Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-09
WILLIAMS SECURES CUT
IN CANAL APPROPRIATION
one presented by Representative Haul
gen and signed by citizens of Nora
Springs, West Union, Elkader and
Usage in favor of enlarging the navy.
WHAT WILL BE DONE?
Important Questions Are to Be Decid-
ed by Ejfty-nrth Connress,

ed by Fifty-nnth Congress-
Washington. D. G., Dec. Especial
Correspondent Nov that the SEN
ate and house Of representatives are
''off' in the race toward the goal Of
adjournment, the next question is:
What will be the program and what
will be accomplished"
There are half dozen questions of
considerable Importance before con-
gress to be acted upon at this session,
notably the Panama canal matter
which from the most optimistic view
point does not appear to look any too
good. The Philippines will come in
for legislation on tariffs, railroads and
other features. The railroad rate
question, is, of course, of paramount
interest, and now that the President
has made his views clear the forces
are lining up. The question of ship
subsidies is bound to come in for
some consideration. Late in the ses-
sion something along the line of tariff
read5ustment may be heard, and the
Santo DOMINICAN affair with sundry
other questions not now on the hori-
zon will surely bob up to require at
tention. 1t must not be overlooked
that congress will deal in some man
ner, probably, with the insurance pro-
blem. hedging companies about with
restrictions that will render impossi-
BILE a repetition of the scandals of the
past six months.
All this would appear to Indicate a
prolonged session and yet it is the ex-
pectation of the speaker and leaders
to wind up the session about June l.
House Can Finish Promptly.
So far as the house is concerned
there will be no difficulty whatever in
achieving this end. The program
can be mapped out to a nicely in the
lower house and the schedule will be
followed almost to the letter, but in
the senate it is impossible to make
any definite plans involving the ele-
ment of time, except by unanimous
agreement. Indications all point to
victory for the President on the rail-
road rate question, but notwithstand-
Ing this it is equally evident that
there are some strenuous days ahead
Of the senate on this proposition. Dur
ing the past few days the senator's OPP
posing the President, Messrs. Aid
rich, Foraker, Kean. Dryden, Penrose,
Alger. Depew. Platt, Perkins Flint
and others who do not favor granting
to the interstate commerce commits
sion or any other governmental tribu-
nal the power to fix rates, appear to
have received inspiration from some
source which has served to stiffen
their spines to some extent, and there
are evidences that the President may
not get what he wants without hard
fight in the senate. The house will
ministraticn bill, in short order. This
does not mean before the holidays;
but early in the session, probably dur
| ing January. Congress will adjourn
about December 20 until about Janu-
airy 5, and consequently there are but
two weeks in December for work. The
committees will not be named until
the early part of next week and the
house will hardly more than get in
good running order before the holt
J day recess arrives.
( Trouble with the Senate.
The difficulty which the railroad bill
will experience in the senate, if de-
termined opposition shall develop, is
that there nothing can be hurried or
rushed, until everybody is ready to
hurry. If seventy-fve senators are in
| a hurry and desire to get action on
the railroad bill or any other measure,
and fifteen senators are disposed to
take time in its further consideration,
| the seyenty-five hurried senator's will
be obliged to await the pleasure Of
| the more deliberate fifteen. OF course
this is on the assumption that the fif-
teen senators are fully determined
and the issue is such as to Justify
them in withstanding pressure and
counter attacks. An example Of this
was afforded during the last session.
The senate was ready to take final ac-
| ton on the canal matter, bnt Senator
Morgan had several hundred thous-
and words Of views inside him that
he felt ought to be printed in the Con-
gressional Record and he continued
| to regale empty seats in the senate
with his remarks. When he was ready
! to desist the senate went ahead and
closed up the treaty incident and the
canal business was off the slate.
| Ability of a dozen senators who are
now opposed to the Presidents rail
iodu PoiiSJ w uSidy ahN iiudliy plC-
vent such bill as he desires passing
the senate is unquestioned. If these
senators are disposed to exercise their
prerogatives to the limit there will
be no railroad rate bill, but 1t is ques-
tionable if they would go to such a
limit. 1t might involve considerable
difficulty in the senate and elsewhere
and there is possibility that such a
course might result in the complete
reorganization of the rules of that
body.
House Will Hurry Work.
1t is intimated that in case the SEN
ate or few senators show DISPOSE
ton to unnecessarily delay or prolong
the debate with the ultimate purpose
of defeating the passage of the, bill,
the house will clear its decks of all
pending legislation early in the spring
and indicate to the senate it's pre-
paredness to adjourn. This will TO-
Gus public opinion on the senate and
bring to bear on the senator's who
may be holding ZIP legislation such
pressure that it ID believed they will
not be able to withstand it.
The statFhood Bill. ).
Tho statehood htI1 will hph ,,n 600 N