National Republican., 1885-03-30
Call mn Extra Session.

The first session of the forty-oighth
Congress was wasted, so far as the House
OF Representatives was concerned, In
fruitless discussion of Mr.. Morrison's
absurd tariff BILL aud in long and acri-
monious struggles over questions OF pre-.
cedence. Aside from passing the appro-
pristion bills in bad shape, putting in
alleged economy where dimes were saved
at the expense OF dollars, and where
waste was porpetrated under false pleas
of necessity, that session accomplished
scarcely anything in tho line of general
legislation. And when it broke up, or
rather adjourned to Chicago, it left on
the House calendar all the great meas.
ures which the House committees had
matured, as we'll as those which, after
careful consideration and long debate,
had passed the Senate.
Sach is the true history Of the long ses
sion, aud the story OF the last session is
even worse. Mr.. Randall held the fort
against oil opposition, and by srtfully
manipulating the appropriation bills pre-
vented the House from giving attention
to general measures outside of his own
committees bailiwck. If the forty-eighth
Congress had consisted of the Senate
and Samuel j. Randall the results, in gon e
ersl aud in detail, would have been Just
about such as were reached.
All the great and pressing matters of
legislation demanded by the rapid devel-
opment Of the country, and the important
changes which come to a great people
pushing along as we are in the highway
of progress, are substan TALLY where they
were on the first Monday in December,
1883, when the forty-eighth Congress
convened and Mr.. Randall being defeated
in his struggle for tho gavel, boldly took
possession of the floor.
As it was with tho last Congress so will
it DO with the next, unless II good deal
moro time 10 allowed, and more time will
not be taken unless we have an extra ses-
sion this fall, for Congress cannot be in
duced to remain in session during the en-
tire summer. The tariff question is
bound to be pushed right up to the front
Just as soon as the House is organized
Mr.. Carlisle will be speaker, and he will
have free trade ways and means COM
mittee The factions will divide, just as
they did last year. and in about the same
/ proportions, "The old, old story" will be
told again till long after IS o'clock in the
morning" Resonant American orAtory
will rattle and roar week after week, un-
til hundred Democratic Statesmen"
shall have succeeded in displaying the
atuence Of their ignorance on the great,
est of economic questions.
Since all this is bound to come, since
there will not be time in the regular
session TO have the tariff fight fought ou
and do anything else, and since the coun-
try urgently needs good deal Of legisla-
ton which has been mentioned in detail
In these columns, why should President
Cleveland hesitate to call an extra SOS.
sion after tho heated term-say about the
lst of October?
We know there arc newspapers which
habtually speak Of a session Of Congress
wnr' ,r regular or special, as national
CO., nay. q public danger, an Affective
disponsation of an all-wiss but inscruti
BILE Providence, which II were we'll
to avoid by almost any strategy or sseri'
fico. But such talk IL nonsense or worse
10 condemn Congress, perse, and to drsat
its assembling is to condemn our system
of government Congress is just what thI
people make it.
1t is hoped that tho President, as soor
as he shall have gotten relief from tn,
present pressure, will look at this ques
tion In all its bearings. Ifso, he will SO,
that not only the tariff fight but the sil
ver controversy must come. and tina