Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-11-19
EXP. M. GENERAL--JOHN WANAMAKER.
The Extra Session.

, A special from Washington dated last
| Friday reads az follows:
AS it is regarded as certain that Presi-
dent Mckinley will convene the Fifty
| fifth congress in extraordinary session
next spring, good deal of interest IS
felt in the organization of the two branch
es of congress. In the senate there may
be contest for control between the two
parties. As now constituted the Demo-
Gratis and their allies hold all the Offices
while the Republicans have the commit
tees and the offices pertaining thereto.
As the new senate is bound to be close
politically and especially on the financial
question, the Democratic officers are pull
| ling the wires to retain their places. II
| they can combine the votes of the Demo
| Gratis, Populists and silverites upon them
selves they may be successful. On the
| other hand, the silver Republicans. who
stood upon the st. Louis platform in the
| last campaign, can furnish the vote that
will wrest the senate from Democratic
l control. They may decide upon this
course, and especially as silver's only
hope is in Republicans hands But
compromise may be the result-the
Democrats giving up some OF the patron
age and retaining the rest.
In the house it is probable that the old
officers will be reelected without much
of a contest. Of course there is talk OF
opposition to the reelection of Speaker
Reed, but it is talk and nothing else, and
can be traced to Democratic sources.
Grosvenor of Ohio, Hopkins and Cannon
of Illinois, Hepburn of Iowa and others
/ are urged by these Democratic wlre-pul
| lers for the place, but it is a 100 to
| shot that Mr.. Reed will be reelected,
| and his election may be unanimous, like
! it was last Decomber. Clerk Mcdowell
| of Pennsylvania, Doorkeeper Glenn OF
| New York and Postmaster McElroy OF
| Ohio are certain of reelection. The first
| two have made gcod records in their
| positions, are popular with the members
and can count upon the support OF the
l bulk of the members who voted for them
| before. They will have opposition prob
| ably, as some of the members did not get
the amount of patronage that they desir-
ed in the present house. 1t will require
1 less than ITO votes to control the Repub-
fsyryanrd anu UnrU ueIegatons, by stand
| ing together, as they did the last time
| will furnish III of the necessary majority.
Thus about 80 votes will be needed to re-
elect these officers and they can be secur-
| ed. Sergeant-at-Arns Russell may be
| compelled to fight for reelection. In
the last caucus he had the 10 republican
votes from Missouri behind him, but in
the next caucus he will have but ; votes
| from that state. Chaplain Couden of
| Michigan will also stand a good show for
| reelection, as he is not only a soldier
but is blind. at that.
The greatest interest in the organ iza-
| ton of the house centers i'll the compost
\ ton of the various committees. Speaker
Reed, it is believed, was we'll satisfied
with the makeup of the committees of
| the present house and will hardly change
| the personnel unless the members affect
ed desire it. But he will have an un-
usually large number of vacancies to fill,
| caused by the failure of members to Sc
cure denominations or reflections, and
| as many of these vacancies are on i'm
portant committees, there will be quite
scramble for them.