The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-03
Little General Legislation Ex-
pected at Short Session of
Fifty-Ninth Congress.
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL TO
BE PRESSED BY FRIENDS
Questions of Currency Reform
and Panama Canal VIII Be
Under Discussion.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The pas
sage of the appropriation bills and as
httle other general legislation as pos
sible. Such, in brief, is the forecast
for the short session of the Fifty ninth
Congress, which will begin at high
noon tomorrow,
There has not yet been time for
members, as is ordinarily desired by
leaders before expressing their views,
but all seem TO regard the present
situation as so simple as to need com
paratively little intercourse to arrive
at an understanding 1t is evident
for various reasons that IL will not be
possible to do much on the appropria-
tion bill before the holidays, and the
circumstance win have the effect of
condensing the consideration of the
fourteen large supply measures into
two months. Considering that the ag.
gregate Of the appropriations to be con
sldered Will approximate $l,000,000,
some senator's and members express the
opinion that Congress cannot do better
than give all of it's tune to these
measures.
Will Pass Ship Subsidy.
The report on the ship subsidy bill
probably viii be an exception to tho
rule for no general legislation. Tho
friends Of that measure have never
been more insistent than now. They
are extremely hopeful and yet very ap-
prehensive. Tho bill has passed the
Senate, and is In committee in the
House. The committee has heretofore
been quite evenly divided, but the ad
vocates Of the bill believe that they
will be able 10 get it out in due season,
and they hope for its consideration
when once reported TO tho House
Speaker Cannon has given no positive
assurance as to his silence. One Incl
dent that is very materially helping
the subsidy is the recent speech of
Secretary Root In support Of it.
The fact that the speech was de-
liivered in Kansas City is helpful, as the
ship bill has found its principal oppo-
sltion in the interior of the country.
There have been some significant con
fereuces on the bill among the most
lntuentlal Int, members. Of the two houses,
portant house bills, the immigration
bill and the Philippine tariff bill, but
there are snags in the pathways Of
both Of them. There is still intense op-
position TO the Philippine bill,
especially as it is not believed that it
can possibly receive serious considera-
tion during the short session.
The session bids fair to be productive
Of many bills, and also of much ora
tory.
Currency Reform.
Not a few members of both houses
are anxious to meet the demands of
bankers and others for a more elastic
currency, and 1T is quite certain that
there will be efforts TO supply this want
in the session. The Recommendations
Of the President in the interest Of
National inheritance tax is awaited
with eager interest by many, aud
fbcrn q NO lpnhs hot fn11nyy
ing could be secured for the measure
Of the character he will outline, but
as in the matter of currency reform,
the few weeks of the session will not
suffice for adequate consideration. 1T
is also recognized that the present
p]ethoric condition of the treasury
would furnish strong argument against
the proposed innovation. Suggestions
looking toward amending the rail
road rate law are not expected TO
bear fruit this session. All these mat
ters and many others are certain to
receive attention in debate.
Among the questions slated for
liberal share of discussion, the tariff
stands at the head of the list, but no
one has the least idea that any serious
effort will now be made to secure
the notifications which even many
Republicans think desirable. The
President, who himself desires some
changes, has recently promised his
Congressional callers that he will not
ask to have the subject taken up at
this time The Japanese question, tho
discharge Of the negro soldiers, the
desirability of m income tax law, the
result of the late elections and the
trusts, are also slated for discussion,
and it is even expected that some OF
these questions, IL not all of them, will
receive oratorical attention from Demo
cratic members as soon as the first APP
preparation bill is laid before the
House.
Much interest attaches to the Presi-
dent S Forthcoming recommendations
concerning the Panama canal. princi-
pally because Of his recent visit to the
canal zone, 1t is not expected that he
will ask much legislation beyond the
necessary appropriations, and there
is a general disposition to grant these.
The increase Of the navy will receive
much consideration, but there is still
opposition to the proposed ship of the
Dreadnaught class,