The record-union., 1899-01-04
Among Them the Spanish American Treaty
Of Peace.
Growing Belief That the Latter
Will Not be Made the Subject
of Long Debate, With Almost
Certainty Of Ratification at the
Present Session.

will almost Immediately adjourn for
the day, as an evidence of respect for
the memory of Senator Morrill,. 1t is
customary not to transact any bust
ness whatever on such occasions, but
there is a possibility that a message
may be received from the President,
transmitting the peace treaty, as it is
known to be the general desire that the
treaty shall be formally laid before the
Committee on Foreign Relations at the
earliest possible moment, so that the
committee may make it's report as
promptly as is consistent with its 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
ntagonized by the friends of the Mic
araguan Canal and other Senators who
are championing special measures. and
it 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 a day, and the time will be
fully occupied if half the work is to be
done that is planned. None of the reg
ular appropriation bills have passed
the Senate, and the river and harbor
bill is to be added to the regular list
TINS session. None regard the treaty
of less Importance than the supply
bills, and it will be pressed along with
them when reported, practically with
out regard to other bills.
OF other measures of MAGNITUDE
which will press for consideration in
the Senate during the session, the Mic
aragua bill will take precedence. but it
will be urgently pressed by the Hawai-
ian government bill, the anti-scaIpers'
bill and the Interstate Commerce Com
mission bill, to say nothing Of the
probability concerning measures for
the increase of the standing army ana
of the navy. Senator Elkins and other
friends of that measure will also con-
tinue to urge the bill regulating the
registration of foreign-built vessels
wrecked in American waters.
These are only the most important
questions demanding consideration in
the weeks remaining. Every Senator
has number of measures Of less i'm
portance.
The Nicaragua Canal bill will com
mand the right of way at the beginning
of the session, and will hold it's place if
it is made evident that a vote can he
secured on it before the appropriation
blils 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 maintain, however
that debate is practically Exhausted
and they are hopeful of securing a vote
at no very distant date They profess
to feel very much encouraged by the
preliminary report of the Walker Com
mission, which was made public last
week Senator Cullom has given no.
tice of asmotion to take I'D the anti
scalping bill as soon as the canal bill
may be out of the way.
There is a growing belief that tba
treaty will not be made the subject of
long debate, and what two weeks ago
was strong probability of it's ratifi-
cation may be said now to be a. c7sr-
talnty. Nothing less than some unfore-
seen emergency can prevent the Sen
ate's favorable action upon it at the
present session. There are features in
the treaty which many Senators con-
slider Objectionable, but the fact that
1t is treaty of peace, and that they.
as a rule, having nothing in its stead
to offer, will prevent any factious oppo-
sition. So far as the opponents have
plan, 1t is to let the treaty go through.
and then devote themselves to shaping
legislation consequent upon it's ratifi-
cation. They may offer their amend
ment committing this Government
against an attempt to exercise sover-
eighty in the Philippines. but they do
not expect 1t to become a part Of the
document.
The treaty will be- discussed in execu-
tive session, but the Senators con-
tinue to make speeches in the open
Senate on Senator Vests anti-expan-
sion resolution.