The Washington times., 1902-01-06
PROGRAMME In THE HOUSE.
Consideration of Nicaragua Canal
Bill Special Order.

After an absence of a little more than
Two weeks, the members of the House
have returned to Washington 10 take up
| the real business OF the session The per
centage of absentees will be small when
| Speaker Henderson calls the session to
order at noon today.
Before the holiday recess the various
committees we're announced and organ
lied, and the Philippine tariff bill was
passed but further than this very little
was done. Now the members are back
prepared to remain here until some time
| after the summer season sets in, when
they will be obliged to adjourn to go
home and construct fences 70. corraling
the votes at the next election.
The Programme of the Week.
The programme for the present week is
pretty well defined. The session today
Will doubtless be very brief, and only a
few routine matters Will be disposed Of
An adjournment is very likely to be taken
out of respect to the memory OF the late
Senator Sewell of New Jersey.
Beginning tomorrow, however, the Me
aragua Canal bill will be a special order
before the House until disposed of. sub
ject to the consideration of appropriation
bills, which will have the right OF way.
As none of the appropriation bills is
ready. however, there will be very little
if anything to interrupt the discussion of
Mr.. Hepburn's measure.
No Opposition to the Bill.
No material opposition to the bill has
thus far been developed in the House.
despite the offer of the Panama Canal
Company to dispose of its holdings to this
Government for si0.000,O0O. There is no
party strife over the measure, both Re-
publicans and Democrats being practical
ly pledged to it.
Before the adjournment Representative
Richardson, the minority leader an
nounced that his party would do all that
it could to facilitate the passage of the
bill Representative Underwood made an
urgent plea for making the bill special
order, notwithstanding the fact that the
treaties had not yet been negotiated With
Nicaragua and Costa Rica for the con-
structicn OF the canal through their terri
tory.
Republicans May object.
1t is not improbable that whatever op-
position there may be to the bill will
come from the Republican rather than
from the Democratic side of the chamber
Representative Burton of Ohio has asked
Chairman Hepburn to allow him fifteen
minutes time to state his position.
There may be some efforts made in be-
half of the Panama route but they will
avail nothing in the House. The Hepburn
bill will pass that body by large ma
iority. vote will probably be taken on
the measure the lasr of this week.
The Urgent Deficiency Bill.
The next thing on the programme will
be the consideration of the urgent de
ficiency bill, which will be ready next
week. Following that IT is expected that
the District appropriation bill will come
up. In the meantime those who are in
terested in amending the District code
will be actively at work patching up that
inefficient and ineffective measure
The Ways and Means Committee will
also begin to hold hearings for the pur-
pose of taking STEPS 10 reduce the reve-
nue. OF the Government and prevent the
piiihS up vi dudltlcndl surplus. me com
mittee will seek TO avoid a reduction of
the customs revenue, and aim to read
Just the internal revenue and abolish the
war taxes.
Democratic Caucus Committee.
meeting OF the Democratic Caucus
Committee will be held today to consider
the various resolutions which were pre-
scented when the caucus was held Just be-
fore the session of Congress opened Prob
ably the most important of these resolu-
tions were those offered by the New York
delegation. The committee will report to
the caucus which will be held or Wednes-
day night. according TO the agreement
reached n month ago.
This caucus will be an important one
In measure, it Will define the policy OF
the Democratic party in Congress this
session.