Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1898 — ITS FINAL SESSION. [ARTICLE]

ITS FINAL SESSION.

BEGINNING OF THE END FOR PRESENT CONGRESS. Gay Scenes at the Capitol on ths Opening Hay—Outline of the Work It Is Intended to Accomplish Before LVth Congress Adjon^is. Washington correspondence: Congress reassembled Monday under circumstances of unusual public interest. The same congress six months ago declared war against Spain, and now, with the war fought and won, it came together again for the first legislative consideration of the questions developed by the eventful months just past. The spirit of the occasion was not, however, one of immediate expectancy, for the few months left to the existence of the LVth Congress gave promise of little more than a beginning on the momentous policies and problems gijpwing out of the war. As usual, all Washington turned its attntion to the eapitol for that gala event which marks the opening day of a session. New Members Sworn In. The opening was without ceremony beyond that which marks the usual beginning of a session. Outside of the President’s message there was no reference to the glorious history of the past summer. Practically the entire work in both the Senate and the House consisted in giving the oath to new members and reading the President’s message. In the Senate Joseph Simon, of Oregon, took the oath, completing the membership of that body for the first time in several years. The members were not all present. But, there are now**’ somewhere ninety Senators of the United States, the full number authorized by the constitution. In the House the oath w r as taken by Charles A. Dick, of Akron, Ohio, who represents the famous Nineteenth District, the district once represented by the lamented Garfield. Mr. Dick succeeds the late Stephen A. North way. Two new Representatives from Mississippi also took the oath, P. A. McLane, of Gloster, for the Sixth District in place of the late Mr. Love, and Thomas Spight, of Ripley, for the Second District, in place of W. V. Sullivan, appointed Senator. Distinguished Visitors in the Senate. There were some notable spectators on the floor of the Senate. The Lord High Chancellor of England, the Premier of Canada, and other members of the joint high commission were given seats with the Senators as a mark of consideration. In the diplomatic gallery were Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British ambassador, and his daughter, the minister from Siam and his secretary, the minister from Corea and his wife and secretary, Wu Ting Fang, minister from China, and one of the attaches of the Chinese legation, besides several diplomats of lesser prominence. Nearly all of them went out when the reading of the President’s message began, preferring to read the message at their convenience. The reading of the message occupied two hours and eighteen minutes. Then the Senators drifted to the cloakrooms and the committee-rooms to peruse it at their pleasure. Attendance In the House. There were more than the usual number of distinguished personages in the thronged galleries of the House, including many representatives of foreign governments, high officials, and ladies and gentlemen conspicuous in social and political life. The greetings of the members were most cordial, and there was no outcropping of partisan rancor to mar the occasion. One of the most striking incidents was the cordial meeting between the floor leaders of the respective sides, Messrs. Dingley and Bailey. Speaker Reed received a warm welcome from both sides of the House when he ascended the rostrum to call the House to order, but perhaps the greatest personal ovation to any member was that given to Major General Wheeler of Alabama, who has not been seen by many of his old colleagues since he went to the front at the head of the cavalry division of General Shafter’s army. W. A. Stone, of Pennsylvania; Benton McMillin, of Tennessee, and Joseph D. Sayers, of Texas, who have been elected Governors of their respective States since Congress adjourned, were also overwhelmed with congratulations. The floral tributes were unusuullv numerous. Representative Cousins of lowa has the honor of introducing the first bill in the House at this session of Congress. Legislation to He Enacted. Though many questions may press for solution, the brief space covered by this session, which expires by limitation March 4, precludes the probability of much being accomplished beyond the passage of the regular money budgets, the legislation for the increase of the regular army, which the administration deems necessary to meet the obligations imposed upon the country by the result of the war, and probably the enactment of a law to give a permanent territorial government to the Hawaiian islands. This covers all the important legislation which the Congressional leaders expect to sec enacted at this sesion. It is almost the unanimous sentiment of the members that no attempt should l>c made to legislate concerning the iKtssessions acquired by the war with Spain lit this session. There arc earnest advocates of the Nicaragiinn canal bill, who will strive to secure its passage now, and they may possibly be successful, but neither it nor the pooling .bill nor untl-Bcnlpers’ hill, each of which Has strong friends, will be allowed to interfere with the hills the iwssnge of which is deemed absolutely necessary to prevent an extra session. The lenders at both ends of the rnpitol have put their heads together, nml the Vork of the session is to he entered upon with the idea of avoiding an extra sessiou. With this purpose in view the appropriation hills arc to he given the road at both ends of the eapitol and pressed through with all possible haste. An American soldier and a native cnbnian were killed by coming in contact with a fallen electric wire in Honolulu the other day. An Inquest developed the fact that the interior of the wooden insulating pin by which the wire wits supported had been eaten nway by ants, and the thin shell which remained had given way uuder the stress of a winfl storinT Attorney General Griggs has decided that a person may draw inouey on a check without n stamp, provided the cheek is payable to himself, from his own funds on deposit in the bunk in question.