The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-11
Chat Of the Capital.
Washington Gossip, Political ami
Otherwise, for the Readers
of the 0lobs.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-(Special 1.-The
prospects of this congress taking an early
recess next summer are not very bright.
Before the Fifty-sixth congress assem-
bed the opinion prevailed that the adj
ministration members In both houses
would be able to hurry through necessary
legislation so that recess could be taken
until next December, some time early in
June. The opinions OF these prophets
have changed considerably within the
last few days. They have discovered that
lengthy and tiresome debates will be on in
the senate and continue indefinitely. The
Quay case will be given some time unless
the Pennsylvania politician decides to
give up the fight without attempting to
reverse the decision of the committee on
privileges and 4. elections, which voted
against 1t. Z
weeks Will be devoted to the currency
Dill, and after this is out of the way leg
islation for the government of our col
onial possessions will take up more time
than has been anticipated by the admin
istration's representatives in the upper
branch.
The outlook now is that the usual re-
cess cannot be taken earlier than Aug. j,
and perhaps may be postponed until some
time in October. This delay will of course
work to the disadvantage of the Repub-
lfcans In the next national presidential
and congressional campaigns The house
does not seem to be disposed to hurry
matters, and SO. the senate is not apt to
be criticised for the delay which will en-
sue in carrying through legislation neces-
sary before the summer recess can be
taken.
1t will be some time yet before the
members of the lower branch will be able
to get down to the real business of the
session. In addition to this, the present
speaker. Gen. Henderson, is not able, as
Tom Reed was, to push legislation
through the house with degree of rapid
ity which surprised both his friends and
foes. The failure to have a Reed in
the chair in the house is. going; to cause
great delay. and the assertion previously
made that the first session of this con-
gress will not END before August or Oc-
tober will be confirmed later on in this
year.
The indications are now more favorable
than they have ever been in the past for
the enactment of legislation providing for
the election of senators by direct vote of
the people. The Clark-Daly contest,
which will probably continue in the SEN
die lOT weeks TO -COflle, ana Tie QiSSdlis-
faction that in the Quay case is certain
to follow the efforts of Mr.. Quay to Sc
cure his seat by Gov. Stones appoint
ment, is certain to create a stir among
the voters Of the country, and insistenee
for legislation to prevent scandals grow
ing out of senatorial contests will be
pressed upon the members of both house
and senate Of this congress, and this
pressure will be forthcoming.
AS matter of fact, a good many mem
bers of both houses are now convinced
that the most able course to be pursued
is to reintreduce measures providing the
taking out of the hands of the various
state legislatures the election of repre-
sentatives to the upper branch OF con-
gress and giving the required authority
to the peaple to select their representa-
tives at the polls, and have these meas
ures enacted into laws before the Fifty
sixth congress draws to close. That
there will be bitter opposition to this
law goes without saying. The men who
oppose it, however, will be the wealthy
men of the senate, for the reason that
had it not been for the money they had
at their command the exalted positions
they now hold would not have been with
in their grasp. If such a law should pass
President Mckinley will be wise enough
to approve it, To veto it would mean
that he would be surely endorsed at the
polls next November
j S. Van Antwerp.