The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-04
Senators Cannot Dispose OF Half the
Business.
BUSY SESSION AHEAD
TREATY WILL BE RATIFIED
WITH LITTLE DEBATE.
Nicaragua Canal, Hawaiian Govern
ment and Army and Navy Reor-
ganization Are Among the Subjects
That Must Receive Attention-No
Appropriation Bills Passed Yet.

Washington, Jan. 3.-CongreSs will re-
convene tomorrow. The senate will al
most Immediately adjourn for the day,
as an evidence Of the respect for the
memory of Senator Morrill,. It is Gus
tomary not to transact any business
whatever on such occasions, but there
is a possibility that a message may be
received from the president, transmit
ting the peace treaty, as it is known to
! be the general desire that the treaty
shall be formerly laid before the COM
mlttee on Foreign relations at the ear
liest possible moment, so that the COM
mittee may make its report as prompt
iy as consistent with it's duty in the
premises.
A session of the senate will be held
on Thursday, but there is a movement
looking to an adjournment from that
day until the following Monday, based
on the probability that there will not
be full attendance of senators so soon
after the holidays. This plan will be
antagonized by the friends of the Mic
araguan canal, and by other senators
who are championing special measures,
and 1t now appears quite probable that
they will be able to hold the senate
for at least another day of the week.
There will be two months of the ses-
sion left to day from the date of re-
converting, and the time will be fully
occupied, if half the work is to be done
that is planned. None Of the regular
appropriation bills have passed the
senate, and the river and harbor bill is
to be added to the regular list this ses-
sion. None regard the treaty of less
Importance than the supply bills, and
it will be pressed along with them
when reported, practically without re-
gard 70 other bills.
IMPORTANT MEASURES.
OF other measures of magnitude
which will press for consideration in the
senate during the session, the Nicara-
qua bill Will take precedence, but it will
be urgently pressed by the Hawaiian
government bill, the anti-scalping bill
and the interstate commerce commis~
sion bill, to say nothing of the proba-
bility concerning measures for the in
crease of the standing army and of the
navy. Senator EllinS and other friends
of that measure will also continue to
urge the bill regulating the registra-
ton of foreign built vessels wrecked
in American waters. These are only
the most important questions demand
ing consideration in the weeks remain
ing. Every senator has a number of
measures of less Importance.
The Nicaragua canal bill viii COM
mand the right of way at the begin
ming Of the session, and will hold its
place if it is made evident that a vote
can be secured on it before the appro-
priation bills and the treaty are to be
taken up. If it cannot be disposed of |
before these are brought in, it will be |
temporarily displaced from time to !
time. The friends of the bill main |
tain, however, that debate is practi- |
cally exhausted, and they are hopeful |
Of securing q vote at no very distant |
date. They profess to feel very much |
by the preliminary report |
Of the Walker commission, which was |
made public last week.
Senator CullOm has given notice of a
motion to take up the anti-scalping |
bill as soon as the canal bill may be
Out of the way.
RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY.
There is a growing belief that the
realty will not be made the subject of
ong debate, and what two weeks ago
vas a strong probability of its ratif-
,ation, may be said now to be a GER
ainty. Nothing less than some I'M
oreseen emergency can prevent the
'enate's favorable action upon it at the
'resent session. There are features in
he treaty which many senators con-
ider Objectionable, but the facts that
is a treaty of peace and that they, as
rule, will have nothing in its stead to
fer, will prevent any factious oppo-
ition. So far as the opponents have a
Ian, it is TO let the treaty go through
nd then devote themselves to shaping
agislatiOn consequent upon its ratifi-
alton. They may offer their amend
1ent committing this government
gainst an attempt to exercise sover-
ignty in the Philippines, but they do
OF expect to to become a part of the
ocument
The treaty will be discussed in exc
utive session, but the senators will
Ontinue to make speeches in the open |
enate Oh Senator Vests anti-eXpan-
ion resolution.
The consideration of a code of laws
IT the territory of Alaska, reported |
'om the committee on revision of the
JWs, is expected to take up the greater
ortion of the Legislative day in the
ouse tomorrow. If that body follows
s usual custom it will adjourn some
me during the forenoon, out Of re-
1ect to the memory of Senator Nor
H.
Thursday is to be given to the COM
ittee on judiciary. when a number
measures reported from it are likely
be passed There is no fixed pro- S
ramme for the remainder of the week
ne executive, legislative and judicial
DpTOpriatiOn bill may be reported dur
g the week, in which case an effort
i'll be made to secure consideration
the measure by the house.