The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-19
WILL THERE BE AN EXTRA SESSION

anu III" Cun IDdlr UT HIS IrlenuS expect
different treatment?
WILL THERE BE AN EXTRA SESSION
The talk about postponing the time for
the extra session of congress has CON-
menced again, it being reported that Evaits
and Schurz, of the cabinet, are in favor of
postponipg it until after the cheated term"
say sometime in November-and that
" the president will approve of it if 1t can
legally be DONE" In reference to this,
it is enough to say that the extra session of
congress can be illegally" postponed until
November, or not held at all, as the presi-
dent shall determine, and that such kind
of talk only shows the ignorance of the
newspaper using it, as there can be no ex-
ira session at any time unless the president
concludes TO call one. The desire, ex-
pressed on the part of some, to avoid an
extra session so that there may be no dis
cussion of the southern question seems to
US equally wild, for if there must be dis
cussion of this matter we know not how
the average congressman can better employ
himself during the cheated term" than by
sweltering with this subject 30 as TO get it
out of the way before the regular session.
We suppose that Blaine, Butler and others
will feel compelled to waste about 80 much
breath over this southern question, and if
it is not expended now it will be hereafter,
so it would be far better for the country to
have it and all carping at it become OBJ
solete together. If the northern heart
must be 'fired," let it be "fired" at once
and be done with it.
But no such consideration as this will
weigh with the president for moment.
Evarts ald SchuIz may be timid about it,
although we doubt it, but the president is
made of sterner stuff. He expects critl-
cisms, objections and opposition, and he is
not weak enough to endeavor to postpone
the inevitable. If the presidents southern
policy is wrong in principle, if the country
does not approve of it, the sooner it is
known to the president the better for the
administration, for the south, and for the
whole country. But this southern ques-
ton will not have anything to do with the
calling, or postponing the call for an extra
session. If the services of congress-
kind of necessary evil at any tlme-can be
dispensed with, there will be no extra ses-
sion; but if immediate legislation is neces-
sary, the congress will be called together
without regard to the personal discomfort
of members if there is no necessity for
legislation before November, then there is
no necessity for an extra session at all, for
If the government can get along until No
vember it could manage to squeeze through
another month, and that would bring
around the regular session in December.
Let us judge of the probabilities by the
facts. At the last session of congress, the
secretary Of war estimated that tt ere
would be required for the support of the
army for the next fiscal year, commencing
July1, allowing twenty-seven thousand,
five hundred fighting men in the several
branches of the service, $31, 1884, 975. 90.
The house of representatives proposed to
reduce the army to seventeen thousand
men, appropriated $22, 130, 900, and insert
ed proviso that the troops should not be
used to sustain state governments in South
Carolina and Louisiana-these states, to be
sure, were not mentioned, but they were
the ones referred to. For this bill, the sen.
ate passed substitute, leaving out the pro-
viso prohibiting the use of the army in up
holding state governments, appropriating
1926, 175, 770. so, and providing that none of
the money should be used for recruiting
the army beyond the number of twenty
five thousand enlisted men, including In
dian scouts, hospital stewards, etc. The
difference between the two houses was IT.
reconcilable, and so the army appropria-
ton bill failed entirely, and so the govern
ment was left without any money with
which to support the army for the next fis-
cal year. Can the army be sustained until
December without money? This ia the
question which the president is called upon
to determine, ana upon its determination
rests the question of an extra session.
1t is claimed that contracts for subsist-
ence and transportation can be continued
without violation of law, the Revised Stat
utes providing that mo contract or pur-
" chase on behalf of the United States shall
" be made unless the came is authorized by
law or is under an appropriation ade-
"quate to its ful6llment, except in the
" war and navy departments, for clothing,
subsistence, forage, fuel, quarters, or
transportation, which, however, shall
not exceed the necessities of the current
"year. 1t 10 claimed that this exception
is, in effect, an authorization to the proper
officer of the war department to 20 on and
contract for, or purchase, clothing, forage,
ETC., notwithstanding the refusal of con-
gross 10 make any appropriation therefor
but we very much.doubt it. The inten-
ton, as 1t seems to us, was to authorize.the
war and navy department to contract for,
or purchase, these things when from some
unexpected emergency the appropriation
was inadequate, and not where there was
an utter refusal to make any appropriation
at all. But conceding the authority claim.
cd, there would still remain large amount
TO be provided for,