Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-04
IN CONGRESS-.
Both Branches Will Meet, To-
day, After Two Weeks Recess.
Inc Appropriation Bills Will Make
the Principal Business.
Little Else in Senate and Almost Moth.
ing in House.

! washington, Jan. 3.-After Il recess
"a more than two weeks, the Senate
! VIII resume business. tomorrow. with
OUT any definite program. Indeed. it
iiiy DE Stited that the Senate has no
program Tor the entire session beyond
the passage OF the appropriation bills,
the consideration of the Panama canal
treaty, the determination of Senator
SlnoOts case and the disposition of
some other comparatively unimportant
matters.
only one of the appropriation bills,
! namely, the pension bill. has reached
Ine Senate and that has not vet been
considered in committee. 1t is proba-
bic, however that it will be reported
1T an early dare. The Panama canal
treaty also is in committee and it
VIII Ec reported to the Senate during
the present week. The Smoot case
viii be proceeded with by the commit
tee on privileges ana elections, but the
indications are that some weeks will
elapse before the question can be
brought before the Senate in regular
order.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
''til'ti u gay - iiOt 1T l'lcStIll III the
Senate. there is little doubt that the
canal question will form the leading
topic fOr discussion during the week
Senator Lodge will speak on this sub
jecl on Tuesday, and he will be follow
ed by other senators. especially by
some who antagonizc the attitude of
the administration. Senator Morgan's
present intention is to wait until the
treaty is reported from the committee
on foreign relations, and then to dis
cuSs it in executive session.
The committee is expected to report
the canal treaty by the middle of the
week. and it is the intention of the
friends of the administration to press
consideration of the treaty as rapidly
as possible. With the treaty only re-
ported they will make an effort to con-
tirc The discussion to the executive seS-
sions. in the hope that by 50 doing they
Will shorten the consideration Of the
question.
Tho committee on military affairs
probably will report the nomination Of
Gen. Leonard Wood to be major gem
erai ut the first executive session Of
the Senate. There will be an effort to
secure consideration OF this nomination
as soon as possible after it is reported
with the hope OF also having it disposed
Of before the session shall he far adj
Nanced. The nomination probably Will
lead 10 much debate in executive SEES
sion, as both the friends and the OPP
ponent$ of Gen. Wood are quite deter
mined to discuss it ut length.
When the House reassembles. tomor-
row. after its vacation. it will be con-
fronted by an almost bare calendar.
Only a few items of legislation have
been reported by committees and all
these are of comparative insignilicance.
1t therefore will be necessary for the
House to wait for Il few days upon it's
committees before beginning the tran
sactiOn of important business.
The disposition in the House is to
take up no matters Of general interest
outside of appropriation bills, and
there is no appropriation measure in
shape to be reported The legislative.
executive and judicial bill will be the
first to receive attention. but there is
no expectation that it Will be reported
before Friday or Saturday. In the
meantime the House will consider pri-
waite pension bills and other minor
questions. The week, however, will be
one of great activity in the committee
rooms and the general understanding !
is that after the present week there
House to keep its members occupied.