The Portland daily press., 1881-03-19
An Extra Session.
Belief that One Will be Called.

The belief that there will be called session
OF tho forty-seventh Congress has become a
conviction in the minds Of most men. This is
the result of the announcement Officially"
that Secretary Blaine is earnestly in favor of
calling an extra session this Spring. Mr.. Conk-
ling has been all along earnestly in favor of a
called session; so has Mr.. Edmunds; so have
others prominent in the councils of the party
But Secretary Blaine has more influence with
thls administration than all the others put to-
gether. Since his powerful support has been
secured by the advocates of called session, it
seems to be almost certain that they will get
1t. They have strong arguments and stronger
influence, and President g arfeld will yield to
one or the other or BOTH The general opinion
IS that 1t ought to be called in May, between
the 10Th and goth. They think that by the
mld-le OF june refunding bill could be passed
anu an investigating committee could be sent
South: Then an adjournment could be had
until october, from which time until Decem-
Der much business could be disposed of. The
advocates OF this course urge it as one that
aVoldS all questions as to the organization of
tne House by the Republicans, because by the
time Congress would meet should it be decided
on, existing vacancies on the Republican side
could De filled. Mr.. Frye, however, and m en-
VINO think with him, favor calling the extra
session about the middle Of April. They say
tnat the vacancy occasioned by the elevation
OF Mr. Conger to the Senate will be filled by a
Republican on the 1st of April, that Levi P.
Morton will not resign until the House is or
ganlzed, and that the vacancy occasioned by
the death of Fernando Wood and the vacancy
occasloned by the elevation of Mr.. Frye to the
Senate could be set off one against the other.
Then the Republicans, with the aid they expect
from j. Hyatt Smith and other Greenbackers,
couka organize the House without difficulty,
pass its refunding bill and constitute its inves-
tigating committees and adjourn until Oc-
tober, or, perhaps, until December The
purposes of the called session, as given by its
advocates are few and simple. Generally they
are given thus: eve ought to pass a good re-
funding Dill, and we ought to send competent
committees South to investigate Its political
coercion and aid Republican contestants to
procure that evidence without which they can
not succeed in their contests" To this brief
statement some add that something ought to
be done at once to secure new treaty of COM
merclal reciprocity with Mexico; others that
the Monroe doctrine ought to be re-enunciated
The last is hardly seriously considered. The
prospect OF the passage of refunding bill diff
erent to that vetoed by President Hayes is not
considered favorable. 1t is thought that the
Democrats combining with western Republ-
cans will frame and pass bill resembling in it's
general features that passed at the last session.
Eastern Republicans, however, insist that they
Will be able to defeat any attempt in this di-
rectlon, with the help of two or three Demo-
Gratis like Mr.. McLane of Maryland and Mr..
Waldo Hutchinson of New York in the House,
and that the bill which they will send over to
the Senate will provide for refunding the IS
and Us OF 1881 at rate not to exceed 81 per
cent, in the discretion of the Secretary of the
Treasury, without section like that incorpor-
ated by Mr. Carlisle in the vetoed bill,
which would be obnoxious to the banks. There
committees of investigation if the Republicans
elect the Speaker of the House.