Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1897 — CONGRESS AT WORK. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS AT WORK.

OPENING SCENES OF THE LONG SESSION. Important Acton May Be Taken Early in Both Houses—Hawaii Is Likely to Be Annexed-Friends- of Cuba Are Hopeful. Annnal Grind Begins. Washington correspondence:

THE regular or long session pf Congress, as it is called, because there is ' no constitutional limitation upon the period of its duration, opened at noon Monis&L day. . The leaders’ ilfiS and a very large maIgjjg. jority of the memHfijLj bers of both houses fpPSgJ participated in the opening ceremonies, and President McKin 1e y made the |IIRTIYI journey to Washing- ]| It 1" ton from the bedside U U' of his dying mother

that his absence might not delay the national legislature at its assembling. The extra session robbed the opening of the regular session of tfie excitement and interest which usually attach to it. As the House was completely organized at the extra session, and all the committee assignments were made then, beyond the natural stimulus produced by the returning statesmen and the outlining of schemes by members of the “ihird house” or lobby, Washington on the night preceding the opening was tranquil. The ceremonies attending the opening of Congress, though comparatively of a routine character, make a spectacle which in some respects is regarded as the greatest official event year at the national capital. Monday the weather was propitious. The sun shone brilliantly from a cloudless sky, making a glorious, bright December day, with a tinge of frost in the air to invigorate the lungs and a breeze just strong enough to keep the stars and stripes snapping from the flagstaffs. At the capitol the crowd swarmed into the corridors at an early hour and choked the marble steps as they ascended to the galleries from which they were to view the show. As is usual on such occasions, the reserved galleries were carefully guarded on both the House and Senate sides, admission being only by card, and the public had great difficulty in wedging itself into the limited space set aside for it.

The program at the House Monday was very simple. The House was called to order by the Speaker, who, after the chaplain’s invocation, directed the Clerk to call the roll. This having been accomplished, and the presence of a quorum demonstrated, the clerk was directed to notify the Senate that the House was ready for business, and a committee was appointed to wait on the President. After that there was a recess to await the arrival of the President’s annual message, which was read upon its reception and was followed by an adjournment until Tuesday. It is the intention of the House leaders to proceed with the business of the session as rapidly as possible. The committees will all begin their labors at once. The appropriations committee has been at work for ten days, and Chairman Cannon expects to pass two of the regular budgets before the holidays. Among the early general measures to receive consideration will be the bankruptcy bill. Whether it will be the Nelson bill, which passed the Senate at the last session, or a modification of the Torrey bill depends on the temper of the Judiciary Committee, which will submit the measure to the House. Beyond doubt there will be several resolutions of inquiry during the first week which may be more or less sensational, and some of the radical pro-Cuba members will attempt to get consideration for a Cuban resolution before the Foreign Affairs Committee can act, but" owing to the nature of the House rules all these hasty efforts will prove abortive, and they probably will take their regular course. Simultaneously with the fall of Speaker Reed’s gavel in the House, Vice President Hobart called the Senate to order. Half an hour before the Senate convened the public and executive and reserved galleries were filled with spectators to witness the opening of the session. The handsome costumes of the ladies added much to the brightness of the scene. The Senate chamber at the opening was a veritable conservatory. The floral display was unusually rich and beautiful, and the odor of flowers was heavy in the hall. Seventy-seven Senators responded to their names on the roll call. The Senate to start with had a calendar of about 300 bills reported from the committees during the special session. The indications on the opening day were for a little more activity than usual during the pre-holiday session. This is largely due to the fact that the supporters of the administration and advocates of annexation are anxious to secure the earliest possible 1 consideration of the treaty with Hawaii. Senator Davis, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, announced, his purpose of pressing annexation at tile earliest possible moment. One point which the committee will be called upon to decide is whether to proceed to ratify the treaty of annexation or to annex the islands by resolutions. The annexationists have lost some votes during the vacation, and there is now apprehension that the two-thirds vote necessary to assure the ratification cannot be secured. Some members of the Foreigns Relations Committee who favor annexation advocate this course because they say they see no reason for traversing the same ground twice, as they would be compiled to do in case the matter should be first considered in executive session, fail there, and then be taken up in the form of a resolution in open Senate and House. Despite all opposition, it is not doubted Hawaii will be brought under the stars and stripes. No act of the American Congress in many years past has attracted as much attention throughout the world as the annexation of a distant island is sure to attract. What Congress will do concerning the President’s presentation of the State of our relations to Spain and Cuba only the future can determine. Unless some turn of events rouses public opinion and finds response in Congress it may fce regarded as fairly certain the peace policy of the President will be supported by both

houses of the national legislature. Th# President’s message; read between the lines, does not indicate that he has abandoned Cuba, but rather that he hopes in the future to achieve the practical independence of that island should Spam’s present efforts to restore peace prove fruitless, and by methods which will be the fruits of natural causes, and which will not necessarily bring on war between the United States and Spain. Other topics which will be sure to cause much talk throughout the world, and some of which may be the subject of actual legislation, are revision of the immigration laws, bankruptcy, pooling by railways, rehabilitation of the interstate commerce commission, prevention of scalping of railway tickets, the Central Pacific Railway’s debt to the Government and the revenues of the Government under the Dingley law.