The Meeker herald., 1903-03-21


March 18th.
Several senator's who have talked
with the President believe 1t to be un-
likely that an extraordinary session
will be called next autumn. They say
many reasons might be cited why such
. session should not be. held, the prin-
cipal one being that some important
state elections are to be held in No
vember and members Of Congress will
be busy with political affairs in their
own states. They point out that on the
eve Of q presidential campaign 1t ia
highly important that every effort be
| made, especially in the doubtful states,
to maintain the strength of the party
! organizations. In such circumstances
| 1t is said 1t would be possible only with
dimculty to maintain quorum at each
| branch Of the extra session. II the ses-
sion were not called until November,
they ssg It would be SO close to the
regular session a. to render 1t practic-
ally unnecessary.
Discussing the efforts Of the Panama
| Canal Company to secure an extension
| of its concession, Senator Morgan said
| this was accomplished in 1900 for the
purpose of unloading the enterprise on
the United States. THE company" he
said, bought from the president of Co
lombia for 100000 francs. In French
coin. to be paid in Paris. . prolonga-
ton of the extension for six years from
October Fl. 1904. This proposed agree
ment was laid before the Congress Of
Colombia and was rejected. The con-
stitution and laws OF Colombia re-
| quired that such contracts should be
| confirmed by Congress, but the presi-
dent of Colombia, In direct violation Of
both the laws and the constitution,
| signed the contract and received the
| 81, 100000 in gold from the New Pana-
ma Canal Company. The House Of Rep
resentatives thereupon voted that the
ONCE of president of Colombia was
vacant and dissolved"
Alexander Mcdowell. clerk Of the
House Of Representatives. has made
public an oficial compilation made by
Tally Clerk Wakefield, showing the
work done by the House during the
Fifty.seventh Congress. 1t shows that
the longest day of the session lasted.
| with recesses, IA hours, during which
| so roll calls were taken. The number
of bills and resolutions introduced in
| the House during the two sessions of
| the Congress was IS, 400, and reports
were made on $50 bills and resolu-
lions. The Senate sent to the House
1850 Senate bills and resolutions. The
House disposed OF 2.413 of the meas
ures originating with 1t. and Of 1.012
of the Senate bills and resolutions.
making a total of 3.430 bills and reso-
buttons acted on. Congress left on its
calendars 405 House and 118 Senate
| bills and resolutions. Fifteen Of the
members of the House died during the
| Congress, seven resigned and Messrs.
Rhea kentucky and Butler (Mis.
sourD were unseated, the latter twice.
The Democratic senatorial caucus
| met March 9Th and elected Senator Ar
thur Pue German to his old position -
| chairman Of the caucus. The steering
committee for the past Congress has
numbered only seven members, but
| Senator German requested that the
number should be increased TO nine.
which was the number In the days OF
his previous Craftsmanship and this In
crease was decided upon. The COM
mittee was named and consists Of Sen
ators German Of Maryland. Cockrell OF
Georgia, Dubois of Idaho. Money of
Mississippi, Bailey of Texas, Black
burn of Kentucky and Tillman OF
South Carolina. The new members on
the committee are Messrs. German,
Blackburn and TilIman. The commit.
tee is empowered to negotiate with the
| Republican steering committee with .
view to agreeing on general reorgani-
zation, but 80 far as there was express
sion Of opinion on this point. 1t was
| favorable to the view of leaving the
question of reorganization on general
lines to be determined by the Republi-
cans, As they are in power. There 10
no doubt, however. that the Demo
| cratic steering committee will insist
upon having some OF the committees
filled, for the reason that the Demo-
cratic party has lost quite heavily In
some Of the committees which are in
control Of present business.
At the meeting of the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations on the 18th
inst. amendments made to the Cuban
treaty by the committee at the last
session of Congress were renewed and
were accepted without discussion.
One of these provides for a reduction
of 40 per cent. in the tariff on Ameri-
can cattle shipped into Cuba. and the
| other is a provision prohibiting in ex-
plicit terms fourth reduction of more
than 20 per cent. in the duty on Cuban
sugar shipped into the United States
and also prohibiting reductions in the
rates on sugar coming into the United
States from other countries. The
amendment providing for the submits
sion of the Cuban treaty to the House
was offered by Senator Bacon. At the
last session of Congress the commit
tee refused to attach 1t to the treaty,
but when it was presented on the 18th
inst 1t was accepted after little de-
bate. The principal reason for Its &C.
ceptance was that members Of the
House have urged in strong terms the
constitutional right Of that body to
pass on all reciprocity treaties, be
cause Of their effect on the revenues.
Senator Bacon strongly supported this
view, but other members of the COM
mittee thought that the action of the