The Washington times., 1902-04-28
Legislation in House Well
in Hand, But Senate
May Delay Matters.
some APPROPRIATION MEASURES
Ten Bills Disposed of by House, Leav-
ing Four to Be Considered - Senate
Unlikely to Finish Up Before Mid
summer

The committees of the House having
charge of appropriation bills have made
excellent records this session.
Indeed, 1t can be said that IL the lead
ers of the House were so disposed they
could SO shape matters that Congress
could adjourn the first week in June. pro-
vided. OF course, the Senate would agree
to the program.
But the Republican leaders in the Sem
ate. however. have given no indication, as
yet. as to their intentions regarding the
adjournment of the session The iegis-
lation mapped out ty the Senate leaders,
aside from the appropriation bills. il
pressed. will prolong the session beyond
the month of June.
Delay in the Senate.
In the House all party measures. where
there is no split such as marked the de-
bate on the Cuban reciprocity bill, can
be rushed through under the rules in
very short order. But in the Senate this
cannot be done. because no vote on any
important bill is ever reached except by
unanimous consent And hence no one
can ever tell Just how long party
measure will be debated in the Senate.
OF the fourteen annual appropriation
bills the House has passed ten. as fol-
lows. Pensions. urgent deficiency. the
legislative. executive and judicial. In
dian, postofIice, the diplomatic and con-
sular. army. sundry civil, Notifications,
and Military Academy.
The House has also passed the river
and harhor bill, but that is not an annual
appropriation bill and only one is passed
in Congress. And then sometimes it is
vetoed by the President
OF the annual appropriation bills yet to
be considered by the House there remain
agriculture, which is now on the calendar
and has already been debated, and which
will be passed this week: the District Of
Columbia bill which was reported to the
House last Saturday. and the naval bill,
which will be reported to the House today.
The omnibus public building bill, like
the river and harbor bill, comes under
the head of appropriation measures, but
it is not an annual.
General Deficiency Bill.
The last, but by no means the least i'm
portant appropriation bill, is the general
deficiency bill. 1t contains all the items
Of deficiencies in appropriations for the
current fiscal year which ends June 30.
Already in addition to the urgent def
cheney bill, which passed the House jan
uary "a. and was agreed to by the con-
fcrees Of the House and Senate February
10. the House has passed two separate de-
hciency measures. And it is not improba-
BILE that another urgent deficiency an
preparation may be required before the
deficiency bill is reported.
Only four of the annual appropriation
bills have been signed by the President.
They are as follows: Pensions. urgent de-
iciency. postoffice and the diplomatic and
The following bills are In con-
ference: Indian aud river and harbor.
md nearly every member in the House |
Ind Senate is personally interested In
The fate of the last named measure. which.
t will be remembered. was talked to
ieath by. Senator Carter of Montana dur
hb tHS Siosiu6 ScSSlOu Oh the last Con-
sress.
The legislative. executive. ana iudicisI |
bill has been finally agreed to by the con- |
fesees of the House and Senate, and may |
ne sent to the President today.
The appropriation bills now waiting for
by the Senate are army
'undry civil, Notifications, and Military
academy.
Could Wind Up by June.
Thus it will be seen the annual appro-
oriation bills are well under way. and
Il no special party legislation should be
passed other than the Cuban reciprocity
md the Philippine civil government bills.
Congress could easily wind up legislation
md get away by the 18th of June.
But somehow or other the word has
zone forth that the summer will be we'll
advanced before the adjournment resolu-
ion is passed by the House. and the en-
,loyes of the Capitol are even now max
ms pools on the date of the close of the
ession.