Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-28
rsrEc1AL rrLEeRAl1 10 THE p1spArcH.,

TsPEcIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l
WASHINGTON, May PA Congressman
who has as close relations with the Presi-
dent as any Congressman, and who has re-
Gently had repeated interviews with him,
gives this opinion as to the course of ap-
pointmentsVduring the remainder of the
fiscal year:
"Itis my judgment that most of the discon-
tent relative to appointments which exists
on the part of a good many Congressman
will disappear with the beginning of the
new fiscal year. Most of the leading places
have already been considered, and the de-
cision, 1 am convinced, substantially
reached. There will be a pretty general
Jail delivery of the Democratic incumbents
by July 1. You can see in talks with all of
the members of the administration that there
is some sort of concurrent plan as to the
fiscal year as a terminal point for the old
and an initial point for the new order of
things. Whenever you cali up any Office,
THE FIRST CONSIDERATION
is, wherever you 60, what is the date of the
commission? Books are taken down and an
inquiry made to ascertain when the incum-
bent of the Office that you are talking about
was appointed. If the date of the commits
sioni anywhere near the beginning of the
fiscal year, even if it runs into August or
September, / have been led to understand
that designations will be asked for, if they
shall not already be at hand. Everything
is substantially slated already, and the last
day of June will be the general clearing
house day"
"And what about the talk of an extra ses-
sion?"
81 have not been inclined to think that
there would be an October session, but am
now convinced that the President has almost
determined to call Congress together in
October. 1t is fact that influential men,
bers of his party have advised such a pol
icy. The date that 1 have heard fixed is the
third Monday in October. By that time it
would be possible for the members of the
most distant States to arrive here after the
October elections in the new States
REASONS FOR AN EARLY SESSION.
''Wbst reasons are assigned in admins
tration circles for convening Congress so
much in advance of the usual time?''
THE reasons given are these: The Presi-
dent and his advisers think it is important
to gain time before the holidays in order
that the policy that may be presented as to
the tariff and other matters may be carried |
-s1S. At the basis of the policy of the ad- |
ministTation is a change of the rules of the |
House of Representatives in the direction of |
giving the majority the control of legisia- |
tion and of taking from the minority the |
power which the present rules give, even to |
very small faction, of absolutely controll- |
ing business. The changes which have |
been suggested do not exceed five in num-
Der, and the general object might be accom- |
plished with fewer. 1t is not known what |
the policy of the Democrats will be. A good |
many of the leaders are OF the opinion that |
THE RULES OUGHT TO BE CHANGED,
irrespective of the party in power, in order |
that legislation may proceed in amore orderly |
manner, but it is very probable that partisan |
ship may enter into the matter. In that |
case, of course, the subject would be made a |
matter for caucus action in the two parties. |
The administration thinks that it will be
better policy to have the question deter
mined at the outset, whether the narrow
Republican majority will be able to change
the rules in the direction indicated. 1t is
by no means certain that this can be done
The majority is smaller than most of the Re
publicans care to believe, and with SO small
a margin the advantage in the case of an OBJ
,structionist fight is with the minority. One
fifth of the minority is all that need to be
present for the purpose of maintaining a
OllabOEg CONTEST, Wnlle IL Will be
NECESSARY FOR EVERY VOTE
Of the majority party to be cast on every
roll-call, unless an arrangement can be
made for pairs. The Republicans, who are
certain to be in the lead in the House. saw
that nothing is to be attempted until the
rules are changed. These leaders do not
doubt that the rules will be changed, but
they do not think that it will be possible to
accomplish this in less than one month.
and they admit that more time may be con-
sumed. Consequently, they very generally
favor an early session, in order that this
preliminary contest NAV be settled"
1T has been suggested that the admins
tration does not care to have the Congress
here; that the President will have less free
dom when both houses are present to pro-
pound questions and to harass him."
THAT is quite true; but the party men
will be either satisfied by October or will
have discovered that it will be necessary to
remain dissatisfied, and will understand
that it would be better for party unity to
turn their attention to legislative matters
and away from the Offices. The friction
about the Offices will by that time be over
come, or it will be irremediable. The party
machine will have to move on, whether the
men who control nominating conventions are
satisfied or not