The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-14
SESSION FULL OF WORK
Probably More Than Congress Can
Dispose OF.
Nicaragua Canal BIN Regarded as
the sIost Important Measure.
Army Reorganization, Revenue Re
duction, ship Subsidies, and Anti
Trust Legislation to Be Considered


10 be done in the way of legislation, and
there is but little time in which to do it
There viii be but three months of the COM
ing session, and even OF this time some
thing ike TWO weeks viii be lost by rea-
son Of the holiday vacation. The ,egular
/ appropriation bills and a measure looking
! TO the reduction of the war taxes wig make
considerable inroads upon the working
days at the disposal OF Congress. But there
are ctner measures On the calendars of the
two houses which imperatiyely claim the
attention of the legislators
! Probably the most important Of these
and one which viii occupy the most time
is the Nicaragua Canal bill. This bill
which was railroaded through the House.
sank beneath the placid waters OF the Sen
ate. and despite the efforts of Senator
Morgan, Chairman OF the Canal Commit
/ tee, II never showed more than its nose
/ above the surface. There are many who
/ believe the project is one which should not
be undertaken By the country. but by pri-
vate enterprise This opposition Will be
further supported by the friends of the
! Panama Canal route. who viii be amply
supplied With funds and do what they can
! to defeat the bill, as. aside from the fact
that the United States Government would
be sure to construct the canal, private en-
/ terPTise at Panama could not compete with
a Government canal through Nicaragua. Il
took but two days TO pass the bill in the
House. but even under the most fortuitous
/ circumstances weeks viii be required by
the Senate, and il will doubtless be amend
ed there and returned to the House. so
4 that the session may slip away without f.
! nal action
Representative Hepburn O. Iowa, Chair
man OF the House Committee on Inter State
/ and Foreign Commerce. is in the city and
which has already passed the House viii
be quickly passed by the Senate and be-
Ecorle law, perhaps, before the beginning
( Of the new year. The President in his an
Hual message, it is expected, will strongly
recommend the ratification Of the Hay
Paunce f0te Treaty, and determined effort
win Re made to obtain immediate action
upon This instrument. It is desired by the
Admin sJration that other treaties affect
4 ing the canal shall be ready for action by
the Semitic ence the Hay-Pauncefote coz
yentioF is out of the way. It is not be
lieved acre that much time will be lost in
arranging the provisions Of the treaties
/ with Nicaragua and Costa Rica after ne
! gotiations begin. Immediately upon the re-
turn Of SeEor Don Luis F. Corea, Minister
Of Nicaragua to the Uaited States, nego-
tiations by this Government OF the right OF
way for the projected canal will be initi--
ated.
re snip SUBSIDY OIL VIII De aHOEuSE
time consumer II means the expenditure
of about the same amount of money as
the Nicaragua Canal BILL but the pay
ments viii be extended over twenty years
The great interests behind the bill viii
push 1t most vigorously. It can be put
through the House in a day or two. If the
Republicans so determine, and little time
viii be allowed there for debate IN the
Senate, however, there will be a numDer
of speeches OF il, and with the great
pressure of other business IL is posi- bic
the measure may not pass that body.
Senator Hanna and Representative eros
yenor are greatly interested in the bill.
The Anti Trust bill. passed by the
| House last session with but one vote in
opposition. Feposes on the shelf of the
Senate Committee. Whether IL will be
taken OF the shelf this season remains
a matter of some doubt, as 1t would af-
ford too good an opportunity for the dis
play Of oratory, and few of the members
of the Senate would care 10 have bill
of this character passed without giving
the moastrous trusts good tongue-lash-
ing. 1t would also SAVIOR Of ingratItude
should the Republicans infliCt a body
blow on their allies just after winning
such notable victory.
Some bill for the reorganization of the
Army viii have to be passed at this ses-
sion. and the debate over this measure
will be one OF the most interesting of the
session Associated with the Army Reor-
ganiZation bill will be the bill TO TeOT-
ganize the staff. This bill has long neen
considered in the military committees
and has been cut and trimmed and FOL
ished very carefully It may be opposed
by the Democrats in both houses. but may
get through, although its consideration
will consume much time Since LieUten-
ant General Miles and Major General Cor
bin received their promotions the most
powerful interests behind the bill have
been largely satisfied. so it may not be
considered at this time.
The usual River and Harbor bill, with
its pork is expected to appear this ses-
sion. and the feast will be very aceepta-
bic. The committee worked hard on this
measure last session, and most of the tes-
timony is well in hand so that il is pos
sibIe L may be passed without much Jrou-
bic. The appropriation this year will rot
be as liberal as that of the Fifty-ffsh Con
gress, owing to the drain on tie Treasury
for other purposes, but combinations will
! doubtless be formed by which everybody
/ will be made more or less satisfied
| Liberal appropriations are expected for
work on the Great Lakes, and the question
| of new improvements for Galveston viii
also require careful consideration. 1t is
estimated that from 81, coo, 600 to s., 080 :
600 will be required to replace the i'm
I
them. The Southwest Pass and other en-
frances to the Mississippi River also de-
mand attention
The Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds will distribute something this
session. As the river and harbor appro-
| priations are known as pork those for
public buildings are termed pie" and
| those members who have no rivers, har-
bors, OF creeks to improve get their share
of the spoils in the pie" It viii take
some time to satisfy all the claims in this
direction.
The question Of cutting down the repre-
sentation of those Southern States which
have abridged the rights of some of their
citizens to vote viii probably attract much
attention at this session, even If it is not
taken up and dealt with finally It has
been a part of The Republican programme
for year or more to take some such steI
and in collecting the census returns spe-
cial care was taken to obtain accurate
statistics on the number Of persons of yot-
-ng age This information will be COM
F cd at the Census Office and be in the
aands CT Congress about January L
Thether the Republicans will undertake
. make use of it further than for refer
eace purposes in their speeches does not
pear. Representative Hopkins of I'LL
uois, Chairman of the Census Committee
~ II have charge of the Reapportion-
lent bill OF course such a measure
uld be fereely fought by the Demo-
is and it is doubtful il il could be
1 eed through the Senate a. a short SEES
l. An attempt to apportion the mem
IN ha House IN hac Of che