The Washington times., 1905-02-05
DISTRICT BILLS
HAVE SMALL HOPE
Little Time Now Left for
Local Legislation.
SWAYNE TRIAL IN SENATE
Statehood Measures, Panama Commits
sion, and the Rate Bill TO Be
damned Through.
SWAYNE TRIAL IN SENATE

Little more District legislation will |
be enacted by the present Congress, and |
the indications are that during the |
twenty-three working days remaining
to this session not more than a part
of one day will be allotted to the dis |
cussion and enactment of local matters
on the floor of the House
Although the last District Day in the
House was two weeks ago, tomorrcsv
viii not be given over to District legis-
latfon This is explained by the fact |
that District day comes on the second
and fourth Mondays in each month,
and there We're five Mondays in January,
with the the second Monday % this
mouth falling on February Is, tomorrow
week
The fourth Monday is the 9th, four
days before the end of this Congress,
and it was admitted at the Capitol yes
terday that there is no chance to enact
local measures so near the expiration
of the session, when the House will be
confronted with numerous appropriation
bills back from conference, and other
rush measures. 1t is also said that,
owing to the pressure of business in the
House, only a part Of next Monday. to-
morrow week. will be devoted TO the
consideration Of local affairs.
Little Time for Work.
Such an abbreviated time for the Dis
trict's interests will mean the death of
many measure which the District
Commissioners have urged for speedy
enactment, and in the next Congress the
bills not passed by the present session
will have to be introduced, reported, and
laid before the House.
In national affairs. however, there
will be much accomplished this week.
both in the Senate and the House The
Congressional program for the week
includes more important matters than
that for any preceding week Of the ses-
sion.
Tomorrow in the Senate, there will
be another session of the court of i'm
parchment in the Judge Swaync case for
the purpose of receiving the reply of the
House managers to the answer filed yes
terday by the judges attorneys. This
will conclude the preliminaries in the
case and not take long and the rest Of
the day will be devoted to the State
hood bill, general debate on which Will
close tomorrow evening. Under agree
ment, the question whether any new
stars are to be added to the United
States flag this year VIII be settled on
Tuesday.
Debate On Amendments.
At 1870 o'clock of that day the Senate
will begin the consideration of the
amendments offered TO the Statehood
bill Each amendment can be debated
by any Senator but not for more than
ten minutes. At the conclusion of the
debate on any amendment, vote will
be taken on il. The opponents of the
proposed union of the Territories Of New
Mexico and Arizona as the State of
Arizona can thus secure d test vote
comparatively early in the afternoon.
The Democrats are unanimously OPP
I'm
ators Foraker and Bard, on the Repub-
lican side, will vote with them. Several
other Republicans have heretofore indi-
Gated their intention of joining this OPP
position, but how many of them can be
depended on at the last moment to vote
against the report of the committee,
which was for two States. no one
knows. There is some talk that most
of them VIII fall in line and support the
bill as il stands-for the admission OF
Oklahoma and Indian Territory as the
State OF Oklahoma. and Arizona and
New Mexico as the State of Arizona
The agreement is that the bill and III
amendments shall be voted on before
the Senate adjourns Tuesday evening.
The Swayne Impeachment
The Senate, after taking part in tht
joint ceremony of counting the electora
vote in the House on Wednesday, vii
that day ard Thursday. The actua
trial of the swayne Impeachment case
will begin on Friday. The witnesses, Of
whom there have been forty-eight sub
poenaed. will be present, and the taking
OF testimony will be commenced DALI
sessions of the Impeachment court viii
be held thereafter. Because of the press
OF business il is expected the Senat'
will adopt a resolution during the weel
mon
o'clock. Late evening sessions will afst
probably be in order before long.
In the House tomorrow bills viii b.
passed under suspension of the rules
most important measure which it is in
tended 10 pass in that way is the Mann
Panama Canal bill, which abolishes tbs
Isthuaian Canal Commission, now headed
by Admiral Walker, places the govern
ment OF the canal zone IN the hands o
the President authorizes him 20 ernplo,
whoever he sees fit in the construction
of the canal, and provides for the pur
chase or .ondemna ton Of the ouustaud
ing minority shares in the Panama Rail
road Company.
Administration Measure.
This measure IS in line with the rec
concentrations of Secretary of War TAT
and of the President himself, and Will
IL Will meet with some opposition +
the Senate from friends of the presen
commission a strong effort VIII be mad
to have it become law at this session
Under the agreement reached by tn
House Republican caucus yesterday tn
Esch-ToWHsend railroad rate bill WI
be taken up for debate on Tuesday 4
IL o'clock. Discussion will continue IN
I'll Wednesday afternoon at ocloc
when d vote will be taken. No amend
ments VIII lga admitted under the rul
which will be adopted. but the Demo
Gratis will be given the opportunity t
offer the Dayey bill or any other as