The age-herald., 1900-12-02

effort to substitute for it the Wadsworth bill. If the Grout bill passes the House the fight against 1t will be kept up in the Sem ate, where the shortness of the session will initiate against it's final enactment
 
 In both Houses favorable reports have been made upon a bill to promote the com merce and increase the foreign trade of the United States, and to provide auxiliary cruisers, transports and seamen for gov ernment use when necessary. In common parlance this is the shipping subsidy bill It was originally introduced in the Senate
 by Senator Hanna and in the House by Representative Payne, then chairman of the committee on merchant marine and fish cries. now chairman of ways and means and floor leader of the Republicans and who says he thinks it will become law at this session In the Senate the favorable report is made by Senator Frye, chairman of fthe committee on commerce. and in the House by General Grosvenor, who succeed ed Mir Payne as chairman of merchant ma frine and fisheries, and who is popularly looked upon as the personal representative of the administration upon the floor of the House. The friends of this measure urge 1t upon the ground that only by granting req sonable subsidies to American vessels can this country restore it's merchant marine, keep at home the millions now paid out for 
 gers and provide a supply of seamen and transports in time of war They declare that the merchant marine of every other
 maritime country has been built up and Is maintained by similar system of subsi- dies, and that unless the United States proposes to deliberately lag in the race il must adopt the same methods. It was only with difficulty that the enthusiastic friends of this measure were induced to refrain from pushing it to consideration and pas sage at the last session. They finally con- sented to let the measure go over to this session with the understanding that 1t shall be acted upon without undue delay. There does not appear to be any question but it will pass in each House by substantial ma JoritieS whenever a vote Is reached. The measure will take several millions annually from the treasury and divide 1t between new and existing lines and vessels engaged in the carrying trade between the United States and foreign countries a basis of speed and tonnage, and under conditions that will enable the government in the event of war to take possession of the Ves- sells profiting from the subsidies.
 There are a number of bills reported fa- vorably to the Senate that aim to secure to the people pure food water, drugs, etc. Senator Mason has reported one to prevent the manufacture of adulterated food. Sem ator Proctor has reported one to prevent I0e Id1Se DTd0ul0S or IudFklDB Ol lOOu UT dairy products as to the State or Territory in which they are made or produced. Rep resentative Sherman has reported the same bill favorably to the House. Senator Gal finger has reported favorably to the Senate a bill to regulate the production and sale of milk and cream in and for the District of Columbia. Senator Vest has favorably reported a bill for the investigation of pol lution of water supplies In the House Representative Barham has reported favor ably bill to prevent the adulteration, mis- branding and imitation of foods, beverages, candies, drugs and condiments in the Dis trct of Columbia and the Territories and for regulating interstate traffic therein These bills, all and singular will have to take chances that are not of the best for consideration and passage in what remains of this Congress.
 Legislation of some sort for the army will have to be enacted at this session. The army now numbers about a hundred thou sand men, about 65,000 regulars and 5000 volunteers but the law stands whole force will be reduced to the slender number in service prior to the Spanish war, about 25 GOO men, after June 30 next. This latter number has long been recognized as too small to form even a nucleus In times of emergency, and will have to be increased. Any general legislation for the army will involve the whole question of reorganlza- tion, and Congress may not want to go into it at the coming short session. In that event it is intended to tide matters oyer bv the adoption of a resolution continuing the existing army law for year, which would carry it over until June 30, 1902
 A large increase in the naval establish ment will undoubtedly be authorized. The Navy Department will ask for thirty-tyo new vessels, comprising three 15,OOO-ton battleships, two 5,000-ton armored cruisers, six 2000-ton gunboats, six 60O-ton gunpoats, ten 200 ton gunboats, three 15,0OO-ton col Hers one 7000-ton repair ship and one IVyO- ton marine transport. The board of con- struction has decided to omit all torpedo boats, whether surface or submarine, which were recommended by the general naval board, of which Admiral Dewey Is the head. In other respects the recommenda- tions of the two boards are practically the same. Congress will have to decide as to the carrying out of this plan of naval ln- crease. There will be some increase wheth- CT or not it reaches the recommendations. The new census of course devolves upon Congress the duty of making new app'r- tionment of representatives among the States. Just what the basis of representa- tion will be no one knows, but 1t Is apt to be An the neighborhood of 100000. It will hardly be less than that figure, and Is not likely to be fixed above 210,000. The for
 
 bers to the House, while the latter would leave 1t about as it Is. There is no desire to increase the number of representatives ma terially, but on the other hand, no State wants to lose in the matter of representa- ton. These are the two points that will have to be kept steadily in view. The House has now 357 members. The new ap- portionment may shove the number up to S75 or more. In that case the floor of the House, already uncomfortaby crowded, will become packed, or else desks for mem- bers will have 10 be done away with. Chairs or benches without writing desks, with reading or writing rooms in the rear was always desired by former Speaker Reed while he was in Congress. If the number of members increases much either this plan will have to be adopted or the chamber in which the House meets will have to be en- larged.
 There are many other measures that real ly 6dght to be acted upon, some of which