The true northerner., 1899-05-17


From ST. Louis Globe Democrat
The frequency with which the rumors
recur that an extra session of congress
will be called has some significance. 1t
shows that many persons who are promi-
nent in the republican party expect it..
Several persons who are believed to
stand close to the president have limited
that they look for called session. The
reasons which viii suggest themselves
for called session are the Philippine,
Cuban, Porto Rican and general expan-
sion issue; the necessity for the passage
of some sort of financial reform bill be
fore the national conventions meet next
summer, and the possibility that the
present military enlistment law may have
to be modified i'm some direction. Then,
too, the retirement of Thomas b. Reed
may be an additional reason why con-
gress may be brought together at an
earlier date than the regular opening day
in December The new speaker will nee
essarily require more time for the franz
ing of committees than the late speaker,
with his long experience, needed.
None of these reasons seem imperative
at this moment Expansion legislation
can wait until congress, in its regular
session, gets time to attend to it, A mill
tary government will have to be in opera
tion for year or two in any case. Con-
gress will probably be better informed as
to the exact situation in the Philippines
next January or February than it will
be next September or October, which
are the latest months at which the extra
session could be delayed, if one is called
at all. The measure of financial reform
which is to be recommended by the COM
mittee charged with this question is
likely to be simple. 1t will probably
provide that all greenbacks redeemed in
gold shall be held in the treasury until
an equal amount of gold is offered for
them, and perhaps will recommend the
issue of national bank notes to the par
value of the bonds as security for circu-
lation. There is a chance, too, that the
bill will make positive declaration that
gold is the recognized standard of the
United States. All of these provisions,
but particularly the one first named, are
favored by individual members of the
committee. 1t ought not to take long
time to put measure like this through
a congress which has a republican ma
jority in both branches. The fighting is
likely to be ended long before congress
can assemble, even in extra session.
which would lessen the urgency of a
military bill.
1t is well, of course, to have the work
of congress as far ahead as possible be
fore the national conventions meet in
June or July, 1900. This is one of the
chief considerations which would render
an early session of congress desirable. 1t
would be well for the republicans to
have as complete a record as is practi-
cable before the campaign opens. From
present indications the opposition to
them will be far weaker in 1900 than it
was in 1896. Still the greater the repub-
lican majority next year the better it
will be for the party and the country.
Next years defeat is the last reverse that
Organism will ever have a chance to get,
because that folly will then disappear
forever. No party would ever nominate
Bryan after 1900 If it becomes appar-
ent in the next few months that the
government'sinterests and the republican
party's needs demand an early session of
congress, one should be called. This is
a case in which the interests of the re-
publican party are in a particularly
direct and emphatic degree the interests
of the country.