The San Francisco call., 1904-12-05
CONGRESS WILL
CONVENE TO-DAY
Little Will Be Accomplished
During the First Week
in the Senate or House
ON TUESDAY
Knox of Pennsylvania and
Crane of Massachusetts, to
Sit in the Upper Body

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4-The first
act of the Senate, which will convene
tomorrow, will be one Of respect to
the memory of two distinguished Sen
ators-Senator QUAY and Senator
Hoar. Adjournment for the day will
follow at once and thus postpone the
receipt Of the Presidents annual mes
sage until Tuesday. That document
will be received early Tuesday and
very little if any further business be-
yond its reading and the induction
and Crane of Massachusetts, will be
LndertaLe er that I1S E'cf the remain
der of the week exceedingly brief
sessions are expected On Thursday
adjournment will be taken until the
following Monday.
OLD BILLS IN LINE.
Senator Lodge will press the House
bill for the Philippines Government as
soon as 1t is possible to get that meas
ure before the Senate, and he has
announced his intention not TO brook
opposition to it's consideration. The
bill has the vast advantage of being
on-the calendar as unfinished business,
so that it cannot easily be displaced
1t is not probable. however, that
Lodge now will attempt more with
reference to it than to give notice Of
his intention TO press its adoption
Before the close OF the session last
spring Senator HOar gave notice that
on next Tuesday he would call I'D the
bill providing means for the protec-
ton of the President, but owing to
the death Of the Senator consideration
of the bill will be deferred for some
time. Senator Hepburn gave notice
last session that he would call up the
pure food bill next Tuesday. but while
it is generally understood that he will
press the question at all proper times.
it is believed he will not make serious
effort TO proceed with IL during the
first few days Of the session. Another
measure which probably will be taken
UP early in the session is the bill for
admission of the four southwest terri
tories as two States.
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
Nothing more than preliminary
work, however. can be done on any OF
these bills in the first week
1t is expected that the Republican
steering committee will give attention
10 the order Of business early in the
session with a view to general legis-
lation before the appropriation bills
begin 20 arrive from the House Of
Representatives Attention will be
given to filling committee vacancies
caused by the deaths of Senators Han
na, HOar and QUAY, but the dispOsi-
ton seems to be opposed TO doing more
in that direction at present than to
passing to Senator Platt of Connecti-
cut the craftsmanship of the Committee
on Judiciary, which place Will go to
him By virtue of seniority.
Monday will be characterized as
usual by the attendance of a large
number of spectators and a liberal dis
play of flowers on the desks OF Sena-
tors.
MINOR LEGISLATION.
Little in the way OF legislative busi-
ness is expected the first week of the
session of the House The first day
swearing in of new members who have
been elected to fill vacancies. The
usual committee will be appointed to
inform the President that Congress is
in session and the resolution notifying
the Senate that a quorum Of the
House is ready for business will be
passed Tuesday the Presidents mes
sage will be read, but il is not expected
that any other business will be trans
acted.
There are a number OF minor mat
ters of legislation that may be con-
sidered on Wednesday and on Thurs
day, as no special order has been made
for consideration of any general meas
ure. 1t is possible that the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill may be reported Wednesday or
Thursday Friday is pension day, and
there will be more than a thousand
private pension bills ready for the
House to consider.
Early adjOurnments each day are ex-
pected during the first week in order
to give time to shape the session busi-
ness.