The Evening Bulletin

SPEAKER CRISP'S CONDITION.

He Will Not Preside in the House-What Will Be Done in His Absence.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-Speaker Crisp's condition of health, while not sufficiently alarming to cause apprehension, is such as to preclude the possibility of his presiding over the house for a few days. The program which it was supposed had been determined upon, for the speaker to designate Mr. McMillin as speaker for the day, is found impracticable for the reason that there are no rules yet adopted which permit of this action. Consequently, as at the opening of the session, the duty of calling the house to order will devolve upon the clerk, and the house will then be left to select its speaker pro tem.

It is probable that Mr. McMillin will be elected to this position and will serve as such until the speaker is himself able to take the chair. Much anxiety is being manifested by members to obtain an organization which will permit of the introduction of bills.

The senate has had a long start in this respect and members of the house are restive because all their local bills for public buildings, etc., are being first introduced by their senators, who thus reap all the local honors. There will assuredly be a large number of bills presented in the house as soon as that order of business is reached.

Many members are prepared with tariff measures affecting particular home interests. It is said Chairman Springer, of the ways and means committee, will wait until these bills have reached his committee before he presents the measure which he has been engaged in framing during the holidays. This bill places on the free list all the forms of wool and hair except shoddy and waste, the tariff on which is to be reduced from thirty to ten cents a pound. The bill will also repeal the specific duties on the manufactures of wool, such as carpets, clothing, etc., but the ad valorem duties will remain.

In regard to carpets the Springer bill will be substantially the same as proposed by the Mills bill. The present average of duty on woolen manufacturers is 91 per cent. In the Springer bill this average is reduced to 15 per cent.

Mr. Springer says a free wool bill will pass the house without a single dissenting Democratic vote. He says he knows that not a Democratic member from Ohio will vote against the proposition, while the Texas representatives are anxious for such a bill to be presented.

The senate has no pending question before it except Mr. Morrill's notice of his intention to answer Senator Stewart's free silver speech. There will undoubtedly be, however, many important executive communications to be received. Whether or not the Chilian matter will come up today does not seem definitely determined.