The times., 1898-12-03
Discussing THB Session
Statesmen Claim Welcome
Here in Large Numbers.
TALK OVER SPEAKERsHIP
Mr.. Reed Is Expected to Leave
Gotham TOdny-views of Members
of Congress From Various Parts
of the Country The Senatorial
Situation In California;.

Nearly half of Congress has been vel
coined back to the National Capital for
the short session, and the other half will
claim its welcome today and tomorrow
| Washington has resumed that air of i'm
portance peculiar to cities wherein legis-
! lators assemble. and the various places
| where living accommodations are to be
! had, running the scale from private man.
sions that scorn signs and have quarters
for but few select and we'll recommend
ed to the big hotels, are rapidly filling.
| Old familiar faces present themselves,
! and those who are here for perhaps the
last time and those who have been chosen
to serve the people for another period are
given equal cheer, for Washington has
learned not to reckon too surely upon the
final passing of men who have suffered
defeat, that may be but temporary, at the
hand of political fortune.
The newly arrived statesmen are all
with singular accord very much interested
in the extra session controversy. The In
| terviewer frequently finds himself inter-
viewed while shaking hands with men,
bers of Congress freshly returned from
beyond the rivers with the remark, near
ly always the same:
Are We going to have an extra session?
I have not had time to get around and
hear for myself. What do you think about
it?"
The sentiment against an extra session
of Congress seems to DE very general, al
most unanimous among the Republicans:
but the belief prevails that an extra ses-
sion of the Senate caifhot be avoided.
During the month of January it is ex-
pected that two treaties will be presented
for the consideration and ratification of
the Senate-the peace treaty and the one
now being framed by the Canad.anAme
lean Joint High Commission.
The Administration hopes TO have the
peace treaty brought before the Senate
about January l. II must then go to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, where it
may be held under consideration for u
week or more. and then reported back to
the Senate. Should this committee report
the treaty with amendments, which is not
thought probable, much more time will be
consumed than is now expected.
At all events. debate will be unlimited,
and there is little hope that both this and
the treaty with Great Britain can be dis
posed of during the short session of the
Senate.
The objection to an extra session of Con-
gress comes principally from the Repub-
licans. who propose TO postpone such en-
barrassing legislation as currency and tar
iff until the next Congress, and then push
it over If possible until the Winter of
1900. which Will have given the party an
opportunity 10 make promises of liberal
scope with a greater show of sincerity.
But there Is no objection To an extra
session of the Senate, since 1t would not
conflict with the purposes just reviewed
and there is every reason for hurrying the
ratification of both the forthcoming
treaties.
The members of Congress who arrived
early in the week and many of them dur
ing the previous week We're those who
had business with the Administration, or
who are on committees and others who
are interested in the preiimnaries TO i'm
portant Forthcoming legislation. but sin
gularly enough, Speaker Reed will be
among the last to arrive. 1t cannot be
learned that he has put himself to the
trouble of entering into communicat ton
with anyone in Washington, and almost
certainly not with the Administration.
He is expected to leave Gotham late
=. 'N'-' "Sii' q itisuitiS way TO lne
Shoreham Hotel, where quarters have
been made ready to receive him. The
talk Of opposition to Mr.. Reed for the
Speakership has been given renewed zest
py some mysterious undercurreut of SEN
timent, the source of which is unknown.
The man most prominently mentioned
as Mr.. Reeds rival is Col. Henderson Of
iowa, who was but lately converted into
an eNpansionist of just sufficient aggres-
siveness to support the Administration
policy. Col. Henderson refused to DENY
or affirm himself as a candidate for the
Speakership, but he has openly declared
himself with the Administration, which
expression is regarded as significant in
certain quarters.
Senator Foraker went over into Ohio
yesterday to see for himself how things
are getting along in the Buckeye State
lie is intensely interested in the coming
suDernatorial campaign, and is expected
to make one more effort to reduce the
Hanna machine to old junk and have II
removed to Windemere, near Cleveland
to be piled up on the front lawn of the
junior senator from Ohio
Several other senators left the citv in
great haste yesterday, most of them with
their faces set toward New York They
WIN have today in which to put the fin
ishing touches to their affairs, whatever
they are. and get back in time for the
roll-call Monday.