New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-07
FEW NEW LAWS LIKELY.
PROGRAMME OF CONGRESS-
Panama Government Bill Probable
No Shipping Legislation.
LFRom THE rR1nrNE nrRrAr.

IFRoM TRIBUNE BURFAUl
Washington. Dec. 6---InformaI discussions of
Senate and House leaders indicate that little new
legislation will be undertaken at this session of
Congress. Senator Lodge will seize the first Op-
portunty to push the Philippine Public Improve
ment bill and will ask that a day for a vote be
set before the Christmas holiday. He is con-
hdent of compliance with his request and be-
lieves the measure Will receive q unanimous
vote from the Republican Senators The meas
ure has already passed the House. and will be-
come a law when passed by the Senate. the
President having signified in his Message his
approval of the bill
Another measure which came over from the
House last session and is languishing in a
Senate COMMITTEES is the Statehood bill It is
the belief of the Senate leaders that this is a
good time to dispose of the Statehood question.
and a measure drawn along the lines of the
'Spooner compromise will be passed this ses-
sion and will probably be approved by the
House conferrees The Spooner compromise
provides for two States including. respectively
the Territories of Indian Territory and Okla
homa and Arizona and New Mexico, with the
added provision that the two latter may resolve
themselves into separate States when each has
attained specified population.
The only really new legislation regarded
probable at this date IS the proposed Panama
civil government bill. which will embody some
Of the provisions stricken from the measure of
last session and some new ones rendered neceS-
sary by Secretary Taft's executive order at Pan
ANA December .. The disorganized condi-
tion Of the Committee Interoceanic Canals
and the presumption that Senator Morgan will
vigorously oppose such organic legislation make
the legislative progress of this most essential
measure somewhat stormy.
OPPOSITION TO HOAR BILL
The reduction of the tariff on Philippine i'm
ports, urged by Secretary Taft and recommend
ed by the President in his message will be
widely discussed, but it is too early TO ascer-
tain the attitude of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, on which the initiation of such legisla-
tion must depend. If such measure goes to
the Senate in reasonable time and form 1t will
probably become a law.
It is possible. but hardly probable. that an
effort will be made TO enact legislation for the
simplifcation of the present immigration laws.
but there is considerable opposition to attempt
ing anything further in the line of immigration
legislation for the present.
1t is hardly likely that the bin of the late Sem
ator Hoar for the protection of the President
will be pushed in its present form. The Demo-
Gratis are strongly opposed to the measure as
drafted and there are many Republicans who
question the advisability of extending its pro-
visions to include members of the Cabinet and
foreign ambassadors and ministers. The In
dications are that moderate bill, pro-
viding drastic penalties only for assassination or
assault of the President and Nice-President,
could be passed with comparatively little op-
poslton-certainIy without division on party
lines-and the Hoar bill may be thus remodelled
in committee.
Members of the Merchant Marine Commission
hope that some consideration will be given TO
the measure they preparing to submit but,
apart from the membership of the commission,
II is difficult to find Senators Representatives
who believe there is likelihood Of serious con-
sideration being given at this session to any
measure inteEaed for tho encouragement OF
American shipping.
ITO CUT COAT TO FIT CLOTH"
The leaders of both houses of Congress have
determined ito cut their coat to fit their
CLOTH" to a homely phrase and in that
determination may be foreseen the fate of most
of the private and many public bills
the calendar or just introduced. The leaders
appreciate that the margin between govern
ment receipts and expenses is narrow, and they
are determined so to curtai the federal
pendltures as to avoid the necessity of increas-
ing taxation or the issuance of bonds. This
does not mean. of course. that numerous private
bills Will not slip through, especially in the
House. but the large majority of them VIII
meet their Waterloo in the Senate; and the
House is likely to reciprocate with such private
bills as pass the Senate by striking out AL
after the enacting clause" course which will
prove entirely acceptable to the leaders of both
houses.
Some of the specific recommendations I'm the
Presidents Message as we'll the subject OF
tariff adjustment, will be extensively discussed
in informal conferences. and much progress will
doubtless be made in the form of education and
sentiment which VIII bear fruit at the long ses-
sion Of the next Congress. These predictions
are the result of the entirely Informal confer
ences which have occupied much OF the time or
the leaders in the last two days
Neither the House Committee on Rules nor
the Senate Committee the Order Of Business
has yet met although it is altogether likely
that d netting of the latter may he called for
tomorrow afternOon-certainly for some day
this week; bat, as Is usually the case the WoTk
for each committee will be carefully cut out
before either is called together.
p..- .TEx ID ID TAvOJTTDyT