Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-04
THE AUGUST SESSION
No Agreement Yet as to the Program
to Be Followed.
REPEAL OF THE SHERMAN Law,
Prospect of a Vigorous Fight in
the Senate.


RULES AND COMMITTEES.
There appears to be thus far absolutely no
agreement reached Is to the program for the
extra session of Congress- In . general
way the objects to be accomplished are known,
but the plan upon which these ideas are to
be carried into execution are things
that must be decided hereafter. Between now
and the 1st Of August there will be
little opportunity afforded the leaders Of
the party in power for consultation, as most
OF them will be scattered as far as the limits
OF the districts they represent By the
beginning Of the month there will however, be .
return to this city Of those upon whom the
policy Of the democracy largely depends,
and until that time personal interests will de-
mand the attention Of the Congressman. No
details OF the organization have been
arranged. the question Of the rules has not been
taken up, and above all the solution Of the
financial problem mas not been approached.
The leaders OF the House have in contempla-
ton the measures upon which most Of the
time OF the next Congress will be spent,
and are aware OF the end which they wish
to gain. In an informal way the leaders
OF the Senate have been conferred with
VII snie buoIect anu q general understanding
exists The administration Is understood to
be in harmony with these suggestions SO far
as they concern two three measures and
upon the others Is believed to be indiffer-
ent. Some time ago The STAR stated
that during the next Congress an effort would
be hade to repeal the federal elections law, the
10 per cent tax on state banks, the Sher-
man law. and. through a tariff bill. to revise
the tariff to q considerable extent. Re-
ductions that will have q material effect
upon the present rates are very likely to be
substituted. These. together with An income
tax bill, will probably engage most Of the time
OF the Fifty-third Congress.
THE PROSPECT OF REPKAL
With the apparent intent Of the President in
his proclamation to call the particular attention
Of Congress to what he considers perilous
piece OF financial legislation, the Sher-
man law is at present attracting more
interest than the tariff. In the House it
would seem that the repeal Of this enactment
can be accomplished more easily. The mem
bers OF that body come III more direct contact
with the people, who are now loudly demanding
that this law or at least that clause in
1t which requires the purchase Of $500. 900
ounces Of silver each month shall be wiped
from the statute books In the House. there
fore, this popular feeling is more apt to be
felt But even there, without a more stringent
set Of rules, the will Of the majority can be held
AZ check by flibustering. This subject has
not yet been seriously considered, but though .
direct cloture rule may not be carried, there
can be little doubt that a method will be
adopted by which the majority can speedily
carry their desires into effect and shoulder the
responsibility which they are willing TO accept
THE YTeHr IN THE SENATE.
The Senate will be the scene Of the bitter
fight which seems bound to occur over the re-
peal In that body are men who represent
the very life or death Of the white
metal; men who are able and earnest,
and they boldly announce that they
will never give up the Sherman law unless they
can be conciliated with a measure that Is
more friendly to silver. With the determine
ton Of such men ii must be plain that to re-
peal the present law will be difficult
IL not an impossible matter. One method
might prevail-the adoption Of the cloture in
the upper chamber. The gold men have
already thrown out this threat, but the silver
ties meet it boldly. Over such . proposition
there could be nothing less than the
most determined struggle. In this connection
| the former fight. when an effort was made to
introduce the cloture in the Senate at the time
the force bill was trying to be forced through
by the republicans, becomes of the greatest
Importance. The democrats were in o
delicate position and they finally enlisted
the services Of some of the free silver men In
| their behalf on what was understood to have
| been offensive and defensive alliance
was defeated. Among those who aided the
| southern democrats most successfully was
| Senator Stewart Of Nevada. Now tho time has
apparently arrived for the silver men to call
upon their former allies to fulfill the
pledges, and it is reasonable to expect that
they will do so. With such q combination
the adoption Of cloture in the Senate
would seem impossible, and without the
cloture it would appear that any effort to re-
peal the Sherman law without an accompany
s,-<~- rl.uA.k, L
the plan Of talking proposed legislation to
death has been successfully accomplished.
RULES AND COMMITTEES.
Upon the reorganization of the House or the
rules which will govern it absolutely nothing
has been done, but between this time and the
latter part Of this month both will receive
| serious study. The committees, it is be-
| lieved, will be reorganized with little
| reference to their former composition. 1t was
generally understood at the beginning
OF the Last Congress when Mr.. Crisp
was making up the committees that
the committees expired with the session, and
that fitness and ability and not prece-
dence or length Of service should decide q mem
ber's qualifications to be given a chairman
| ship. 1t is not unlikely that the
committees at the approaching session will
be chosen upon the same grounds. At the
| time of the organization Of the last House
| 1t was supposed that the best men had been
chosen to act as chairmeu, and, as some of them
are returned, it is probable that some will
| retain their places. On the other hand
! there are members who undoubtedly be-
lieve that they will again have the committees
which they presided over last session who will
be doomed to disappointment. Absolutely no
pledges have been given to any that he
will retain his old place or that he who was
without . committee before will have
one this time 1t ia natural infer
| ence that the administration has indicated to
the leaders Of the Congress their wishes upon
certain questions regarding what shall be ac-
complished and the make-u up of the committees,
but such impressions without foundation in
| fact The administration has not interfered
with the free will or plan of those in control
There ls little doubt that Representative
| Springer, the former chairman Of the COM
mittee on ways and means, has been during
the summer months, with the expectation Of
| again being placed at the head OF that conf
| mfttee, preparing tariff bill for the
consideration of the members Of that COM
mittee. but it is not likely that the bill will
come before the committee except through its
1