washington's
iareWell address and to eulogies on the
late Senator Morrill,.
Inc House enters upon the last two
weeks of the session. tomorrow, with
three appropriation bills. the army. fortI-
upon and the naval bill but nalf COM
pieted. The army bill must be held back
until the Senate shall decide upon it's
II is not anticipated that either of the
other bills win cause trouble. The stu
alton in the House, however, has been
Senate in placing the Nicaraguan canal
bill upon the river and harbor bill
rider This will doubtless precipitate Il
oittcr tight IN the Senate and may result
The failure of the river and harbor bill
VIII not make an extra session incum-
bent, but the contest over it will develop
bad blood and produce friction which may
make 1t all the more difficult with the
other measures that must of necessity
pass to avoid an extra session. The CON
ton bills are yet to be adopted. and il
| the Senate should load some of them
iiown, as it has the river and harbor bill.
stormy times in the House woudsb be in,
evitablc during the closing days. The last
six days Of the session fortunately are
suspension days. under which any Dropo-
s!tion can be forced to a vote after 20
minutes debate on Il side.
Tomorrow is also suspension day under
me rules and advantage will be taken to
| pass the bill for the payment of $aA,g0G 90,
to Spain to carry out the terms OF the
Paris treaty. Under suspensionsof the
rules amendments are not i'm order so
that the House will have no oppnrtunity
70 vote upon any Of the numerous express
SONS OF future. policy with which men,
bers threaten it,. Mr.. Gillett of NAUSEA
chusetts. and others gave notice of
amendments they would ask the House
TO vote upon in connection with the ap-
preparation before it was stricken from
the sundry civil bill. but they must now
vote Tor or against the appropriation as
reported.
When confronted only with the alterna-
| tive of voting against the appropriation.
IT is not likely that half dozen votes will
be recorded against it, although a decla-
ration against the permanent annexation
OF me Philippines would command well
nigh The entire strength of the Democrat
ana Populis.ic opposition. as well as some
Republican votes
Inc members interested in the public
building bills favorably ac,ed upon, last
L A.NI ia