Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1900 — WORK FOR CONGRESS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WORK FOR CONGRESS.

MAY BE EXTRA SESSION TO DISPOSE OF BUSINESS. Needs of the Army with Appropriations and Apportionment Urgent — Nicaragua Canal Bill Must Also Be Taken Up in Senate on Dec. 10.

Washington correspondence:

iHE short session of the Fifty-sixth Congress, which will begin on Dec. 3 and continue until March 4, will have a number of very important bills up for consideration, and the uncompleted work will probably compel the f President to call an (extra session of the Fifty-seventh Congress early next year, possibly as early as ithe call for the Fiftyffifth Congress four years ago, which met

on March 15, 1897.

The appropriation billsliave the right of way at the short session, and as these must be passed before the close of the session or' Congress fail to provide for the government, Chairman Cannon in the House-and Chairman Allison in the Senate will take no chances by allowing general legislation to endanger the bills prepared by the committees on appropriations, These bills will monopolize a good part of the three months of the session. There are two bills which must be considered outside of the appropriation bills. These must provide for the basis of reapportionment under the new census and for the reorganization of the army. The apportionment under the new census law' is obligatory. The constitution requires that the apportionment of Representatives according to population must lie made within ten years from the date of; the last apportionment. The Fifty-first Congress made the last apportionment at, the short session in February, 1891. This makes it necessary that the Fifty-Sixth Congress shall make the now apportionment.

New Appointments to Be Ma e. The census returns are ready, aud Cqhgressman Hopkins of Illinois, as chairman of the census committee, will have a bill prepared to’apportion the representatives so as not to increase the membership of the House. The present apportionment is one Representative for every 173,901. The increase in population will make necessary an increase in the number of population for each Representative. It will be increased to about 200,000. ns that will keep the membership of the House about as it now is in numbers. On this basis Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Texas would each gain twb~ representatives, and several other Western States would each gain one. There need he little time consumed with such legislation, unless the Crumpnckor bill is brought forward and an effort made to make the basis of representation in the South exclusive of those disfranchised by reason of their color. The Crumpaeker bill would precipitate a fight which would consume much time. The Nicaragua bill, which passed the House last May, is before the Senate, and by special order it will be taken up in that body at 2 o’clock on Dee. I<>. Senator Morgan secured unanimous consent to this special order on the closing day of the long session, and lie will lie on hand to insist on the Senate taking up the canal bill. The bill will not be passed until the Senate has taken some action on the llay-Pauncefote treaty. The Hepburn canal bill ignores the Clay-ton-Bulwer treaty, and before it can become law that treaty must be modified ns in the Hay-Pauiioefote treaty, or by formal abrogation. The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. The administration will press the Ila.vPauncefote treaty for ratification. The State Department has been engaged in negotiations with Nicaragua for a new concession, and will report to Congress, but no indication has yet been given as to the success of this effort. There will be a bill for the reorganization of the army. This is one of the necessities in the way of legislation. The present army of nearly 100,009 men will of necessity be reduced to 27.000 men after June 30, unless some provision is made for continuing it at the larger figure between now and the elope of the fiscal year. ’ The present act was only a temporary makeshift, ns to both the increase of the regular organization and the volunteers. It provides for these increases until June 30, 1901, and that after that date Ihe army shall be reduced to the old establishment of 27,0(H) men. The report of General Mae Arthur shows that a considerable force must he kept in the Philippines for some time to come. To provide for that force there must be legislation between now and June 30. as on July 1 next the larger part of the army in the Philippines will have to he discharged and sent home. If such legislation is not enacted by the Fiftv-sixth Congress, before March 4, the ‘Fifty-Seventh Congress must be called in extraordinary session soon after that date to pass an army reorganization bill. '