Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-26

WASHINGTON, March 25.-The Sen
ate will give the greater part
Of it's time again this week
to the Puerto Rican question,
and the outlook is for a continu-
alton of the animated scenes of last
week. Puerto Rico, however, accord
ing to present calculations, will step
aside at the beginning of the week in
order to afford Senator Carter an OPP
portunity to secure consideration for
his Alaskan code bill. The present
condition4o affairs in Alaska and the
prospect of a still greater influx of
people into that territory make the
Alaskan legislation very important
and the condition of Puerto Rican leg
islative affairs is such as to make it
convenient to give Alaska the much
desired opportunity.
The Republican caucus will take the
Puerto Rican question in hand again
tomorrow, and until it acts the Sena-
tors having charge of the measure
will not desire to press it. The Alas
kan bill probably will not arouse any
general debate; but the measure is a
mass of detail and it necessarily will
call for more or less explanation from
it's trainers, the members of the Com
mittee ON Territories.
The Republican Senators who sup
port the House Puerto Rican tariff bill
hopes to get the measure out of caucus
after only n sitting. but the free
traders are not so anxious on that.
score and the latter element may de-
lay matters there, as they are disposed
to do in the Senate with the hope Of
receiving still further encouragement
from the country at large. Some of
the members of the free trade Repub-
lican element declare their purpose
to vote against the bill if supported
without amendment. They threaten to
offer many amendments and to make
speeches in opposition, and otherwise
to do all in their power to prevent the
passage of the bill as, it stands, but
the caucus of course, may find a means
of preventing this rupture. At any
rate a strong effort will be made in
that direction. The Democratic Sena-
tors will support a free trade amend
ment when presented, but they prefer
to have the@bill voted upon unamend-
ed.
According to agreement, the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Bynum to be appraiser
at New York should be taken up in
the executive session tomorrow, but
the Republican caucus may cause post
ponement of consideration of the nom
ination for a day or two. The DEM
ocratic leaders will oppose confirma-
ton. The Committee on Privileges
and elections will hear the arguments
of counsel in the case of Senator Clark
beginning Wednesday. The report on
the case is not expected for several
weeks.
The army appropriation bill will be
taken up in the House tomorrow and
doubtless will serve as a text for a
wide latitude of discussion on mill
tary affairs in general, and the cost of
the war establishment under the new
condition of affairs. In anticipation
of this an understanding has been
reached that three days will be given
to debate. The bill carries no legisla-
ton OF the organization of the army
but is strictly a supply measure for
the army on its present basis.
The latter part of the week will be
devoted to the naval, the agricultural
or the Notifications appropriations
bills, although no exact date has yet
been fixed for taking them up. The
naval bill and report are ready and
acting chairman Foss is rather desir-
Gus of having the naval discussion fol-
low that On the army. The agricultur-
al bill can be reported on short notice
and the Notifications bill is already on
the calendar.