Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-12-08
CONGRESS MEETS
VERY SHORT SESSION ON THE
OPENING DAY.
Presidents riesSage Not Read on
Account Of Adjournment Out
of Respect to Deceased riem.
berS-CalendarS of Both Houses
LOADED Down with Business.

| LOoOCO UOWO WIN BUSINESS.
Washington, Dec. Son the stroke
Of ~ the second session of the Fifty.
eighth congress was today called to
order by President Pro Tenn Frye in
the Senate and by Speaker Cannon in
the house. When the gavels fell near
ly all the members of both houses were
in their seats. but only small amount
Of routine business was transacted.
There was prayer by the chaplains,
the rolls were called. the regular reso-
utions of notification were passed and
committees to inform the president
that the congress was in session, and
then adjournment was taken out of re-
spect for the deceased members. 1t is
customary to receive and listen to the
reading of the presidents message on
the first day of the session, but the sen.
and it was decided in advance to ad-
journ after organization and to receive
the message in the morning.
Flowers for Members.
But there was plenty to attract
crowds to fill the galleries. The open
ing of a session of congress has become
a flower show. Immense floral pieces,
designed to typify the man, or the
attn 20 4 ho ;ak> k,<
placed upon the members desks in
both chambers, oftentimes obscuring
the man they are intended to compli-
ment.
After the opening day, when the
message of the president is read, the
regular business Of the session will be-
gin and the legislative wheels will
grind steadily until March 4, 1905.
There is plenty to do. The calendars
of both houses are loaded with bills of
all kinds; hundreds of new bills will
be introduced, and committees are
ready to report enough to keep con-
gress busy for twelve months, but in
the three months congress will proba:
bly, do little more than pass the regu-
lar annual appropriation bills.
Extra Session Talk.
There has been some talk Of a posi-.
BILE extra session. The result of the
November election was scarcely known
before this talk began. The only rea.
SOD why such session should be call.
ed is because there is demand in Ger.
tain quarters for revision OF the tar.
if, but many of the congressman ar.
irving during the past two weeks have
made it plain that they do not want
tariff revision, and further that they
do not want an extra session.
There is one feature of the tariff re-.
vision talk that has some substance.
More revenue must be had or there
must be a curtailment Of expenditures
With the increasing annual appropria-
tions, the Panama canal and other fea.
lures of extraordinary disbursement,
there will be need of more money than
present customs and internal revenues
provide. An intimation has been made
that curtailment will satisfy many con-
gressional leaders, but the majority
event some revenue legislation may be
necessary and an extra session for that
purpose may be called. But this is
said to be remote contingency and
the proba bilities, according to the
leaders, are that there will be neither
tariff legislation nor an extra session.
Opposition to Reciprocity.
Coupled with the tariff legislation
discussion is the subject of reciprocity.
A number Of proposed reciprocity
treaties have been, and are still repos.
ing in the pigeon holes Of the senate.
During the coming three months there
may be some talk about these treaties,
but the indications ale they will not
be seriously considered. So strong has
been the opposition to them that 1t has
never been considered worth while to
report them from the committee on
foreign relations to which they were
referred.
The Philippine railroads bill is the
unfinished business in the senate. and
Senator Lodge has given notice that he
will press it. There are also several
other measures of interest to the Phil.
ippines, as we'll rs several relating to
Alaska matters. II is not known
whether there will be any legislation
relating to Panama, although it may
be necessary when Secretary Taft
makes report of his personal investi-
CATION of conditions in the canal zone.
Other Bills Pending.
Among other bills of public interest
pending in the house and senate are
the following: Providing for the
transportation of naval and other stores
in American built ships: for the pro
lection Of forest reserves and the crea
ton of additional reserves; to amend
the act for the suppression Of the lot
terry traffic; to make liquor transported
by interstate traffic subject to the law
of the state where it is sold.
Refuse to Sell Russians Coal.
Cardiff, Dec. cit is stated tina