Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-01
An Important Session to Be Resumed
Thursday.
FIGHTON NREAPPORTlONMENF QUESTION
Matters of Moment Before Both
Houses.
DIS STRICT LIE EGI S T. A TION

sion, into which a great deal of pubic Dus-
mess Will be crowded before the term ex-
pires, by limitation, at noon March 4. Many
bills are pressing for action, and probably
it will not be long before night sessions OF
the Senate and occasionally of the House
will be necessary.
The ReappOrtiOnment Question.
In the House the first measures of i'm
portance to receive attention Will be the
reapportionment and the river and harbor
appropriation bills. The reapportionment
bill will be called up soon after convenlnS
and vigorous fight will be made against
it by the representatives from those states
whose representation IN the House Is de-
creased In the bill reported from the COM
mittee on census. Inc sentiment in the
House has not cryStaliized IN regard TO
this measure, and there seem to be wide
differences of opinion among representa-
tiVeS concerning the basis of representation
to be adopted
Some influential members of the majority
want the membership of the House in
creased, which would be necessary in Gr-
der that no state should lose it's present
standing. Others are of the opinion that
there should be strict adherence to the
principle of representation according to
gains in population which would result in
some states losing seats in the House.
Whatever the action of the House upon the
BILL there is no assurance that the Senate
will concur, especially if the House passes
bill to decrease the representation of some
states. A determined stand by the senators
from those states would cause embarrass-
ment and might necesstate reversal of the
action of the House.
The Big Appropriations.
The river and harbor bill will be reported
to the House before the end of this week,
and will come up for action either preceding
or Immediately following the reapportion-
ment bill, as the committee on rules may
determine. There is no question, of course,
as to the passage of the bill, the only anx
iety of its friends being that the Senate
may increase the appropriations to a sum
which might endanger its approval.
The ordinary appropriation bills will prob
ably not consume unusual time or cause
prolonged debate ALI of them will be larger
this year than last session. The naval ap-
preparation bill will attract attention. but
there Is no evidence that it will meet with
opposition. The sentiment of the House is
believed to be very favorable to the pro-
posed increase Of the navy.
+, Some public building bills will be urged,
but definite policy in this regard has not
yet been reached. 1t is probable that con-
ference of the House leaders next week
will outline a course in the direction of
further public improvements and to provide
the Increased appropriations to continue
buildings heretofore authorized, some of
which have not been commenced because
the amounts provided for them would not
meet the increased cost brought about by
the advance in the price of building mate
rial.
When these measures have been acted
upon the House will be ready for the
amended army bill coming back from the
Senate the ship subsidy bill and the amend
ed war tax reduction bill.
Army Reorganization.
The first work OF the Senate will be to
deal with the army reorganization bill. AS
| t., W. kl- 70
leaders apprehend no unreasonable delay,
according to their present understanding
of the situation, in regard to this bill.
Democratic opposition is expected. A fill
buster Of an individual rather than con-
certed character may be attempted, but 1t
is believed that it can be overcome.
The administration Is back of the army
bill, on account of the needs of the public
service, and the measure will have the val
liable prestige which this implies. AS soon
| as it passes the Senate it will go into con-
ference, and the differences between the
| House and Senate will be readily adjusted.
| The War Department is waiting anxiously
| for the approval of the bill to begin prepa-
rations for bringing back to the United
States those of the forces in the Philip
pines who enlisted for a definite term of
service, and who do not desire to re-enter
| the army.
| The War Department hopes to facilitate
| the change by sending out the recruits au-
thOrlZeQ unQer tne new Dill IN the trans
ports which will bring the discharged SOL
diers. This can only be done, it is claimed,
| if there is early action on the bill, and au-
| thority given the department for the pro-
posed procedure.
Tax Reduction.
The war tax reduction bill will be taken
up by the Senate committee on finance at
| an early day. Members Of the committee
are being besieged by different interests de-
etrfv, 20 i, fha 1;aff
offered by the bill. The most importunate
are the bankers and the brewers. The
bankers desire the abolition of the war tax
| on certificates, remittances and checks.
| The brewers have not abandoned their
struggle for further reduction Of the tax
| on beer. They induced the ways and means
| committee of the House. after the first
| draft of the war tax reduction bill had been
! prepared, to give them a reduction from 81
| a barrel to $1.5O barrel on their produc-
| In the House they demanded q further re-
| duction of 10 cents barrel, and failing to
get it have taken their case to the Senate.
| District Legislation.
| Legislation for the District of Columbia
| will also share the attention of the House
| and Senate with other important legisla-
| ton. When the railroad grade crossing
| bills get into conference they will be whip
| ped into shape, 1t is thought, SO as to meet
the approval Of both houses. and they will
| probably receive the sanction Of the Presi-
| dent long before March 4.
The District of Columbia appropriation
| bill will be taken up by the House commit
| tee on appropriations next week and rap
! idly pushed to completion. The House Dis
| trict committee has some miscellaneous
! bills which will be put through from time
| to time as favorable opportunity offers.
| OIeOmarEarine Bill.
Great interest attaches to the prospects
of the oleomargarine bill, now pending be-
| fore the Senate committee. The oleomar-
garine interests have boasted all along that
| they would stif1e the bill in the Senate. 1t
Is yet too early to say whether this boast
will be fulfilled or not. The dairymen and
! the pure food advocates are making fight.
| however, which is said to have opened the
| eyes of the oleomargarine people to the ex-
| istence of strong sentiment in favor OF
/ the Grout bill. The danger to the measure
| will lie in postponement of its consideration
to the latter part of the session, when II
might be sidetracked by other bills having
| right Of way.
On the whole the session promises to be
an exceedingly interesting one. The object
Of the leaders In both houses at this time
y to facilitate legislation 20 - to avoid the