The Billings gazette., 1899-05-19
EXTRA SESSION TALK
Congress Will Probably Assemble
in October, Says Senator
Thurston.
SPEAKERSHIP CONTEST
Henderson and Sherman Apparently
Are the Leaders-WelcOme
to Dewey.
Special Correspondence Of The Gazette.

Special Correspondence Of The Gazette.
Washington, May Is. Senator Fair
banks. who was at Virginia Hot
Springs when the president and Mrs.
Mckinley arrived there, says the presi'
dent is delightfully."- situated to enjoy
the rest he is seeking. The president
likes it so we'll that he telegraphed Vice
President Hobart TO join him, but Mr..
Hobart will probably decide to let well
enough alone and remain in Washing.
ton as long as the weather continues
pleasant. He is improving steadily and
gaining strength every day.
General Otis has notified the war de-
partmant of the departure, last week,
from Manila of the transports Pennsyl-
vania, Nelson, Cleveland and St. Paul.
These transports all carry volunteers
and will 60 direct to San Francisco,
with possibly short stop at Honolulu.
Requests to be sent home by way of the
Suez canal and the Atlantic route have
been received by Secretary Alger from
a number of the volunteer organiza-
tions in the Philippines, but as that
route is nearly twice as long as the Pa
cific route, besides being considered
dangerous to the health Of soldiers who
have been in the tropical climate of the
Philippines, he decided that it would
be best to have all the transports
brought home by the Pacific route, and
has SO notified General Otis.
The sentiment in favor Of an extra
session Of congress is increasing rapid
ly. Senator Thurston, who is in Wash
ington, said: II am inclined to think
that congress will be called together
early in October. not so much because
of imperative business as because of the
mass of new and important business to
be attended to. If we do not meet
earlier than usual it would not surprise
me to see congress in session until Sep
tember or October of next year. I am
sure the majority of members would
prefer to meet early this year and get
away to look after election matters
earlier next summer. If we do not
meet until the regular time, nothing
will be done until January /. The elec-
tion of speaker and the appointment of
committees can at least be gotten over
before the regular time by meeting
carly, and if there is to be currency
legislation it ought to be passed early,
so that it will not be misunderstood in
tile fall elections. There would be
little extra cost in an early session.
Representative Henderson of Iowa,
who has been in Washington since the
republican caucus committee, of which
he is chairman, completed the financial
bill, left for home last week without
announcing date for his return. Col
onel Henderson has too much good
hard horse sense to do any blowing con-
cerning the progress of his campaign
for the speakership, but he does not
hesitate to say that he is very we'll sat-
isfied with the outlook. While in
Washington Colonel Henderson saw and
talked with nearly one hundred repub-
lican representatives, but how many of
them pledged him their votes is some-
thing about which he is not talking.
Representative Hopkins of Illinois has
not been to Washington since the an.
nounoement of his candidacy for the
speakership. but letters from him and
the talk of his friends, who are numer-
ous, say that he has every reason to
consider his chances as good as those of
any other candidate. Representative
Sherman of New York is expected in
Washington in a few days for an in
definite stay If any candidate may be
Said tn haua tha laal Ghor,nor ko, -
apparently Some of his supporters go
so far as to claim that his nomination
is already assured, but that is probably
a fiction, used for its effect upon waver-
ing representatives. With large dele
cations like those from Pennsylvania
and Ohio unpledged, as members of
both say they are, it is still an unwon
contest,
The industrial commission, now sit
ting in Washington, has taken up the
subject OF the trusts, and its members
are trying hard to get at the true in
wardness of the widest known of the
combines, such as the oil and sugar
trusts, through questions asked of wit
nesses who are connected with them.
Nho ohoNOA VI VIC w NlluosSeS, Wlllb dI-
parently frank, have not up to this time
resulted in throwing much light on the
subject
Secretary Long will see that the ad-
ministration part in the national well
come that is being planned for Admiral
Dewey is all that the man and the oc.
casion call for, More than year ago
President Mckinley and his entire cab
met arrived at the conclusion that
nothing in the possession of the United
States government was too good for
Dewey, and every act of his since that
time has added to their admiration and
desire to honor him when he returns
No date has yet been set by Dewey for
bis departure from Manila. but it will
olosely follow the formal proclamation
nf General Otis that the Philippine re-