Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-12-02
Neither Of the Parties a Unit on What
Should Be Done.
SOME CHECK TO SPECULATION
Generally Conceded to Be a Patent
Cause of Present Conditions.
WATERWAYS ARE BEING PUSHED
President Expected to Urse = Four
teen-FOOt Channel I'm NTisaisuippt
and Improvement OF other
Waterways.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Newer at tn
beginning Of any congress have the con
sressional leaders OF both parties founk
themselves more at sea concerning legis.
lation than they are on the eve oe the
conVening of the Eixtieth assembly OF
the national legislature, which will take.
place tomorrow at noon. Very little ex.
cept the financial situation is engaging
the attention OF any member of either
house, and all the members OF both
houses whether leaders or followers. con-
fess their inability to forecast what may
be done on that subject. All of them
lament the present situation, but all Of
them do not believe that the remedy for
it is to be found in legislation. Those
who believe that such a remedy will
prove efficacious are in the majority but
their opinions as to means vary so widely
that all admit the great difficulty of get
ting together. There is some general
division along party lines. but there is
also great divergence OF view among both
republicans and democrats In view Of
this state of AFFAIRS It is evident that
very littel attention will be given to
other questions until there can be some
capitalization Of thought on the imam
cial problem.
In his speech Of acceptance last night,
of some amendments to the railroad law.
and but for the disturbance in the money
centers there is little doubt that thia
would have been undertaken duriAg thu
session. 1t is, still possible that some
thing may be attempted in that line, but
all plans to that end are now quite nebu-
lous, The democrats have already indl-
Gated q purpose OF trying to force the
tariff to the front, but the republicans
are so largely in the majority in both
houses and are so well united In their
purpose of postponing action upon this
important subject until after the prest-
dental election, that their opponents
have very little hope of accomplishing
anything beyond getting recognition for
few speeches for campaign consump-
tion.
Cheok to speculation. -
Among other subjects which wflF re-
eeive serious attention will be the ques-
tion of taxing the sales made on the
stock exchanges, and, while 1t is appre-
eiated that even an effort in this dirsc-
tion may affect tho market, there arc n
number of senators and members who
attribute most of the disturbances In the
fnancial market to these speculative pro-
cesses and who will likely make the road
as rocky as possible for them. 1t is too
forts at legislation will be successful.
There will be some antitrust talk, but
the financial panic will probably have the
effect of curtailing 1t to eoniderabls
extent
The Philippine tariff bill and the bills for
the admission OF New Mexico and Arizona
as states will be introduced early In the
session. and 1t is probable that ali OF ITEM
will receive considerable attention, but not
so probable that either OF them win be-
come a law at this session.
The friends OF the scheme for the deem
ening OF the channel OF the Mississippi
river will undertake to inauglIrate that en-
terprise during the session, and in that
connection there viii be an EFFORT looking
to the systematic development OF all the
inland waterways. The president is ex-
pected to recommend in his message a
channel Of not less than fourteen feet from
New Orleans to Keokuk and thus initiate
campaign which Will be pressed until
the desired end is attained.
IL is also understood that the president
will recommend appreciable enlarge
ment Of the navy. While congress does
not seem prepared to completely follow him
In this matter, the prospect is good for
some increase OF the navy.
Democrats OF InquiriuS Turn.
ing out OF the financial situation viii be
introduced by democratic senators and
members early in the session. Some of
these viii make inquiry concerning the re-
cent issuance Of certificates By the Trea-
sury department; some viii PROFOUND quos-
tions concerning the distribution IN the
national banks Of the treasury reserve, and
still others will deal with different phases
Of the financial question.
Even now the men who DO most 70
formulate the policies OF the two houses
are putting their heads together with the
view OF securing an adjournment of the
session at as early date ss possible. They
are using the fact that the national con-
ventions will probably be held IN June to
influence both republicans aud democrats,
and the responses received are generally
favorable to the view that the session
should come to close not later than the
last Of May.
The speaker will make an EFFORT to get
the house committees in working order be-
fore the holidays. and caucus OF the rs
publican senators win probably be hsld
tomorrow kS1sr the adjournment OF the
state for the puSeSse OF starting the ma