Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-17
Republicans Are Preparing for That
Expected Event.
A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING REACHED
viii Increase the Revenue and Not
Touch the Finances.
SILV ER M EN- A G r E E

The republicans of Congress are prepar-
ing for an extra session. The important
question presented is what their policy
will be, and to the settlement CT this they
are devoting themselves. Both the repub-
llcdn and the democratic leaders, starting
with Speaker Crisp and Mr.. Reed in the
House, and German, Voorhees,, Eldrich and
Sherman the Senate side, and running
through almost the entire list of men of
both parties whose opinions usually count
for anything. are fully convinced that there
will be an extra session of the Fffty-fourth
Congress. They are now speculating as to
whether 1t Will be called early in the spring
or later i'll the summer. The general opin-
ion is that they will be reassembled early,
probably lot later than April.
This project makes it particularly In
portant that the republicans should agree
upon a policy speedily. and they are not
procrastina ting. Informal conferences held
between leaders in the two houses ard
men representing conflicting opinions have
resulted in a general understanding as
to the course to be pursued in the event
of al extra session.
The Plan Proposed.
1t Is not proposed to attempt any gen.
eral financial legislation during the extra
session. This question will be postponed
until the regular session beginning next
December. The contemplated plan is to
devote the extra session to increasing the
revenue. thus relieving the government
from its immediate embarrassment, and
then to adjourn as quickly as possible,
leaving time for the consideration ef what
can be done with the finances at the reg
ular session. TINS is the plan which MIR.
Reed. and. in fact. all the republican lead
ers favor. This does not contemplate any
nor any disturbance of rates. except what
cannot be avoided. The proposition is to
draw more revenue from one or two
sources, the increase of the tax on beer
probably being one. 1t is not proposed
even to try to authorize an issue of bonds
at the extra session, if it Is -alled.
No Trouble From silver Men.
At first IT was feared that the silver re-
publicanS in the Senate might not favor
this plan, but would want at once to be-
gin their fight for silver. The fact that the
silver men will have a majority Of about
eight in the next Senate excited this ap-
prehension. 1t has been discovered, how
ever. that there is no danger from that
quarter. The silver Senators more
disposed to press the silver question to the
front before the regular session than are
their party associates in the two houses
who do not agree with them on finance.
Their policy Is to assist in legislation to
increase the revenue, and to postpone the
currency question until another time. They
are in perfect harmony with their party
associates on the plan given above, and
will render any assistance they can 10 carry
1t out. III the new Congress could take
charge today 1T Is claimed that they would
be ready TO go to work at Qnce. with the
prospect of finishing up their work in less
than a month. the currency never being
touched Dy them.
Whether the knowledge that If called to-
gether the republicans will rot legslate on
currency will cause MIR. Cleveland to
change his purpose as to an extra session
Is yet to be developed, but the needs of
the treasury will probably drive him to
make the best he can of the situation.