The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-03-13
THE EXTRA SESSION OF CON-
GRESS.

In response to the call of President Nc
Kinley, Congress will assemble in special
session on Monday next, and the universal
hope of the country is that the session will
be short one.
Indeed nothing would tend more to dis
turb the prospect of returning prosperity,
than prolonged session of uncertainty
extending far into the summer, and the
policy Of the Republican leaders should be
to proceed to business promptly, and
accomplish as rapidly as possible the legis-
lation the people expect.
There will be no trouble on this score in
the House. The Republican majority there
is ample Speaker Reed will be again in
command, and the Ways and Means Com
mittee of the last House, which will be
substantially the same committee in the
next House, has already saved much time
in going over the preliminares of new
tariff bill. This measure will, probably,
be reported and passed at an early stage of
the session.
In the Senate, however, the prospect of
prompt action is not assuring. The Repub-
Icans are not yet certain of majority in
the chamber, and if they should seat the
holders of Gubernatorial certificates from
Oregon and Kentucky, which is perhaps
doubtful, they would have only bare
majority with the vote of Vice-President
Hobart, and with the promised vote of
Senator Kyle, of South Dakota, for tariff
bill
In the meantime the Democrats, the
Populists and the Silver Republicans,
under the lead of Senator Teller, are pro-
jecting coalition, to be based on obstruc-
ton in the interest of silver, and it will be
unquestionably within their power to
blockade indefinitely tariff bill or any
long as the present rules of the Senate con-
tnue in force.
1t is likely to be apparent at an early
day in the session that the Republicans,
even with majority in the Senate, will
be practically powerless there under the
operation of these rules. The opposition,
while it may not effect complete alliance
by reason of the sound money opinions of
the Democratic Senators, will, in any
event, be strong enough, with the privi-
leges of unlimited discussion given by the
rules to keep the Senate on the tenter
hooks of debate for many weeks or months
or to prevent altogether the passage of
tariff bill.
1t is therefore clear that the first object
of the Republicans in the Senate must he
to secure repeal or modification of the
rules which permit Senators to talk as long
or as often as they please, if there is not to
be a repetition of the scenes of filibustering
and obstruction which disgraced the extra
session of 1893, and which, if renewed this
spring and summer, will throw cloud
over the business conditions of the whole
country.
An overwhelming majority of the people
want the tariff settled at once and for good
not later than the end of the next ninety
days, and they cannot too soon create a
demand and sentiment in that direction
which the ohstructionists will be forced to
respect or which will justify the Republ-
cans OF the Senate in the adoption OF a rule
of closure on debate If not, the extra
session will be a long and wearisome one
and an affection rather than a relief to the
country.