The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-12
AN EXTRA SESSION
Congress Likely to Be Called Together
in October.
A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
Speakership Fight and the COLONIES"
viii Consume lime.
SITUATION IN SAMOA is PLEASING.
Believed The Commission will Have Sinai
Trouble in Strengthening Affairs.
BIG SPANISH DRY DOCK TO BE BOUGHT
II Is Now at Havana and the Navy
Department VIII Probably
Did IL In.
SITUATION IN SAMOA is PLEASING.
Believed The Commission viii Have Sinai
Trouble in Strengthening Affairs.
Big SPANISH DRY DOCK TO BE BOUGHT
IL Is Now at Havana and the Navy
Department VIII Probably
bid IL In.

Washington. May 11.--There is a grow
ing belief that congress will be called to-
gether in the early part of October. The
next congress will be very busy BODY
and it is quite likely that 1t will be
deemed the part OF wisdom to give 1t
plenty of time by letting 1t elect speaker
and get well organized by the time 1t is
usually assembling. Interest in the ques-
ton of the speakership Is growing more
active. General Bingham of Philadelphia,
one of the oldest members of the house,
has declared himself a candidate, which
may interfere somewhat with the support
from Pennsylvania for Mr.. Sherman Of
New York General Henderson of Iowa is
counted a strong candidate, and the. one
likely TO have the largest following in the
West. Then our colonies" will have to
be legislated for. and it seems now that
different set of laws is to be made for
Hawaii. Porto Rico, Luzon, Negroes and
Guam. This Is to be expected, but 1t viii
take time. The next congress will also
have to devise some means for getting rid
OF the war taxes. which the administration
finds are getting to be irksome with the
best fat producers and the voters
With peace prevailing in Samoa, salts
factory results are expected from the in
vestigation which the trpartite commits
sion will make.
The United States naval transport Bad
ger. with the Samoan commission aboard,
will arrive at Apia. Samoa. today, and
there is much interest among officials in
the important change in conditions which
will be brought about when the commits
sion assumes charge of affairs 1t will
involve a practical suspension of the Ber-
lin treaty and the system of administra-
ton by which the islands have been gov
erned for the last ten years, and the tenn
porary rule of the commission, with SUI
preme executive and administrative au-
thoritv.
The cable advces that all Is quiet in
Samoa give renewed assurances to officials
that the work OF the commission will be
productive of good results, as It will en-
able them to begin their labors free from
the excitement of open hostilities. In view
of the Berlin press reports that number
of German claims would be pressed, grow
ing out of the recent bombardment, It is
stated in an authoritative quarter that no
such claims have been presented, and that
if any claims are made by individual Ger
mans they will be passed upon by the
Joint commission
In the mail the department received re-
ports from Rear Admiral Kautz regarding
the fighting with the natives and the kill
ing OF Lieutenant p. V. Lansdale Ensign
John R. Mon CHAN and an American sea-
man.
| While approaching the grave character
of the report made by Rear Admiral Kautz.
the reference OF the entire question 10 the
/ Samoan commission robs ii of any danger
to the peace of the three nations signatory
to the Berlin treaty. The commission is
empowered TO carefully inquire into this
feature OF the Samoan question and TO re-
port the blame for such action as the
treaty powers may consider proper This
is in addition TO tho duties they will b,
required TO perform originally agreed upon
and under which they will relieve the
naval officers and consuls at Apa Of the
government of the islands and direct the
operation OF the government in such a
manner as they consider proper.
That hostilities have ceased is naturally
very pleasing to the authorities. as II
means that the commission will be able
to prosecute its work without hindranoe
from the operations of the belligercnts.
In all probability the United States will
be the purchaser OF the Spanish floating
dock now moored in Havana harbor, when
the auction occurs, on May 81 Instruc-
tions have been given TO Commodore cres-
well. commander OF the Havana naval sta