Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-10-27
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washinqtom, Oct. 20

session of Congress. The President
will not call an extra session. 1t de-
pends altogether upon who you talk
with which of the above statements
will be positively made. | called on
secretary Halford at the White
House to-day and tried to obtain
something definite, but Mr.. Halford
was courteously noncommittal, and
from his manner more than from
what he said came away with the
idea that the President has not yet
settled the question himself. There
has been one fully attended cabinet
meeting at which the subject in all
its bearings was fully discussed, and
from the best information obtainable,
which of course isn't official, a
marked difference of opin ion as TO
the advisability of an extra session
was developed. 1t is known that the
President personally favors an extra
SSSSlOu lOI IhC pun POoS VI P"SSAhS
important legislature that cannot pos
sibly be crowded into the short ses-
sion without causing some of the
regular appropriation bills to be
crowded out which would necessitate
the calling of an extra session, of the
Fifty-second Congress which is to be
elected next month, early in the
Spring, and it is also known that a
number of prominent republicans in
and out of Congress are opposed to
calling an extra session this fall, be
lieving it better policy to attempt to
pass all necessary Legislation at the
short session, and let the democrats
take the responsibility of preventing
it by tillibustefing tactics, if they
dare. The idea that the President is
compelled by law to assure proclama-
ton calling an extra session thirty
days previous to the date upon which
Congress is to assemble, which had
been generally accepted as correct,
has been exploded. There is no law
on the subject, except that contained
in the Constitution of the United
States, which places the entire matter
at the discretion of the President.
So that Mr.. Harrison, if he be so dis
posed, may call an extra session to
meet within forty-eight hours after
the date of his proclamation. OF
course if an extra session is to be
called it is probable that enough time
will be given, between the date of
the proclamation and the assembling
of Congress, to enable members from
the most distant districts TO reach
Washington in time to be present at
the opening. Admirable Porter,
who returned to Washington last
week dangerously ill, is now much
better, and his physician hopes TO
have him out in few days. The
Admiral is deservedly popular here
and the news of serions illness caus-
ed great distress. He has long since
passed three score and ten post, but
his rugged physique and the good
health he usually enjoys furnishes
good ground for the hope that he
may continue at the head of the
American Navy for at least another
decade, and the Admiral himself told
me last spring that he hoped to live
long enough to see the vessels Of the
Navy manned by American seamen
exclusively, instead of by foreigners,
many of whom have never even APP
piled for naturalization papers, as at
present.
Speaking of the Navy: advertise
ments have been issued by the Navy
department inviting proposals for
building a novel fighting ship, which
will carry no guns. This vessel was
designed by Rear Admiral Ammen,
and will always be popularly known
as the {" Ammen RAM, although the
department calls it a "harbor defense
RAM. The only weapon of the ram
will be her powerful engines and a
steel beak strong enough to disable
any vessel afoat which it strikes
when going at full spead. The vessel
will be almost entirely under water
which will make it extremely difficult
for the enemy to disable her with
guns.
Major General Nelson +. Miles,
who is the military member of the
commission recently created to nego-
tiate with the Cheyenne Indians on
the Tongue River reservation in
Montana and on the Pine Ridge res
ervation in South Dakota for their
removal and permanent settlement
on any of the existing reservations,
Is ueIS COulSlliuS Win uio Si'tii'H
colleagues on the commission and
with the Interior department.
Civil Service Commissioner Roose-
welt has returned from a six weeks
vacation which he spent on his cattle
ranch in North Dakota. He tells q
fish story that if persisted in will for
ever destroy his reputation for We
racity.
The acting Superintendent of the
, Census has naturally refused to or.
: der a recount of New York City un
less a better reason can be given foi
asking 1t than the recent count made
by Tammy Hall for the avowed pur-
pose of gaining an additional Con
r gresham under the new apportion'
ment.
No rosin lasts ticice as long.