The Evening critic., 1885-02-10
EXTRA SESSION TALK.

Opinions OF the Knowing Ones.
The old officials of the House express tho
opinion that there will be no extra session
Of that body. They base their opinions
upon their previous experience. and they
have been hero for years. The House yos-
iciday morning decided to take up the
River and Harbor bill, but tho fight made
by tho Appropriations Committee for the
Postoilice bill was by no means vigorous
one.
The morning being continuation of
Saturdays session, which left off with the
River aud Harbor bill under consideration,
it was thought best to lot that measure 20
ON for q while, conclude Saturdays session
at noon ard then fight for work on the
regular appropriation bills. The River aud
Hubor bill is not one Of the regular appro-
priation bills.
1t cannot be doubted that the necessary
work of the session is behindhand. But
there have been plenty Of cases where that
work was much farther behindhand at this
stage than 1t is now. The men on tho
floor most experienced in tho business of
the House do not think that there will be
an extra session of that body. Aud added
TO this is the force of a general impression
that exists about what Mr.. Cleveland
desires.
That impression Is that the President
elect does not desire the House to hold an
extra session. This Congress expires three
weeks from next Wednesday. The Appro-
piiations Committee will try to pass this
week the Postollice, Legislative aud Sunday
Civil bills.
There is an evident disposition on the
Republican side for an extra session, but it
does not, it is thought extend By any
means TO all the men on that side Of the
chamber. The condition Of the appropria-
tion bills is this;
Tho following appropriation bills have
passed the House: The Military Academy,
the Pension, Consular and Diplomatic,
Naval (ior the balance Of the present fiscal
year., Indian, Agricultural, the District of
Columbia and the Army. The only appro-
pration bills which have been passed by
both houses, and which have become laws,
are the Military Academy bill and the
Naval bill (f0r the balance of the present
fiscal year,
The Senate has passed the District of Co.
lumbia bill but with amendments which
necessitate its being brought back to the
| House. No other appropriation bills have
| been passed by that body except the two
| that are laws, though several have been
| sent to it by tho House. The appropria.
tion bills passed by the House which have
not vet been acted on by the Senate are
| the Pension, the Consular aud Diplomatic,
the Indian, the Agricultural and the Army.
The appropriation bills that are now before
the House are the River and Harbor, the
Postoflice and Legislative. The River and
Harbor bill is regular bill. The bills not
| yet reported to the House are the regular
| Naval bill, the. Sundry Civil, the Def
| cheney and Fertilization.
An extra session Of Congress appears TO
be the talk at the Capitol to-day. Opinion
is now about evenly divided on that ques-
ton, though few weeks ago there were
but few men who believed that an extra
session was a remote possibility. A Mem
| Der said to THE CRITIC this afternoon:
81 cannot see how we can expect to get
through the business before us in the few
remaining days between this aud the 18th of
March. There are four bills, each one of
which will take six days to dispose of in
committee and in the House aud Senate.
These are the Naval, Legislative, Sundry
Civil and Postofiice Appropriation bills.
Think of it, If an extra session is called
il will be all on account Of the time lost by
us in listening TO the vaporings Of John d.
White and other Congressional crauks.'
Mr.. Cleveland, among his other troubles,
may, after all, have to contend with an OK
ira session of Congress.