Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-15
THE COMING EXTRA SESSION.
LivelyTimeExpected-SpeakershipCo Con-
test--Possibilities and Probabilities
REED IN THE LEAD FOB sPEAKER-THE CON-
TESTED sEArs-DEMocRATs WILL FILlBUsTER
TO PREVENT UNsEATINo ANY OF THEIR MEM
BERs, II IT TAXES TILL MARCH 4, 1891.


BERs, II IT TAXES TILL MARCH 4, 1892
| The southern republicans are going to COM
| bine and act together in the organization OF
| the next House, but not in the way suggested
by Mr.. Brewer. They do not now propose to
attempt to elect one of their own number to be
Speaker, but will put their votes where they
will do the most good. They may vote for one
OF the four candidates now in the field, or they
may vote for some one else to break q dead
lock. They are in q position to exercise consid-
cradle influence legitimately. Messrs. McComas
and Houk are the leaders. and they have both
been too long in public life to enter upon any
visionary plan to control everything. They are
both the best of party men.
REED IN THE LEAD FOR spEAKERsH1P
It is beginning to look as if Reed Of Maine
was getting q lead on the other candidates in
the Speakership contest, which is going on
quietly until the times comes for the hot strug-
gle at the close. The chances appear to be
that, unless Reed wins early, the four candi-
dates in the field will kill each othe- off, leav-
ing an opportunity for the southern members
20 choose the man-not from their own ranks,
however. OF course Mckinley, Cannon and
Burrows are all three popular. more so per-
haps, than is Reed, but the feeling that is ex-
pressed In the query, "How we to throw
him aside after acknowledging his leadership
when that position was one of work and no re-
ward?" gives Reed an advantage in the contest
1t is pretty well understood that there are men
among the warmest friends Of the other candi-
dates who have this feeling toward Reed
When it comes to the pinch this is apt to tell
1t is said that Ezra B. Taylor Of Ohio will vote
for Reed from the first, thus breaking McKin-
leys solid delegation. One Of the Michigan
men is said to be talking very doubtfuIlv.
These things MAKE the Maine mans chances
seem rather bright. There is not so much
certainty about it, however, as to take away the
interest in the contest. The southern men
might decide that they did not want Reed, and
all sorts OF things might happen. black
horse might carry of the prize at the last
moment
AN EXTRA SESSION CERTAINTY.
That there is to be an extra session is gen.
erally regarded by those best situated to form
correct opinion as practically settled; they re-
gard it as hardly debatable. A reason urged
against 1t Is that the republicans cannot afford
to take the responsibility for such session,
and have all the time wasted over contested
election cases with nothing to show for it As
fact the chances are that little, if any, Of the
special session will be consumed with these
cases. 1t will be almost impossible to 60
through any of them in the short time that ses-
sion would allow. Their settlement has moth
ing to do with the organization of the House in
the start. That relates to the question of party
strength, to be decided afterward. Any amount
OF work may be set in motion and considerable
may be accomplished before any of these cases
are reported from the committee on elections.
In each case there are hundreds, in some
thousands of pages of testimony to 60 over
before report can be made, and beside that,
there are the arguments of the attorneys on
each side and all sorts of postponements and
delays. The ordinary business Of the House
does not have to await the decision these
cases.
As TO ORGANIZATION.
There is no prospect Of trouble for the re-
puolcans in organizing the House. When
Congress meets the middle Of October or the
lst OF November, they will probably elect a
Speaker and other officers Of the House without
much difficulty. Then will follow the appoint
ment OF committees, which usually takes some
ume, and under the present circumstances may
be attended with considerable embarrassment.
1t may take two weeks to accomplish this, and
meanwhile the only thing that can be taken up
VIII be the question of rules. The fight over
the rules that is promised might take such a
turn as to consume the entire time Of the spe-
cial session; but it would not hurry matters
any to start later, and if the rules are going to
give 80 much trouble there is the more reason
for an extra session.
When the committees are appointed and can
get to work on the various matters that come
before them others may be ready to report be-
fore the committee on elections is. and the
House will not be inactive while that commit
tee is at work. II the republicans organize the
House and set the committees at work and do
no more during the extra session, they cannot
De charged with waste of time. When the
contested election cases come up in the House
the committee on ways and means and other
committees can be at work preparing their
measures.
DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO FILIBusTER.
But If the quiet threats of democrats mean
anything there is great possibility of nothing
being accomplished at either the special or the
regular session. conservative man who is al
ways well informed as to democratic affairs in
Congress expressed the opinion to STAR repor-
ter today that whether Congress met on the LIST of
November or at the regular time the adjourn
ment would not occur until by law it expired
on the 4th Of March, lS92-that is, that
there would be no adjournment between ses-
sions. He went on further to say that the demo-
Gratis would take the Sullivan. FELTON, case Of the
last Congress as precedent and would fill
buster against the unseatlng of any of their
party. This opinion is based npon what prom.
inent mt mbers Of the party tell him Of their
disposition.
THREE CASES CLOSE AT HAND.
1t is expected by the democrats that when
the House is organized and the committee on
elections formed the republicans will propose
the first thing to take up the three cases that
are close at hand and promise the most speedy
settlement-those Of Mudd against Compton.
Maryland, and McGinnis against Anderson and
Smith against Jackson in West Virginia. In
these cases there are but small majoritIes to
overcome and they might be speedily settled
increasing the majority in the House by six to
start with. 1t is understood by democrats that
this plan will be resisted if proposed and that
those cases will be ilibustered against in COM
mittee. In making up the testimony for the
printer these cases have been reserved among
the last end have not yet been sent to the
printing Office.
ELEVEN OTHER CASES
are already printed and ready to be taken up at
any time the committee may be organized. The
only cases besides these three that are not in
print yet are Eaton against Phelan, tenth Ten
nessee; Goodrich against Bullock. second
Florida, part o. the evidence in which ia two
ballot boxes that were fshed out of lake, full
of paper pulp that was once ballots, and the
case Of Featherstone against Cate, first
Arkansas.
DEMOCRATS WILL RESIST UYsRATrNo THEIR
The indications are that the democrats do
not propose to permit the unseating Of any of
their members. The only case that has been
examined which they will admit any doubt
about is that Of Waddill against Wise, third
Virginia. They admit in this case that Wise
MAJ be unaea Al hnt hiatt this vvill ex;v.