The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
LIVELY DEBATE IN SENATE
THE ILLINOIS STATESMAN BITTER
AND SOMEWHAT SARCASTIC.
Effort to Avert a Special Session OF
Congress by Yielding to the OPP
pOhents of Expansion.


Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb u.-Talk around
the Capitol to-day centered on the proba-
bilities of an extra session of Congress. The
opinion of the affirmative side of this propo-
sitiOn was held mainly among those on the
outskirts and among those who make it
their business to invent and enlarge on
sensational speculation. The men who do
the real work in the Senate and House do
not give countenance to the theory of an
extra session. They are working hard to
complete the imperative business before the
two bodies adjourn on the 4th of March.
One obstacle in the way was removed this
afternoon by acquiescence in the eccentric
demands of Senator Mason The junior SEN
ator from Illinois insisted that he had been
promised a vote on the McEnery resolution
as a price for his support of the peace
treaty, and he demanded that a vote be
had on that proposition. The senator who
was accused of having pledged the Repub-
icans to vote on the McEnery resolutions
is Aldrich, who to-day sailed for Europe.
The senator from Rhode Island was not
present to combat the accusation and as
Senator Mason made the plea that he and
others had been made the victims of bad
faith it was decided, after a hurried con-
suItation, to accede to the demand Senator
Mason emphasized his position by threaten
ing to do his best to blockade all business
until the pledge made by Aldrich was car
ried out. He was evidently desperately in
earnest and as it was clearly in his power
to consume three or four days at least OF
the precious time remaining it was held TO
be good policy to yield to his threats The
junior senator from Illinois was terribly
worked up. He insisted that he had been
made the victim of an act of treachery by
one who had assumed to speak for the Re-
publicans of the Senate and that he deemed
it his duty to make protest which would
be felt against that sort of thing and which
would prevent its repetition in the future.
Senator Mason had heard the last words
uttered by Senator Aldrich On leaving the
Senate chamber. which were, ITO blank
with the McEnery resolutions" and the ut
terance inhamed him. By agreeing to a vote
on these resolutions on Tuesday next a
great deal of valuable time will be saved
and the prospects of a special session Will
be lessened.
Vice President Hobart, Senators Allison,
CullOm Hale, Burrows and practically all
the leaders were actively at work to-day ar
ranging for the hurried progress Of busi-
ness during the remainder of the session.
The appropriation bills will be given right
Of way in spite of every effort to sidetrack
them. Schemes of all kinds will be dis
couraged, and, although it is the ardent
desire of very close friends of the adminis-
tration that the army organization bill and
the shipping subsidy bill be passed, even
these projects may be sidetracked.
As stated in these dispatches, the Presi-
dent is not holding out for the passage OF
any particular army organization bill.
What ne demands and what all parties in
Congress appear to be willing to grant with
out opOsition, is that provision be made for
army sufficiently strong to cope with any
situation that may arise. That such pro-
vision will be made is one of the certainties.
although it is extremely doubtful if any
plan secures the approval of Congress to es-
tabish the army on a permanent basis. Al
very strong element in Congress takes the
position that neither the President nor Con-
gress can know at this time what is the
best thing to do, and that it is the part OF
wisdom to defer action on a reorganization
bill for a year or more.
1t may be said that the prospects for a
special session of the Fifty-sixth Congress
at the beginning of its existence are not
good, although the burden of gossip to-day
is to the contrary eftecL. The Democrats Ia
the Senate, while openly appearing to favor
a special session are against it for the rea-
<on that it would be attended by a reor-
.ganization of the Senate pay roll and the
elimination therefrom of about one hundred
Democrats now drawing fat salaries The
Republicans, generally speaking, are ar
rayed against an extra session. both on ac-
count of the individual expense attendant
and because they feel that the country at
large will look with disfavor on an extra
session at this time. An extra ses-
sion of Congress means more appro-
priauons Of money, and the present
Congress win go down into history as a
record breaker in that particular. The Re-
publicans have about as much of a record
for spending public money as they care to
carry through another campaign. Alto
gether, the strong influences which control
Congress are against an extra session.