Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-12
EXTRA SESSION PROBABILITIES.
What II Said at the Capitol About an
Early Meeting.
INCREASING COMPLICATIONS IN THE SITUATION
THE pENocRATIc CAUCUS AND THE SPEAKER
SHIP cANvAss-oPrNIoxs OF soitE OF THE
LEADERS,

From the very first, owing to the closeness
OF the next House and the curious condition of
legislative affairs, there has been more or
less general impression at the capitol that the
Fifty-first Congress would be called to meet in
special session. The more the matter has been
talked about and the more clear it has become
that none of the important legislation that is
pressing will be passed this session, the
stronger has grown the feeling that an extra
session must be held. The newly developed
attitude of the democratic Senators
toward the Senate tariff bill has strength
ened this conviction. There are probably
few Senators or Representatives who want an
extra session. They look upon it as likely to
be an unfortunate necessity. The complica-
tons that tend that way are increasing. Some
republicans express the belief now that they
will have o majority OF five in the
next House, making them tolerably safe
as far as the organization is
concerned; but the other and stronger rea-
sons for an extra session remain in full force,
and promise not to be removed. It has be-
come evident that the democr tic Senators have
aroused themselves or have been aroused to
action and intend to shake the Senate tariff bill
as much as possible before Il ting it 60. The
chances of the bills ever g. ting to a vote in
the House are about as slim a. anything can be.
NO CAUCUS ACTION.
last night, and the spirit in which the Senators
parted, makes it apparent to those best able to
Judge that there will be no caucus action on
the territories questions, and, moreover, that
the democrats will not be abe to agree upon
any order of business for The session. This
leaves the surplus where it is so far as tariff
legislation is concerned, and promises nothing
for the territories. Not to mention the small
republican majority in the House, another
complication arises to help on an extra session.
THE sPEAKERsHIp CANVASS.
The probabilities Of an early meeting have
been such as to hasten the speakership candi-
dates into the canvass, so that it is now so far
advanced that an extra session is the only thing
that can save them from most dangerously
long canvass. All the candidates will certainly
be opposed to keeping up the contest at the
present high pressure until December, and an
extra session is the only thing that can relieve
them. This is straw added to the other
reasons, but it is not devoid of weight. The
circumstances surrounding this Congress and
the whole drift of affairs tend to an early meet
ing. An informal canvass has been made
among the leading men at both ends of the
capitol, and the opinion appears to prevail that
together.
WHAT THE LEADERS SAY.
A STAR reporter talked with several men to-
day who have been thinking Of the matter.
Mr. Reed said that there were q great many
things that seemed to tend toward an extra
session. It was, in his opinion, entirely too
early to know certainly about it, but present
conditions and circumstances seemed to indi-
cate an early meeting. 1t would be the necessity
and not a desire for an extra session that
would bring it about. He said that
he did not regard the failure of
the democratic caucus last night as making it
by any means certain that the territories would
not be admitted. If the democrats were dis
posed to do the right thing there would be
legislation on this subject this session. This,
however, he did not think would of necessity
obviate an extra session. It would be but one
thing out of the way.
Mr. Browne, Of Indiana, who is one of the
republican members of the ways and means
committee. said that he expected an extra ses-
sion, but thought it unwise for it to be called
to meet before October. His principal reason
for opposing an earlier meeting was the
annoyance the presence of Congress and
its attendant army of office seekers
upon his administration. He thought this con-
sideration and the notion that spring session
might not accomplish anything anyhow, would
prevent the meeting of Congress before LIST of
October, But he thought there will be an
extra session on that date. Il think" he
said. '.that there will be a considerable
reduction Of the accumulating surplus this
session. do not think there is any prospect
of the Senate tariff bill going through the
House. What am very certain will be done,
is that on some suspension day the House will
pass bill repeating the tobacco tax, enacting
the free list of the Senate bill, and may be a
few other things to which there is no objec-
ton. 1 expect bill of this sort reducing the
revenue about $40, 100000 will become a law
this session. This will obviate the necessity
for spring session."
Representative Nutting said that he certainly
expected an extra session in the spring.
Representative Payson thinks an extra ses-
sion desirable and that it cannot be avoided
A STAR reporter asked Mr.. Farquhar if he
thought there would be an extra session.
II am positive Of it," he replied.
Mr.. Grosvenor said that he was opposed to
an extra session, but that he very much feared
that one would have to be called. II think it
will be So" he said.
Mr. Rowell said he thought there would be
an extra session.
Mr.. Cannon, one of the speakership candi-
dates. agreed with him, saying; If the demo-
Gratis don't do more than they talk of, there is
liable to be an extra session."
Both Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.. Burrows, two
more speakership candidates, have expressed