BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-23
SAN,JUAN, NOVEMBER %
The Fifty-Seyenth
Congress

The F rst Session Of the Fifty Seventh
Oongress of the United States aeill begin on
Monday. December Dad next. 1t equently
hanr ans that it takes the first session OF
new Congress long time to organize ana
get duacn to business.
The DELAY is almost always chargea0le 70 |
the House of Representatives, as the Senate |
is permanent ard continuing body ana
except in the case CT Change OF part,
control, no reorganization is necessary al
the beginning OF Congress.
The officers and committees continue
without interruption, with the exception OF
course of appointments CT new officers, ID
case any should be necessary because OF
designations or vacancies from auy cause,
and in respect to committees filling such
vacancies as may happen by the failure q
certain Senators to he reelected, etc. All
this is a simple matter and requires little
time.
In the case of the House OF Represen-
tatlyes, however, the conditions are entirely
different, The Members of that House are
all elected tor but two years. At the ex-
piration Of each Congress- the House OF
Representatives ceases to exist as an Or
ga1ized body.
By special provision Of law the employees
of the House on the annual rol! continue IL
office during the recess Of Congress, and
until their resppointment or the appoint
ment of their successors. But there is nc
Sneaker and no organized committees.
Upon the recOnvenipg of Congress the
House is called to order by the CLERK o.
the last House, who announces that the
first business before the House is the cleo
tion Of Speaker.
ii there are a number OF candidates and o
bot fight for this office, as frequently hap
pens. the early days OF the session are taken
up with caucus meetings, the dominant
party endeavoriug 10 unite Oh cand date
for Speaker, for whom they can all vote
ON the floor of the House.
Tais. in many instances axes up consider.
able time, and finally when the caucus
agrees upon nominee, and he is elected
Sneaker of the House, be is Immediately
confronted with the duty of making up the
committees. The Speaker appoints al
committees and owing to the pressure Of
contending interests, his task is not only
delicate and difficult one, but one which
often consumes many days and even weeks.
1t not infrequently happens that owing to
the DELAYS incident to the organization OF
the House practically DO business is transact
ei before the time for space taking the
usual holiday recess.
In the case of the present Congress, how
ever no such difficulties are expected to
ariee, and Organization will be effected With
practically no delay. No contest is looked
for over ihe Speakership, as 1t is taken for
granted that Hon d. B. Henderson OF Iowa
will be reelected speaker without opposition,
except of course the formal nomination OF
candidate by the minority party.
As to the Committees, these will be no
trouble, as the COMMITTEES Of the lasi
House having been made up by MIR. Hen.
derson he will doubtless, as Speaker of the
new House make practically no changes ex
cept such are neceksitated by The dropping
out Of old members and the coming In OF
: new ones. We may thereforelook confidently
for an early organization OF the new Con
press. and The transaction of considerable
volume of business even before the Christ
mas holidays.
In this connection it may be noted that
there will almost certainly be no changes
in the Ohairmanships of the Committees Of
the House and s. nate having charge Of
legislative matters pertaining to Porto
Rico.
We may therefore expect prompt action
on matters of Insular interest and especially
with reference to the five cents pound
duty npon coffee.
II, as is almost certain, President RoOse-
velt seDds q strong recommendation to
Congress on this sui ject, there seems no
reason to doubt that we will soon have the
duty restored.
Coffee is not produced in the United
States and we feel confident that there will
le no objection raised to rectifying the un.
intentional omission of the Foraker Act
and doing an act Of simple justice to Por-
10 Rico,