Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-26
THE LINES DRAWN
How the Two Parties Will Confront
Each Other.
INFORMATION ON MANY SUBJECTS
What Position the President May
Take.
MUCH SKILLFUL FENCING

MU Oh SK1LLFUL L FENC GIN It
The talk of an extra session of Congress
| has not yet entirely subslded. But 1t is
heard only in a minor key now. There ap-
pears to have been some bluff1ng on the
subject by both sides. The President dis
cussed the matter with inexperienced men
| certain to give the conversation the widest
publicity, and the republican leaders met
this with suggestions that the first work
likely to be cut out by the next Congress
would be the ordering of an Investigation
of the inside facts of the latest bond sale.
Then there was silence. followed by hur-
rrying up Of thu work on the appropriation
bills.
The Lines Well Drawn.
But whether the new Congress be called
together in extra session or be allowed to
wait until the regular meeting day in De-
cember, the lines on which the two old par
ties will maneuver for advantage are
thought to be very clearly outlined. Both
sides want the advantage Of the regular
breathing time allowed by law. The repub-
licans are not ready to take up their bur-
den. which. they themselves concede. will
tax their strength. Between March and
December much may be done in the way OF
adjusting that burden to the party's back
ed, attention then will be directed to the
task of overhauling the record of the
other side. This work, 1t is said, will be
thoroughly done. The latest bond sale will
be laid upon that performance, but there
are other things thought to be slated for a
searching inquiry. The Hawaiian incident
Is not closed Several prominent republi-
cans are Of the opinion that the country is
entitled to more Information on that SUBJ
ject than 1t has yet received, either from
the White House or from the State Depart
ment. Curiosity on this point Is likely to
take official form, and a request be made
for all Of the papers. The reorganization
Of the Treasury Department and the ad-
ministration of the pension bureau will
also afford subjects for investigation, and
first and last strong white light will be
made to beat On several high official places
Democrats Want Time.
The democratic leaders are expecting
this. and would rather see the work post
poned until December. The record, of
course. whatever it is, cannot be changed.
But the heat of the contentious will have
somewhat cooled, and a program of reply
and comparison can be made all the more
efecttye-if 1t can be made effective at all
by careful preparation and repeated con-
ferences. There seems to be little doubt.
indeed, that If no extra session of the new
Congress is called, both sides will spend the
summer and fall in preparing for one of
the breeZiest regular sessions of recent
years. The republicans will supplement
their legislation by a voluminouS fndict-
ment of the democracy, drawn up to date,
and the democratic leaders will meet this
In the best way in their power.
Not improbably, 1t Is thought, there may
be renewal of the old controversy which
sprang up between Congress and Mr.. Cleve-
land during his first term over the right
Of Congress to inquire into the fullest
executive in matters of public business.
Mr.. Cleveland, 1t will be remembered,
made changes in certain offices, and upon
being called upon by the Senate for all Of
the papers in the case, he declined to send
them in. There was spirited debate over
the matter, and the republicans themselves
at last divided on the question. Mr. Cleve-
land won. He took the ground that the
executive was not answerable to that ex-
tent, and that it would be incompatible
with the public interests for him to COM
ply with the Senates request. The Senate
could not force his hand, and this left him
master of the situation.
What the President May Do.
These tactics. when possible, may be
repeated. Such requests for information.
preferred by either house of Congress. al
ways contain the qualifying clause. "if not
incompatible with the public interests"
When Mr.. Carlisle was invited before the
ways and means committee to explain
fully the recent bond sale, he asked that
the doors might be closed, on the score
that much of the information was conf
dental. At that time even, the terms of
the contract were unknown to the public.
The committee granted the request. The
ajority was friendly to the Secretary.
The republicans opposed the proposition.
Will Mr. Carlisle and his assistant, Mr..
Curtis be invited before the next ways
and means to make ha snSs1 an0wn THIS ms
closed doors again be preferred by the
Secretary? And If denied. will the Sec
retary and the President take their stand
may not 20 SO far in demanding informa-
ton from an executive? Likewise i'll the
matter of all Instructions, oral or written,
given by the President or Secretary Her.
bert to diplomats or naval officers concern
ing the Hawaiian episode. Could any in
formation of this kind, as yet unknown to
the public, be drawn out by an fnvestigat-
ing committee OF Congress Congress .,a against INST the
vulgence would be incompatible with the
public interests?
What the Politicians Understand.
The politicians are already turning these
questions over in their minds. They all
understand that there is to be some skillful
fencing when the time for action rolls
around. The presidency itself will be in
volved, and there will be presidential can
didates Of either party in both houses of
Congress. Neither side can afford to lose
a point. The republicans must be aggres-
sive, but must not go too far. Mr.. Cleve-
land might score heavily by appealing to
the country on the question of maintain
ing the dignity of his Office against the
eEcroachments of Congress. But the demo-
Gratis cannot afford to be put in the atti-
tude of trying to cover up material inside
facts about transactions which have been
censured by the country, simply the
pea that the republicans are only seeking
to manufacture political capital. In that
case the republicans would score heavily
Plenty of time, therefore. in which to get
good and ready is the real and the earn
est desire Of both sides. It is too big a
game to be played in hurry, or by players
only half prepared.
SENATOR PIsTT1GREW,s STATEMENT