Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-09
Whist May Come of the Extra SEES sion.

Whist May Come of the Extra Ses sion
In talking about what Congress will pro-
badly do at the extra session 10 begin In
August we should remember that 1t IS
new Congress which is soon to begin ana
that it may take the Speaker three or four
weeks to appoint the various committees
that is. il the Speaker shall determine to
have many new committees. For instance,
10 make Mr.. WILSON. Of West Virginia,
chairman Of tho Committee OF Ways ana
Means would involve the appointment OF
somo member or members to fill places on
other committees which are now filled by
him. In saying this We assume that
Mr.. CRISP will be reelected Speaker.
As to this assumption We have
10 saw that we have all along contendod
that he would be reelected and ought to
be reelected. He is honest, capable, and
faithful. He ~ an expert in parliamentary
tactics. He has had much experience In
the chair and on the floor. He has proved
by service in the Office that he measures
fully M 10 the highest standard which the
country has accorded TO the speakership.
lie comes from the Empire State of the
South and is O warm-hearted southron,
though he is at the same time a true pa
triot whose love Of country makes him as
deeDly concerned for the welfare of Maine
as for the welfare Of Georgia, and for the
peace and prosperity of the North as well
us the peace and prosperity OF the South.
He comes from HOWELL CoBB's State and
is worthy to succeed IN the Office OF Speak
or that great statesman and profound and
skillful parliamentarian.
When, therefore. Congress shall meet on
the 7th OF next month it will be called upon
TO decide first OF oil what kind of business,
if any. il intends to do besides that OF ie-
eislating on financial questions. OF course,
,hese questions Will take precedence over
all Others and will engage the attention OF
Congress for a considerable time. The
House of Representatives has under the
Constitution the sole right to originate
revenue bills. This fact will prevent the
Senate from beginning action upon the
currency question until after the lower
house shall have perfected bill and
asked for the Ssnate'5 concurrence In
Is Or DIVISIONS. Besides, there are several
very interesting contested-election cases
to come up for decision by the Senate be-
fore II can properly engage in the business
of legislation. These cases were discussed
az the last session of the Senate. or rather
the principal points involved in them were
discussed, and we were at that time hope
full that they would be decided by the
Senate ut its session held after the 4th of
March and after the old House OF Repre-
sentatiyes had expired by constitutional
limitation. But just as soon as the Presi-
dent let the Senate know that he had no
more work for that body to do it ad-
journed and left all the contested
election eases to be decided when next it
shall assemble. This was most unfol tu-
nate in view of the fact that the senators
whose seats are contested come from the
now so-called silver States. Here We nave
an illustration of the truth OF the saying
that the unexpected is what is always
happening. At no other session OF the
Senate for the last 100 years could such a
question have arisen TO distract the minds
of the senators as those involved III the
Standardization cases under considera-
ton. These cases ought surely to be de-
cided as soon as possible. The silver sena-
tors ought to vote upon the silver ques-
ton.
The Speaker can find preeedents for
appointing ut once the most important
committees, OF some of them. and thus ex-
poditing the work of the extra session. But
as soon as he undertakes to appoint any
committee he will be confronted by the
question whether no shall or shall not
divide tho Democratic party into two fac
tions. How could he refuse to reappoint
Mr.. BLAND, OF Missouri. chairman of tho
Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Meat
sures, over which he has presided 80
long, without exciting fierce opposi-
ton amongst the silver Democrats
in the House of Representatives,
and indeed in the whole country
Speaker CRIsP's own State, if we may
infer as much from the tone of ITS leading
Democratic journal. the Atlanta Constitu-
ton. would not justify him fer sighting in
any manner the bimetalllsts. The CON-
mittee which will have charge of the
SHERMAN silver law may possibly come to
40 agreement at an early day 10 report IN
favor of the repeal Of that law, and there
will be few or no Democrats to complain
of their report. seeing that the Democratic
party has declared for ITS repeal; but
whenever the silver question shall come
up in any other form then there will be
"doublc, double toll and trouble amongst
the Democrats III Congress. and no little
bad spirit may be aroused. Indeed. it Is
not improbable that the Speaker will be
worried almost out of his life when he
comes to the performance of the duty of
appointing the committees. Uneasy lies
the head that wears crown"
The reader will see that the beginning
of the extra session may be the beginning
of discussions in the Democratic party.