New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-16


THE OPENING OF THE EXTRAORDINARY sEs-
srox-A BODY IN SYMPATHY WITH THE
ExECUTIvE-No BUSINESS TRANSACTED
IN THE BRIEF SESSION OF THE
sENATE-THREE HOUSE COM
c. MITTEEs APPOINTED.
fsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNEI
Washington. March 15.-For a second time
within the present decade new Congress has
been called on to assume political RESPONSE
biltv and exercise political power long In ad-
vance OF the time set by statute for the annual
meeting of the two legislative branches. Four
wears ago President Cleveland. then at the zenith
OF his personal fortunes. summoned the two
houses to Washington to face the extraordinary
exigency OF currency panic Need'essy oe-
laying the call. however. for nearly Ave month";
the legislative branch OF the Government un'
dertook too late it's programme Of remedial
legislation and in the long and tedious strus'
gle for the repeal OF the silver-purchase clauses
Of the Sherman act protracted into the early
weeks OF October. few Of the benefits were
realized which had been counted on from
prompt and intelligent response by Congress 70
the country's urgent demand for relief
With greater sagacity and forethought thah
his predecessor President Mckinley has LOST
no time in setting the machinery OF legislation
in motion to meet another extraordinary puohc
exigency--the alarming and long-continued os-
pletion OF the Governments revenues under ths
reckless and laundering tariff policy OF the
Cleveland Administration. Allowing but ten
davs to elapse between his own accession TO
power and the assembling Of the new Congress'
President Mckinley has demonstrated not onV
the intensity and sincerity OF his desire 10 SEQ
the finances OF the Government re-estabiisheo on
a sound and prosperous basis. but his own prac-
tical good judgment. as well. in deciding thA'
whatever relief is to be given to the Treasury
and the country will be the more welcome w"
more quickly It is given
An earnest OF the cordial cooperation OK
at least the popular branch OF Congress in the
Administrators efforts to restore the revenues
was found in the introduction OF a tariff bill IN
the House of Representatives at its initial ses-
sion and with the promise OF the passage OF
completed measure within three weeks Inas
serious delays and many threatening obstacles
to revenue legislation are sure 10 be encoun'
tered in the irresponsible and faction-rdden sem
ate goes without saying; yet with long spring
and summer ahead II seems equally clear tnss
all opposition will tire itself out and that soms
NOR, or less satisfactory scheme or increased
revenues will be the eventual issue or the ex'
traordinary session Of the LVth Congress. begun
with such businessllke hustle and promise TO-
day.
The Senate having already convened for
special session on March s. simply merged to-
dav its few separate sit.lngs of the last two
weeks in the new Joint session In which ooth
branches have been summoned to take part
Nothing significant occurred in the '1eiiberativs
branch" to indicate that another milepost in the
life OF the body had been reached. except tho
formal reading of the Presidents proclamation
OF March 3 One new Senator-Mr. Harris, OF
Kansas-was sworn In, and then new conn
mittee was sent to the White House TO reopen
communications with the President Two re-
cesses were taken until the Presidents Message
could arrive and be read. and then the Senate
quickly adjourned till tomorrow.
THE HOUSE IN A BUSINESS MOOD.
The House of Representatives started OF with
striking vim to-day In session when lasted
four hours the official organization necessary Tor
the business in hand was effected; the PRESIDENTS
Message was received and read; the tarin pii'
framed during the last three moEths py eie'eh
Republican members Of the Committee on ways
and Means of the last Congress was introduced
and copies OF IL distributed among the members
and referred to the new Ways and Means COM
mittee which, together with the Committee on
Rules and the Committee on Miease' was APP
pointed Ii was clearly evident that the House
had come together in a mood to do as promptly
as practicable the work that 1t is calied upon I"
perform al this extraordinary session
The scene presented at noon when Clerk NC.
Do,veu called the Representatives. es-elect 10 order
was an interesting one. The hall was well hiieo.
rot mora than a score OF seats in the chamber De-
,r, vacant and when the roll was called o3d
| r,onohers resnonded TO their names. A half-doZen
o,ber nemba~s including Messrs. McMllln. or
rorpessee and Dolliver, OF Iowa, were present.
whose names had not been placed on The roll be-
cause their certificates OF election had not been
Gid They we're subsequently admitted by
unanimous consent. pending the receipt OF the
certificates.
The galleries as usual. were crowded, ana couo
rot have contained one-ffth OF the men ana
,,.or,a, who desired admission Those who did
get IN counted themselves especially iortuha'e'
and the larger crowds which could not be accom-
modated went away in a discontented mood ihs
rroceedings during the organization Of the House
- panresentatiyes are always interesting and at
,ractivs even when there is not-as there has not
heen for many years-a long and exciting tussie
over the election of officers To-day one looked
dawn upon many new faces. and also upon some
which had grown familiar in previous Congresses
but we're missing from the last one. The new
members numbered about l5o. but Ii Of them
had served in Congresses prior To the LiNth.
SOME VETERANS REAPPEAR
Among them were several veterans. and they
were on hand early. Th,re was ''objector" Hol-
man. looking stronger and more vigorous than
when he stepped out Of the Lilo Congress into
private life two years ago. after twenty-eight
Years OF service in this chamber Near him sat
another veteran. silver Dick" Bland or twen-
~ years service wlo fell by the wayside IN lS9A
There too was John r. Ketcham. OF New-fork
with twenty-four years OF service to his credit
| ,ookinp not a whit less vigorous than he did