The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-07

CONGRESS C0NVENES TODAY
COMING MESSAGE AND REPUBLICAN
PROGRAMME THE TOPICS.
al to the Indianapolis Journal.

Congress should pass the Dingley bill this
session. Quick to take the cue, those men,
bers who are in the category of Mr.. Reeds
personal following set up renewed clamor
about the desperate condition of the treas
ury and the urgent need of immediate pro-
vision for more revenue. Inasmuch as the
tip has been passed along the line that the
President-elect is opposed to hasty and i'm
perfect tariff legislation. and of opinion
that the interests of the country and of
the party can best be served by passing
the matter up to a special session, the
Reed anxiety for quick action is being con-
strued as an ill-natured intention to go
counter to and embarrass the incoming ad-
ministration. The Reed demonstration
brings to notice the fact that at this writ
ing, a great majority of those wno are
contending for tariff legislation are COM
monty regarded as belonging TO the anti
Mckinley Republican element. or else they
are Democrats. The Mckinley leaders of
late have been ostentatiously displaying
the olive branch in the Reed neighborhood,
but the friendly advances do not appear to
have produced responsive warmth, all of
which amuses the Democrats and brings a
cloud to the face of Chairman Hanna. Mr..
Dingley himself is against the bill that
measure can and should be framed and
submitted to a special session. Further
more, seven of the nine members Of the
ways and means committee are warm
friends of Major Mckinley, and even
though by any Unforeseen combination the
House should get the Dingley or any other
bill back on it's hands. it could be strangled
in committee. However, it would seem
that II iS of very little practical coOce-
quence what is thought in the House about
the inexpediency of delay in tariff legisla-
tion. 1t rests with the Senate, and it is
the common understanding tonight that
an early Senate caucus would be called 20
settle the question, foreshadowed in
these dispatches a few days ago.
That tonight was the eve OF a
sion of Congress was apparent in the
Washington hotels which are always ba-
rometers of political activity under the
dome. Senators and members coming to
the city by every train. reinforced by the
attaches and lookers-on OF Congress, were
drifting into the lobbies. greeting one an
other like schooIboys after vacation
with much handshaking. with reminis-
cences of the campaign and many explana-
tions Of how their re-elections or defeat
had been brought about. There has been
comparatively small interest in the work
of the coming session itself. apart from
the Presidents message, but clouds of
speculation were afioat dealing with the
policies of the new administration to be in
augurated on March 4. and with the per-
sonhel of the Cabinet. 1t unanimously
conceded that the Republican programme
was to ignore the Dinpley tariff bill and
to summon an extra session of the Fifty
fifth Congress for March 15 for the pur-
pose of passing new tariff measure. Gu
rtosity Was expressed over what what reference e.
the issues and the result OF the presidential
campaign, and particularly at to his policy
on the Cuban question.
HANNA A CENTRAL FIGURE.
The central figure of the night was Mr.
Marcus A. Hanna, who is looked on here
as the advance agent of the Mckinley ad-
ministration. with commission to feel the
pulse of Congress and TO communicate the
policy of the President-elect to the lead
ers. When Mr.. Hanna appeared in the Ar
Iington lobby after his dinner accompanied
by Fl. C. Payne, Of Wisconsin, who is slated
as a Cabinet probability, c. w. Dawes, of
Chicago a member of the Republican COM
mittee, and Gen. Horace Porter, the mar
shal of the Inauguration parade, the party
was surrounded by congressman and other
politicians, who escorted them to Mr.. Han
mas rooms. The Republican chairman had
been invisible during the day trying TO put
aside politics for a Sunday, he explained,
but throughout the evening he was beset
by visitors. Some of the most conspicuous
men about the hotel, most of whom talked
with Mr.. Hanna during the evening, were
Senators Platt of Connecticut. and Aid
rich of Rhode Island; Chairman Babcock
and Vice Chairman Mercer. of the con-
gressional committee; General Grosvenor,
of Ohio: Congressmen Lacey of Iowa, Gill
lett Mccormack and Wilson of New York.
Foss, Belknap and Larimer, of Illinois;
Chairman Cannon, of the committee on ap-
preparations of the House, and Deacon
S. V. White, the New York financier, who
served term in Congress, and seldom fails
With most of his callers Mr.. Hanna did
much listening and little talking. The chief
purpose of his visit, to make preliminary
arrangements for the inauguration cere-
monies was dropped over Sunday. and the
local politicians interested in the matter
were not in evidence. Mr.. Hanna had
breakfasted late with ex-Congressman
Benjamin Butterworth, of Ohio, and W. w.
Dudley. former commissioner of pensions.
and had spent the afternoon driving with
Vermont Regarding the position of chair
man Of the inauguration committee. which
has been rendered 10 Mr. >. w. Woodward
a prominent business man OF this city, Mr.
MIR Woodward will give definite an
swer tomorrow. He fears that the duties
of the position would take more time than
he could spare from his business. He has
talked with others who have been con-
nected with inauguration committees. who
tell him that he would be obliged TO devote
two thirds of his time this winter TO the
work. He does not feel that he can make
the sacrifice"
Mr. Payne said emphatically that Mr.
Woodward : hesitation was not inspired by
the objections made against him by local
Republicans on the ground that he is a
gold Democrat. Mr.. Woodward will give Il
definite reply tomorrow. The visit to
Washington of Mr.. Dawes. of Chicago, is
said to be connected with the proposition
TO maintain permanent Republican head
quarters at the capital which will be dis
cussed while Mr.. Hanna is here. Chair
man Babcock. of the congressional commit
tee was noncommittal when asked whether
his organization would join with the ma
tional committee in the project. saying that
the matter would have 10 be discussed by
the committee.
Interest in the affairs of the Hawaiian Re-
public has been rekindled by the dinner
which was given Saturday night by ex-
Secretary of State John w. Foster TO Mr.
Hanna. The guests. who numbered a doz-
en-. included the Hawaiian minister of for
eign affairs, Mr.. Cooper who is i'm the
city Minister Hatch and Secretary Hast
ings of the Hawaiian legation. and a half
dozen members of the Senate committee
on foreign relations. among them Senator's
Morgan Hale and Lodge. who are advo-
Gates of annexation. 1t is believed that the