Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-29

As democratic congressman assemble fer the
session Of Congress il becomes apparent that
there is going to be very determined effort 10
induce Mr.. Cleveland TO call the Fifty-third
Congress together soon after his Inauguration.
The talk that has been INDUCED in on both
sides Of the question for some time has assumed
the proportions of an earnest agitation and con-
siderable feeling is developing No matter
what the slow-moying conservative business in-
terests may require nor what the demands OF
the business interests may be the great mass Of
democratic Congressman. who como from dis
tricts where the people dissatisfied and have
been elected upon the representation that
democratic success meant immediate relief
from al ills feel that if they do not get to work
go as at least to appear TO be doing something
from the very jump they will stand very poor
show OF being again chosen TO stand in the
boots of statesmen.
WILL TAKE GREAT DEAL OF ARGUMENT.
II is believed that it will take a great deal Of
argument and influence TO induce Mr.. Cleve-
land to call an extra session, bat there those
who are prepared TO make a fight for i: and to
represent to him that If il is not done there will
be music in the air for the democratic party at
the very next election. There is q suspicion in
the minds of some of the radical tariff for rev.
tiuc men lnhl tnere is an element In the party
composed Of few men who do not want 20
make any change in the tariff law which will TO
any considerable extent disturb protection.
They suspect that these men will oppose an
extra session and will do all they can 10 delay
and mix up the tariff revision. and thev do not
propose to have this if they can help it. Start
ing with fight over he question of an extra
session there may be some pretty lively spar
ring before the work gets well under way
The indications are that the southern and
western men will, as a rule, insist that there
Ri 'uld be an extra session and that the cutting
should begin at once.
TO ASSEMBLE IN MARCH.
One proposition which wiu be strongly urged
upon Mr.. Cleveland probably the best that has
been suggested, is that the House be called to
assemble in March, before the adjournment Of
the special session of the Senate. which will
assemble right after the Inauguration of Cleve-
land, and that they agree in caucus before
hand that nothing shall be attempted at this
extra session except the organization of the
House and appointment of committees, after
which they shall adjourn, leaving the commit
tees to go on with their Investigations and the
preparation of bills during the spring, summer
and fall.
The principal work Of Congress is done in
committees anyhow. and il is urged that there
Is no good reason why the committees having
work to do should not be at it during the long
recess, except that unless there is n special ses-
sion called for organization the committees
will not be formed fcr work. With the COM
mittees once formed there is no more necessity
for Congress TO be in session for many months.
tits always the case that after Congress assem-
bles for the first session the body is actually
helpless and useless for many weeks while wait
ing for the committees to be announced and
for them to get bills ready after they have been
organized.
WHAT COULD BE DONE.
1t will be urged upon Mr.. Cleveland that il
he will call Congress together in March, with
the distinct understanding that the session is
TO be very brief and for organization only.
the ways and means committee and the COM
mlttee on appropriations could have nearly all
their work DONE that the tariff bill and most
Of the appropriation bills could be reported
during the first week of the regular session,
and there need be no delay at all in getting
through the work of the session. IL the party
really desires TO make revision of the tariff on
the lines indicated in the campaign and by
their general professions it is claimed that
they can thus give the matter more attention
than II has heretofore been possible to give any
bill during the hrst session OF a Congress, and
Yet they can get through with tiff they can do
anything at all-before the following March.
If bill were reported during the first week of
December il could be taken up for general
debate on the first Monday in January, and a
W.
There is no obstacle in the way OF this course if
the democratic party lis really anxious to re-
deem Its pledges.
THE TROUBLE ABOUT A COMMISSION.
The trouble about all the propositions for a
commission or a special investigating commit
tee is that after the men designated to perform
the work have completed it they must go all
over the thing again with the authorized WAYS
and means committee, and il would be very
much like John Jones looking at picture for
Sam Smith, who is blind. to describe
Moreover, it might look bad for the demo-
cratic Congress TO appeal to a commission to
teach them something about a subject they
were full of information on during the cam
paign.
The committee on ways and means is not the
only one that will have great deal of work 10
do. The committee on appropriation will have
about as much as ii can attend TO during the
whole of next summer to get in touch with the
heads of the departments and the new execu-
tive TO map out the fiscal reforms they have
been promising. If there is no committee dur
ing the summer they can do no work.
Again, the committees dealing with the finan-
cial questions have great deal of studying
and investigating to do. and il the committees
are not announced before December, SO, or
January, a. no man will know meanwhile what
committee he is on, and the work will have to
go uudone.