The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-19
Buildings and Grounds Bill Has
 No Chance
CUTTING DOWN EXPENSES
Outlook Is Also Bad for Rivers and harbors-Naval Bill May Be .4 Trimmed Down
 Some.

Washington, February 1s.-(Special.)- There will be no public buildings and grounds bill at this session of Congress. Regardless of the fact that the speaker allowed the committee to go to work and hold hearings, frame bill and report it to the House, the announcement was made today that he would not consent to the rules committee bringing in rule for the consideration of the measure.
 On both sides of the House indignation Is expressed over the speakers course' The petition circulated among members asking the speaker to allow rule to be reported has obtained the signatures of at least two-thirds of the members of the House, and by Monday it is expected that the paper will contain practically all the names of the House membership But in spite of this the speaker made his po- sition clear and emphatic today, when in response to an inquiry from a mem Der he said there would be no rule reached, and in case there should be one the House would have to get a new speaker. There is not little talk among the republicans of rebellion against the speakers course, but there Is hardly q doubt that the republicans will submit gracefully to the will of the House ma chine and the bill will not even get be- fore the House.
 Even had the measure been permitted to pass the House, It's final enactment into law would have been very doubtful. Quite number of senators announced their in- tention of increasing the House bill, which carries less than $10OOO.OOO ana evon today Senator Foster of Louisiana nresented an amendment which he lntenu- ed proposing to the bill appropriating Sl'- 0OO,0O0 for new building Tn Ne" oi leans.
 Senate Will increase It.
 Nearly third of the Senate member ship also felt that the House measure was not as liberal as 1t should be. hence, there was every indication that by the time the Senate got through with the measure 1t would show such a heavy in- crease as to make the concurrence or the House quite unlikely.
 The decision of the speaker on this question leaves the rivers and harpors hill the only Pork measure before Con gress. It will be taken up and passed by the House early next week, posslply an Tuesday It then goes to the Senate, where it's total is to be added to and the concurrence of the House requested Chairman Burton has stated positively that he will not stand for big senatorial increase, so the situation as 1t stands to- day Is also decidedly against this bill becoming a law.
 Much to the disgust of members inter ested in the rivers and harbors bill, the House spent the day in the considera- t,on of unimportant bills evidently in- dioating to their minds that the plan was to send the bill to the Senate as late as possible in the hope that 1t would be killed in conference.
 VIII Be Busy Fortnight.
 Only eleven legislative days remain. while the House is practically through with the great supply bills and special measures the situation in the Senate is decidedly mixed All next week the Sem ate will be busy with the Swayne case, and a vote is expected about week from Tuesday. In the meantime the riv- CTS and harbors, sundry civil, diplomatic, postofrice, Indian and pensions bills have not been touched by the Senate commit tees. In addition the naval bill, which will provoke much debate, has not pass ed the House. The democratic senators contend that if there is such a spirit of economy abroad in the White House and Capitol as to kill the public buildings bill and make very uncertain the passage of the rivers and harbors bill, there ought to be some economy in regard to the navy. A decided effort will be made to take off at least one of the President s battleshps carried by the House bill and if is believed that several voters will be recruited from the ranks of republican members dissatisfied with the admnistra- tion,s attitude on the Pork measure.
 From present indications there will be two all night sessions immediately pre-