New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-11
HOUSES SLOW START.
Little Legislation Expected Before
the Holidays.

Washington, Dec 1o.-The first important
measure which viii receive the attention of the
Senate will be the Panama Canal Emergency
Appropriation bill, and its consideration Will
begin this week. Some Senators predict that 1t
will become law before the close Of tho week,
but others have expressed the opinion that final
action will be deferred until the week following.
There will be no effort to prevent the passage of
the bill in shape, but there will be some
opposition to the proposed restoration Of the
$5,5O0.00O subtracted by the House from the
amount to be appropriated.
Regardless Of the sum, the bill will be utilized
basis for the general discussion of the
canal question 1t is expected that the debate
Will deal largely with the question to whether
the canal shall be constructed on the sea level.
There is some conflict Of opinion to whether
the bill shall be referred to the Committee on
Appropriations or the Committee on Interoceanic
Canals
The general expectation is that there will be
comparatively little additional legislation be-
fore the Christmas holidays. Several other
measures will be vigorously pressed, but. with
the exception Of the Merchant Marine bill, the
sponsors Of the bills do not count on early con-
sideration Senator Gallinger will call up the
Merchant Marine bill at the first opportunity,
and is hopeful that action will not be long de-
layed. No one counts upon even getting
port from the committees the railroad rate
bill until some time after the holidays The three
measures mentioned are considered the most
important that will come before the Senate in
the session and they will receive much atten-
ton until they are finally disposed Of
The consideration by the Senate OF the JOINT
statehood bill and the bill for the reduction OF
the duty on Philippine importations into the
United States win necessarily be postponed until
after the holidays. No one now expects any
effort 10 modify the tariff unless IN the direction
of Senator Lodges bill providing for max
inum and minimum rate The Massachusetts
C-g2C
favor and viii press it strenuously If he re-
ceives any encouragement to do so.
Much of the time this week will be devoted to
the reorganization of the committees, and there
is hone that the announcement of changes can
be made before Thursday. Senator Mitchens
death will be announced by Senator Fulton to-
morrow but it is not probable that the
nouncement will cause an adjournment Of the
Senate.
of the House tomorrow. This will practically
cornpIete the organization of that branch. The
committees Will meet some time this week for
organization the appointment Of sub committees
and the assignment to them of pending meas
ures.
the fun committees and they in turn to the
House In this manner the wheels OF legisa-
+1on will be started With the long session
ahead however no important results eX-
Dected until after the holiday recess The APP
propriations Committee, which perhaps has the
heaviest task to perform, viii first consider
eitbar the Legislative the District OF Column
bia Appropriation bill. But the outlook is that
neither Of these measures VIII receive committee
attention before the holidays.
That there viii be no lack of legislative propo-
sitions is indicated by the 596S bills which have
already been introduced in the House. Many of |
these are private bills.
1t is usual TO fix the holiday adjournment for
about December u TO allow members TO reach
their homes for Christmas While no date thus
FAR has been decided, this adjournment is fully
axpected on Thursday. December 81
leaders, are disposed to hasten consideration
of the Philippine Tariff bill, and hearings viii |
begin as soon as the ways and
Means Committee has organized