Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-20
That FAN Session of Congress.

Interesting but conflicting reports
are coming from Oyster Bay regard
ing the extraordinary session of con-
gress and financial legislation. From
the high authorities" quoted it is
evident that the president himself is
at sea in his efforts TO serve all in
terests. Bound by what he regards as
pledge to urge the consideration of
the Cuban treaty, legislation in adj
vance of the financial measure now
being prepared by Senator Aldrich
and his fellow members of the sub
committee Of the senate committee
on finance, the president is being sub
jected to such strong pressure from
the capitalistic classes in the east
that he has been compelled to con-
slider the advisability of calling con-
gress in extra session even earlier
than had been anticipated Nov Q.
That the president has seriously con-
templated such a move is proven by
an interview Senator Aldrich gave to
the press in which he refers to the
likelihood that congress will she call
ed to convene in October.
No sooner was the possibility of
such an early session learned in Wash
ingtOn than it was met with protests
of the practical politicians who say
that they will be fully occupied with
the various state elections in October
and that no member of congress can
be spared to attend to national affairs
until the November elections are dis
posed of. Attention is called to the
precarious situation in Ohio. where
the democrats give promise as acting
as one man to defeat Senator Hanna
by electing a legislature hostile to
him. The secretary of agriculture has
even promised to go to Ohio and take
the stump to save the day for the
Ohio leader and it is appreciated that
the most energetic measures must be
taken to recOuP the political. fortunes
of the patron of Perry Heath, August
w. Mechen. Cliff Long and other
members of the Ohio gang.
The situation in Rhode Island is
also most alarming to the republicans.
The democrats in that state have
made unprecedented gains and bid
fair to control the legislature and all
other important offices. If they are
successful this fall it will entirely dis
rupt the republican machine and there
Will be every chance that the legisla-
ture elected year later will defeat
Senator Aldrich, who comes up for re-
election then. and will send n demo-
crat to the senate. In the face of this
alarming state of affairs the republi-
cans feel that they must put forth
every effort to save the state and ulti-
mately save the leader of the republic
can party in the senate.
There is also an important contest
on in West Virginia, where the re-
publicans are badly divided, many
members of the party having deter
mined that they will no longer be rep
resented by Senator Scott, whom they
appreciate is bound hand and foot to
the great coal, iron and railway in
terests of the state. Under these con-
ditions the regular members of the
party are being urged to enter the
state and exert their best efforts to
save Scott from defeat. These are
but a few of the problems which con-
front the republican leaders and
which would be seriously aggravated
if Mr.. Roosevelt were to call congress
in session in advance of the elections.