Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-21
House Has Large Number
Of Important Measures.
Railroad Rates, Statehood, In
dams, Pure Food and Others.
Senate Returns 10 Routine House Defeats
the Anti-Graft Bill.

The railroad rate bill, the statehood
bill and the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill the naturalization
BILL the pure food bill, conference re-
ports on the army and Indian appropri-
alton bills are all possibilities of con-
sideration in the National House of
Representatives this week
The certainties in this calendar OF
business are that today (Monday) will
be devoted to the passage or minor bills
under suspension of the rules. With
the filibuSter of the Democrats to pro-
mote the statehood bill. the result
probably will be comparatively small
in the number of measures passed
The diplomatic and consular appro-
priation bill will be called up Tuesday
according to the present program. The
diplomatic bill is a small measure. and
will require but a day or two at most
III consideration unless it is to be made
the vehicle for set speeches.
The rate bill is likely to be made the
subject of more or less discussion when
the motion is made to send it to con-
ference. Just what will be the charac-
ter of this discussion cannot be ascer-
tanned with any detiniteness.
Inc confereeS on the statehood bill
indicate that preliminary report to
the TWO houses is possibility for the
not distant future. While nothing def
nlte can be said as to the character OF
TINS report. it is believed il will include
q compromise on the basis of the For
aker amendment permitting the people
of Arizona and New Mexico TO vote
separately on the subject OF Joint state
hood.
The Senate will resume business to-
day (Monday) by taking UP the legis-
iatiVe, executive and judicial appro-
priation bill and when that is passed
will probably enter upon the consider
aton of the immigration bill and SEN
ators have been 50 engrossed with the
rate bill during the past few months
that they have given very little atten-
ton 20 other questions. Consequently
there is no well defined program for
future legislation, and no one has def
mite authority to state what course will
De pursued. But the immigration bill
is so generally favored by the Repub-
lean leaders that there is no doubt il
VIII De given the next place of prefer
cnce on the Senate calendar.
There will not. however. be aDy fur
thtr effort at legislation aside from an
preparation bills until the Republican
steering committee can get together
anG decide upon a program which will
probably be sometime during this week.
The general disposition is to confine
business to the supply Of bills as much
as possible, but there is considerable di
vision Of opinion with reference TO the
Panama canal bill and also on the uues-
ton of the discharge of the Philippine
committee from the further considera-
ton of the Philippine tariff bill There
IS q very strong pressure to secure con-
Sldtrttion of the canal bill this session
while the preponderance of sentiment
~ the Philippine question appears to
DC against the re-opening Of the sub
ject. The conference report on the In
dian appropria ton bill will be present.
cd during the week and will be taken
up for consideration as soon as il ia
presented. The report on the post office
appropriation will he made late in the
week and il too will receive early at
tention