Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-08-19
THE EXTRA SESSION.
May Be Called Earlier Than at First
Contemplated - Conference
at Oyster Bay.

Oyster Bay, N. Y, Aug. 14-President
Roosevelt's conference with the mem
bers of the subcommittee of the SEN
ate finance committee was not conclud-
ed until the small hours of Thursday
morning. The whole subject of fnan-
cial legislation at the approaching ses-
| sion Of congress was discussed thor
oughly.
Serious consideration was also given
to the legislation to be proposed to
congress in approval of the Cuban re-
ciprocity treaty ratified by the SEN
| ate last spring
The committee, consisting of Sena-
| tors Aldrich, chairman; Plat (Conn);
Allison and Spooner, did not present
even a tentative draft of currency
bill to the president, although some
propositions which, subsequently, may
be embodied in the measure, were re-
| duced to concrete form. No definite
conclusions as to the shape of the pro-
| posed legislation were reached. The
| conference related rather to methods
of procedure in the work at hand than
| to the form of the legislation. At 7:30
| o'clock in the morning the members of
the committee left Sycamore Hill,
boarded their yacht, the Vergena, and
sailed for Providence on their return
to Senator Aldrich's home.
One fact of distinct Importance was
developed at the conference. While an
extraordinary session of congress next
fall is assured it has not been determined
definitely whether it will be called to
meet in October or in November It
has been supposed that the extraordi-
nary session would convene on Monday,
November 9, but the indications now
are that it will be called for an earlier
date, perhaps several weeks earlier.
The primary purpose of the ex-
traordinary session will be to enact leg
islation making operative the Cuban
reciprocity treaty, but financial legisla-
ton also will be pressed upon the at
tention of congress soon after it con-
venes.
Three of the senators present at the
conference are members of the senate
committee on relations with Cuba
Platt, the chairman; Aldrich and Spoon
er. All of them, particularly Senator
Platt, who has made profound study
of the situation in Cuba, regards the
necessity for the enactment of the
Cuban treaty legislation as very urg-
ent. President Roosevelt entertains
the same views. 1t is understood that
the suggestion Of an extraordinary
session of congress at date earlier
than November was made by these
senator's because of the urgency of the
Cuban legislation.
1t was pointed out, too, that if con-
gresS were convened at an early date
the entire work of the extraordinary
and regular session could be cleared
by the time the national conventions
are to be held next year. On many
accounts that is regarded as desirable
and it would be great convenience not
only to the president, but also to mem
bers of both the senate and the house.
1t can be said that the senate finance
committee will draft no measure for
mally and conclusively until consulta-
lions have been held with other mem
bers of the senate-democrats as well
as epublicans-with members of the
house and with the best authorities on
finance in the country. 1t is the desire
of the committee to be constantly in
touch with the president, with other
senators, with members of the house,
with bankers of the west as we'll as those
of the east, and with country bankers
as we'll as city bankers, so that some
plan Of legislation may be formed by
the opening of the extraordinary ses-
sion of congress.
1t is the hope of the committee to de-
wise genuinely elastic currency system
"a system that will expand when the
necessity shall arise and contract when
the necessity shall have ceased to exist.
Senator Aldrich, when asked by re-
porter with reference to the visit of the
senators to the president, said:
'The republican members of the SUBJ
committee Of the senate finance commit
tee, who recently met for an informal
conference at Warwick, R. l., talked
with the president about financial con-
ditions and the need of legislative
changes. No bill has been drafted or
agreed on and none will be until after
the fullest consultation with our dem
ocratic associates of the subcommittee
and all the members of the finance COM
mittee. 1t is, however, our purpose to
have bill in readiness for presenta-
ton to the senate at the beginning of
the extra session, if one shall be called
in October or November We are hope
full that bill can be agreed upon and re-
ported that will receive the approval of
both houses of congress and afford
prompt and efficient relief to the bust
ness interests of the whole country"
Charged with EmbezzIement
Duluth, Mimi, Aug 14-E. B. John
son, bookkeeper for the Commercial