The evening times., 1902-05-31
CONGRESS FIGURING
ON SESSIONS CLOSE
Philippine Bills Passage VIII
Clear the Way.
MAY ADJOURN BEFORE JULY
Senate Leaders So Expect, But Canal
Legislation and Cuban Reciprocity
Have to Be Reckoned With II Max
ing an Estimate-House Program

Next week in the Senate promises to /
mark the beginning of the end Of The
present session Of Congress. Not only
viii the defate on the Philippine civil
government bill. which has been drag
ging along for six weeks or more, be
brought to q conclusion. but the pro-
gram Of action upon the Cuban reci-
procity ana isthmian canal bills viii be
marked out
As these arc the only tw0 remaining
measu. es Of importance enough TO war
rant the continuance Of the session. the
determination of the leaders as TO these
bills VIII indicate very nearly the prob
able date OF adjournment. Whie it Is, Of
course. impossible 20 predict any length
OF tine il advance what he Senate
will do, it can be stated that the chief
men Of that body expect the Senate viii
have come to an end by June ..
Mondav and Tuesday of next week
viii be devoted 10 fftcea-minute speech
IS on the Philippines bill. with the un-
derstanding that at I o'clock or Tues
day afternoon the voting shall begin on
the bill and all pending amendments.
That il viii pass as the Republican ma
1CTlty wants IS. Of course. fOregOnc
conclusion The isthm:an canal bin will
then be taken Up and will become the
Un1n shed business beiore the Senate
and debate cn that subject viii continue
until the end Of the week.
Pledges on Cuban Measure
In the meantime the Republican mem
bers Of the CZ.oan Committee expect to
complete their work upon the Cuban rec
iPTocity bill. They have already agreed
upCE the details Of the measure. but
before reporting it they desired to
pledge for:y-tve Republican Senators 30
its support At adjournment Thursday
night Senator Aldrich claimed to have
secured forty-one pledges, and he was
confident that he would have the full
number by the beginning Of next week
On Monday or Tuesday there viii be
fuI meeting Of the Cuban committee. ST
which the Democratic members will be
informed as 70 the plans Of the RePub-
hcals on this question. The bill will
probably be reported 10 the Senate on
wednesday Its future course viii have
TO be z matter for conference. One plan
Is TO allow the debate On the canal bill
TO run for two days and then dispIace it
by the Cuban bill but this course might
arouse antagonism OF the part Of the
friends Of the canal. Another plan is
to take Up the Cuban bill each day in
the morning hour and discuss Il until
O'Clock. then allowing the canal debate
TO continue.
Democrats to Be Complacent.
The Democrats as whole are not dis
posed &c fight the Cuban bill. provided
they can be assured that there Is a Re
publican majority for it II there was
chance for them to defeat it with the
aid Of Republican votes the Democrats
would make a party fight 20 secure the
abolition OF the differentia} on sugar and
q reduction OF the tariff on various arti-
cles- But with previous knowledge CT
the fGtility Of such a course they are
not disposed 10 waste the time Of the
Secate. That is way the Republican
leaders are securing advance pledges
from their colleagues for the support Of
the bill
Senator Teller and a few other West
eTn men interested in beet sugar are
preparing 10 make q hard fight against
the proposed concessions 70 Cuba. but II
Is not believed that they can delay the
vote very long.
CanaI Bill prospects.
As to the canal bill. IL Is already evi-
dent that there will be q very long de-
bate, with opinion pretty evenly divided
as 70 whether a nnaI vote viii be reach
ed or rot before the end Of the session
In the House the week VIII be occu-
pied il the consideration Of the anti
anarchy bill. the Pacific cable measure.
and the irrigation bill