The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-01
CONGRESS- CONvENES
1T WILL ENTER UPON ITS FINAL
SESSION TO-DAY.
QUESTION OF TRUSTS LEADS
DELUGE OF BILLS PERTAINING
TO 1T THREATENS.

Routine Legislation. Ii Is Doubted
II Anything More Than the Trust
Question WIN Receive the Com
sideration of This cOngress-some
Think Sherman Law Ample for
Protection-wiIi Consider Admis-
sion OF New states.
Washington, Nov. SO-When the
House convenes tomorrow to enter on
the final session Of the Fifty-seventh
Congress. a perfect deluge of bills
dealing with the trust question in all
it's phases will be thrown into the leg
islative hopper. 1t is admitted on all
hands that this will be the most i'm
portant topic of discussion. Indeed.
the leaders incline to the belief that
beyond the appropriation bills and rou-
tine legislation. it will be the only
general subject on which there is
chance of action at the short session.
AS yet. the leaders have formulated
nc measure. and there exists a pretty
wide divergence of opinion as to what
can or should be done. The Presidents
recommendations on the subject are
awaited with interest The most con-
sentative opinion among the Republic
can leaders seems to favor an appro-
priation for the enforcement of the
Sherman antitrust law. Such an APP
preparation, 1t is pointed out. could be
placed on one of the regular appro-
priation bills and put through both
houses without difficulty, whereas any
amendment to the law itself. no mat
ter how conservative. likely would
meet opposition.
Wants $50O,OOO to Fight Trusts.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, chairman of
the Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Committee. Is one of those who be-
lieve that the Sherman law, if enforc-
ed is sufficient to inject the situation,
and tomorrow he will introduce a bill
appropriating $5OOoOo to be used by the
Department of Justice in prosecutions
under the present law.
1t is not improbable that when the
leaders ascertain exactly what can be
done that caucus of the Republicans
will be called to agree On a measure.
Meantime the trust bills introduced
will probably be referred to the Ju-
dfcfdry Committee.
There is some question of jurisdiction.
If a bill invekes the interstate COM
merce clause of the constitution, 1t
properly should go to the Commerce
Committee, and, if the taxing power
of the government, to the Ways and
Means Committee. But to secure uni
formity, all bills dealing with the SUBJ
ject have gone heretofore to the Ju-
dietary Committee. and this practice
will be followed unless fight for ju-
risdiction is made.
Will Rush Appropriations On.
The leaders have already resolved to
expedite the appropriation bills as
much as possible in order to allow the
largest margin of time for other mat
tiers. Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the
Appropriations Committee. believes
that the legislative, executive and Ju-
dicial, and the pension appropriation
bills can be disposed of before the hol-
idays. One of the first things the APP
preparations Committee will be called
on to do, however, is to prepare a bill
to provide for the Coal Strike Com
mission. Judge Gray, chairman of the
commission has written Mr.. Cannon
asking for an appropriation of $50, 900
to defray the expenses Of the commits
sion, to pay it's clerical force, and to
provide such compensation for it's men,
bers as the President may fix. The
Appropriat tons Committee win meet
tomorrow to prepare a bill. which, 1t
is believed. will be passed this week.
No opposition to 1t from the minority is
anticipated
The session of the House tomorrow
will be brief. The roll will be called,
and after the announcement of the
deaths that have occurred during the
recess, the House will adjourn until
Tuesday, when the Presidents message
will he read. There is no programme
for the remainder of the week beyond
the bill to defray expenses of the Coal
Strike Commission. If the regular or
der is demanded the London dock
charge bill is the unfinished business.
Now stars for the Flag.
The admission of the ter
ritories of Oklahoma, New Mex
leo and Arizona as states of the
Union will probably be the first sub
ject Of general Importance to receive
the attention of the Senate in the ses-
sion which begins at noon Tomorrow.
In consideration of abatement by the
friends of the measure during the last
session unanimous agreement was
reached that the Committee on Terri
tories would report on the omnibus
bill next Wednesday, Dec. 3, and that
a week later the bill should become the
unfinished business of the Senate,
which means that unless the measure
shall be displaced by vote or by unani-
nous consent, IL will occupy the first
place on the Senate calendar until dis
posed Of. 1t is current expectation
that this programme will be carried
out whether the committees report is
favorable or unfavorable, as the agree
ment contemplated consideration re-
CARELESS of the character of the report
There is no definite information of
what the committees decision will be-
but at the last session all the Re-
publican members of the committee
except Senator Quay, voted to defer
consideration, while Senator Quay ana
all the Democratic members voted for
immediate action. the result being a
majority of one for postponement II
Is known that some Of the Republican
members favor an amendment of the
bill so as to provide for the admls-
sion only Of Oklahoma. and II is the
prevailing opinion that the committee
Will divide on this proposition, all Re
publican members, except Senator Quay,
being considered favorable to Il. How
ever, the transposition of one Repub-
lican vote would insure the report OF
bill 10 admit all three territories To
statehood, as Senator Quay and all
the Democrats are firm In favor of a
tri-state measure.
A protracted debate In the Senate fs
probable. The friends OF the House
measure claim 20 have the support OF
all the Democratic senators and OF
from fifteen 20 eighteen Republicans.
There H. heweyer. determined oDposi-