The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-02-20
EXTRA SESSION OF
SENATE PROBABLE
A CRITICAL SITUATION NEAR THE CLOSE
OF THE SESSION.
The Blockade Caused by the Statehood
Bill-How the Trusts Rule Congress.
Other Matters
( News and Courier.)

|
President for such session, is OK
pected Immediately at the close Of
the present session, unless the unex
pected happens and the Cuban and
Panama Canal treaties are ratified.
| However, an extra session Of the
| Senate alone will create little interest
outside of it's action in ratifying the
treaties, for no other legislation is
probable. The Senate, it is true,
might go on and pass bills, which
the House could take up next De.
cember, when 1T meets again, but
none Of the measures considered by
the Senate could become law for the
present. But the disposition will be
to consider the treaties solely and the
meetings will be very largely execu-
tive.
These executive sessions of the
Senate always attract much interest
locally, because of the many peculiar
practices connected with them. In
open session the Senate is part of
the Legislative branch. But when
tn" silver electric bells in every COM
mlttee room and corridor at the
north end Of the Capitol ring four
times, following Il motion of some
Senator for an executive session, the
Senate ceases to be part Of the legis-
lative branch Of the Government and
becomes part of the executive
branch. Spectators arc hustled out
Of the galleries in droves, the doors
are barred, that lead to tho public
chairs, down stairs the big white
double doors swing to and uniformed
Capitol policemen and other employ
ees of the Senate guard against in
trusion by way of the wide marble
stairways.
1he Senate preserves with great
punctiliousness it's forms of secrecy
as to the executive session, but ac-
coui'ts of what transplred appear
with accuracy ia the morning papers
of the next day. The accounts have
to come from the Senators them
selves, but it is rare indeed that the
correspondents, who have friends
among the Senators, do not get the
substance of everything of public in
terest that transpires behind the
doors. Stenographic reports are
made Of all the sayings in open ses-
sion and printed the following morn
ing verbatim, but official reports are
not made Of the executive session.
HOW THE TRUSTS RULE CONGRESS-
There has been marked develop
ment this winter in the character of
lobbying before Congress- Hereto
fore a great many big interests have
sent their mon to Washington to
look after interests. These mon are
often politely called attorneys, but
IN reality are mon trained in the
ways Of promoting legislation or pre-
venting Legislation. as the desires of
the big corporations might be.
Some master mind has now or
ganiZed these vast industries and
corporations into " community of in
forests, and the railroads, mines,
ship interests and the like are repre-
sented by one bureau, where books
are kept and where the wires are
touched from time to time, a. may
be necessary, to bring TO Washington
the particular men who can work
along deMred line. Thus a rail
road president, for example, may
have particular influence with the
delegation from some Western State.
He comes to Washington on hurry
summons to help steamship com
blne, perhaps TO defeat bill that
/ hlnders it's interests, or it may be
that the president IF n steamship
lin" comes to help ont big railroad
| that Iuur,tl 10 JnI,nt ~ Il -. l.