The herald., 1893-07-04
THE OUTLOOK FOR TIE SPECIAL
SESSION.

| AIS huininlbtratlCu may as well 0lS'
miss from its calculations the PROPOSE
tion that it can control either the scope
OF legislation or the outcome of the
special session which will convene on
the 9TH OF August. 1t is not in the
power OF the president to limit the dis
cussions OF that body or to prorogue it,
after the manner OF the English sover.
eign. When once convoked it can sit az
long as it pleases. and do what ii
pleases, within the purview OF Its
powers as defined by the Constitution OF
the United States. For that matter, if
such q thing were even within the
bounds of ordinary possibility, it could
take Grover himself by his broad neck
and ysnk him out Of his seat. OF
course such a possibility is altogether
out of the question; and Mr.. Cleveland,
outside of the act of divine providence,
will serve out his term, to the accept.
ence of the American people. But we
simply introduce the matter to show
how wide is the scope OF the congress of
the United States, whether assembled
together in special session or called to-
gether by the fixed dates of the Consti.
tuition.
That Mr.. Cleveland has o great and
legitimate influence with the party
which has twice elected him to the pre-
sidency, and did its best to elect him on
the only occasion in which he failed,
goes without saying. With the utmost
Difference to the president of their
choice, it by no means follows that the
mas5es OF Democrats are likely to share
such opinions of the chief magistrate of
the country as they may deem referable
to the locality from which he halls.
On this account Mr.. Cleveland's views
will be accepted simply as those of an
ordinary citizen on the silver question.
1t is very we'll understood that the pre-.
sident is thoroughly in unison with the
ideas of tie bankers OF New York on
that issue. 1t is a matter OF great regret
that this is so. but it is useless kicking
against the pricks. That the president
will be great influence in congress in
any views he may champion is of course
certain. That his views on the silver
question will override the judgment of
the tried and intelligent champions of
we do not for q moment
believe.
The other question that will probably
occupy the attention of congress is the
Chinese problem. The Gesry law has
scarcely received from the executive de-
partme&t of the government the earnest
support that g measure which has
passed both houses of congress, which
has recsived the signature of the preHi-
dent and the confirmation of the
supreme court of the United States,
ought to have been accorded. The at
tention OF Mr.. Cleveland will undoubt-
edly be called to this fact, and it would
be great mistake If it were not. The
personal predictions of the president
are known to be unison on this question
With those of the people of the Pacific
coast, but he has been subjected to a
pressure whose force people living on
the Pacific coast scarcely appreciate.
Congress will be apt, in special session,
to represent some phases of the i'm
patience which has undoubtedly been
felt on this side of the continent, and by
law abiding people everywhere, at the
notification of this act.
AS for the rest, we may look for
very lively session of the fifty-third
congress. which may possibly carry it
into the regular session. In times OF
excitement and in midsummer heats
it is hard to anticipate what legisla-
tive body may do.