Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-12-11
CONGRESS rs AT WORK
HEARS PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
ON MONDAY.
Very Busy Session Looked For on Ac-
count of Many Important Legislative
Measures to Be Acted Upon Before
March Next.
Washington corresnoudencs:

Washington correspondence:
The second session of the Forty-sixth
Congress convened Monday at noon. The
Presidents annual message was read,
and the Senate and House then adjourn
ed out of respect for the memory of
Senator Davis of Minnesota. The real
work of the session began Tuesday. Con-
gress must adjourn March 4, but an enor-
nous amount &c legislation viii be ac-
complished Nearly every important
measure that has been selected for pas
sage at this session, including the army
reorganization, steamship subsidy, Mic
aragua canal, Pacific cable, rivers and
harbors, public buildings and amend
ments of the war tax bills, has been con-
sidered in committee.
President McKinley's annual message
to Congress was presented Immediately
upon the assembling of Congress at noon.
1t hel been planned to withhold the mes
sage until Tuesday, so that both houses
might adjourn Immediately after assem-
bling on Monday as a mark Of respect
for the late Senators Davis and Gear,
but this plan was altered after confer
ence between the President and Senator
Frye The message was presented in the
usual manner and received by Senator
Frye, as president pro TEN. of the Sen
ate, and Speaker Henderson. 1t was read
in both houses 1t was deemed best not
to violate the old tradition of Congress
regarding the presidential message and
its presentation on the opening day of
the session.
No business was transacted beyond the
reading Of the Presidents message ow-
ing to the death of Representatives DAILY
of New Jersey and Huffecker of Della
ware, and Senator's Davis and Gear,
which occurred during the recess.
The leaders of the House are prepar-
ing to press with great vigor the impor-
tant business of the session. Already
considerable preliminary committee work
has been done on the important meas
ures, and the House found work cut out
for it as soon as it assembled.
In the Senate after the reading of the
Presidents message the formal announce
ment of the death during the recess of
Senators Davis and Gear brought the
sitting to a close. Senator Allison made
the announcement in the case Of his late
totndlOI ACoO th
nouncements were preceded by the cere-
mony of swearing in the new members,
who this year are Mr.. Dosiyer, who has
been appointed to succeed Senator Gear,
and Mr.. Dillingham;, who takes the place
formerly occupied by Senator Ross of
Vermont, and the appointment Of the
usual committees to wait upon the Presi-
dent and the House of Representatives.
The expenses of the government, which
were $500, 754, 159 in 1897, the last year
before the war, had leaped to $4S7, 49,
791 in 1900.
Total revenues, which in 1897 were
$347, 721, 705, have sprung under increas-
ed customs receipts and a war tax still
in force to $567, 240,S51.
The army in 1897, which consisted of
$4,000 men, has grown to 100000. In
this the expenses have swollen from $23,
275, 402 to $130,000,000, the amount of
the estimate for next year. The navy has
more than doubled in size; its cost has
advanced from $50, 800, 900 to $S7 ,OOO,-
600.
These are only a few of the things to
excite remark as Congress reassembles.
The plans that are going forward fur
Their to qualify the United States for
holding the place il has taken among the
great world powers challenge the imag-
nation. The whole membership of Con-
gress from Senator FRYE and Senator
Hanna down to the youngest members of
the Senate and all the Representatives
from Mr.. Payne of New York down to
short-term members are excited over
ship-subsidy bill.
Congress is expected to take the step,
III passing the Spooner BILL that will com
nit the United States to the government
of the Philippines by something other
than the war power under which the
President is now acting, and the govern
ment must meet the proposition of for
tifying our colonial outposts in the Phil
ippines, in the Ladrones. at Guam, in
Hawaii and in Porto Rico.
On Tuesday the Senate accepted Gre
dentials of Jonathan p. Deliver of Iowa
as successor to the late Senator Gear of
Iowa. Passed bill appropriating $780,
600 in aid Of interstate exposition at
Charleston, S. c.. in 1901, and admitting
exhibits thereat free of duty BY vote
of IS to 20 decided to take up the ship
SUBSIDY Dill as unnnlSneu business, and
Mr.. Frye spoke at length in support of
the measure. In the House Chairman
Hull of military affairs committee asked
unanimous consent TO take up army re-
organization bill, but Mr. Sulzer u. VI
objected. Bill by Mr. Marsh dll.) to as
sist military instruction in the public
schools was passed. Received resolution
from Mr.. Sulzer urging that Great Brit
ain arbitrate South African war.
The Senate on Wednesday passed bills
permitting Captain b. II. McCalla and
Commander W. c. Wise of the United
States navy to accept decorations from
the Emperor of Germany also House
bill providing for the celebration of the
centennial anniversary of the establish
ment of the national capital in Washing
ton. Listened TO Mr. Frye's closing
speech on the ship subsidy bill. The
House under special order took up con-
Sideration of the army reorganization bin.
Messrs. Hull uowal. Grosyenor (Ohiol
and Parker y. j. spoke in support of il.
and Messrs. Mccall Mass, Cochran
Mo-. Kleberg Texas. Mcclellan n.
W. Shafroth tColol. Cummings N. W