Evening journal., 1897-03-15
FlFTy.FIFTH CONGRESS
Business Mapped Out For the
Extraordinary Session.
TIE TARIFF TEE PRINCIPAL TOPIC,

Dingleyf biii 60 Ba Pushed NtEorousl3
10 the House Speaker Reed Crges
Representatives 10 work Expedltiousiy.
senate Likeiy &c rake Up the Treaty.
wAsHiNcToS March IS - The Fifty.
ftth congress met N extraordinary session
at noon today ir pursuance OF President
Mckinley proclamation be work ns
fore 1.-THE passage OF tariff till-is
pretty we'll cut out q advance bnt the Ia
dications are that u VIII he q stormy ses.
sion. and Us length and scope are as yet
mere matters OF speculation
The present secretary OF state Mr.. Sher
man, remarked several years ago on q
memorable occasion n the senate that the
president like Aladdin could rub the
lamp and cause the eenii TO appear but
that once they had appeared they were
masters Of their own destinies SO that
congress once IN session may 20 much
farther or not so far. as the president may
wish
So far as the house Is concerned the pres
ent determination of the leaders 10 70 al
rect the energies Of the lower branch 20
the accomplishment Of the task before it
with all expedition and throw the respon-
sibility for any complications which may
arise out of delays in the senate upon that
body This was made manifest 10y Speak
er Reed speech at the Republican caucus
Saturday night. when after accepting the
denomination for presiding officer, he spoke
of the necessity Of bringing the work Of
the session TO a speedy close Whether the
leaders will emphasize any inaction by the
senate when the bill reaches that body by
programme of three day recesses remains
TO be seen. but 10 seems likely that the
speaker will. at least for the present re-
frain from appointing any save the actual
committees necessary for the transaction
of the business in hand. This will prove
an effective bar TO the passage OF miscel.
laneous or general bills, as the rules OF the
house are such that all legislation must
come through the agencies Of committees
But even this Is not absolutely necessary.
as the committee on rules can be invoked
TO furnish special orders.
The Appropriation Bills.
1t is by means of special orders that the
/ appropriation bills which failed to receive
Mr. Clevelands approval are to be put
I through at the extraordinary session. Con-
sideration In committee would involve
! great delay and result besides In almost
! interminahle debate in the house, as it is
the popular characteristic of a new house
to use every opportunity to talk.
Mr.. Cannon, the chairman Of the appro-
priations committee, says the bills as they
went to Mr.. Cleveland are all right, and
he favors their repassage under special
rules without the fornality OF again put
ting them through the regular channels
This will be the plan followed, and all the
time before the actual debate on the tariff
begins will be devoted 70 the appropriation
bills
The new tariff bill, upon which Ropub-
lican members Of the ways and means
committee have been working laboriously
for three months, Is complete and will be
formally introduced this afternoon IL will
then be printed and submitted to the Dom-
ocratio minority and receive formal CON
sideration by the full committee. It Is not
expected that this win require more than
three or four days at most. although the
Democrats may and probably win protest
vigorously against such expedition. Az
any rate the house leaders hope to enter
upon the consideration of the bill in the
house before the end Of the week. Some
of them last night fixed Thursday as the
day on which the debate would probably
commence Although the limits OF the
debate have not yet been decided upon the
prevailing opinion Is that it will not last
over ten days Night sessions will OF
course be held throughout the period al
lowed for debate This viii give the new
members an opportunity Co make set
speeches for the benefit Of their constltu-
ents
Unless some unexpected hitch occurs
the new tariff bill may he sent to the sem
ate a week from next Saturday or a fort
night after the session opens.
Treaty In the Senate.
The week does not now promise 10 be O
busy ore In the senate, except in the event
that the arbitration treaty between this
country and Great Britain is considered.
Senator Davis, chairman Of the COMMITTEES
on foreign relations. said to n press repre-
sentative before the opening Of the session
that he would force the que7tion Of rntih
cation to as speedy a determination as II
would be possible Tho treaty will be con
sidered i'm executive session. There win be
considerable opposition 60 it even In it,
amended form, but the friends Of the trea-
ty assert that there will not be 90 opposing
votes when the final result Is announced.
A number Of bills, majority of which
will be those which failed I'm the last con.
gress. will be introduced during the week
hut as none of them can be taken mp un.
til they receive committee action there
will be but little or no legislative work.
Considerable time during the week will
he spent by the committees of the various
parties in tho senate IN an effort 10 reach
, harmonious adjustment Of the senate
committees.
There is now talk Of an agreement e.
I'll all the vacancies except those existing
in the committees on finance and appro-
, priations. Both these committees are for
/ tunately quite equitaby adjusted. and II
is feared that an effort to supply the va
cancies might result in bad feeling and
an ENHANCEMENT which the Republican.
desire TO avoid on the eve OF the tariff
fight
There Is only occasional reference e
, changes in the elective offices IN the sen
ate, and there is no prospect of a contro
vcrsy over this point at the present time.
Editor Punished For Contempt.
SACRAMENTO, March ). Judge Hughes
has decided that the state senate had pow
? or to imprison for contempt, and A. NJ
Lawrence, managing editor Of The Exam
, iner, and L. L. Levings were locked up il