Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-13
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
More Talk of an Extra Session
Of Congress.
MAY BE NEXT FALL
NOT YET DECIDED UPON, BUT BE-
ING CONSIDERED.
Virginia Republicans Want the Party
in the State Reorganized-Some
Of Today's Callers.
MAY BE NEXT FALL

ment that the President is turning over in
his mind the practicability of calling an ex-
traordinary session of the Fifty-eighth Con-
gress some time this fall. Consideration Of
the advisability of doing this has been
forced on the President by the information
that 1t Is the intention of the Senate to
amend the Cuban treaty as to render ac-
ton upon it by the House of Representa-
tives necessary to make it effective. This
would carry over until next January a
resolution Of approval by the House, and
thereby delay the enforcement of the treaty
for ten months or a year. On learning the
intention Of the Senate the President noti-
fled some of the leaders, republicans and
democrats. that he would hold himself free
to call an extra session to secure action by
the House. No definite time was mem
toned by the President, but he indicated
that the probability was, If an extra session
were called at all. 1t would be to meet
some time next fall, either in October or
November.
The President is much in earnest in his
desire to have the Cuban treaty ratified and
made effective. 1t can be said that so
strong is this desire he even has considered
the advisability of calling the Congress into
extraordinary session this spring II the
Senate should permit the Cuban treaty to
fail through lack Of quorum. That, how
ever, is contingency which he considers
improbable. The belief of the President
and Of his advisers is that the Senate will
take definite action upon both the Panama
canal and Cuban reciprocity treaties at the
present extraordinary session. Assurances
to that effect have been received from the
lieves. also, 1t can be said, that this work
of the Senate will have been accomplished
by the last of next week.
Further than that the President "holds
h tYroc n1 {o oa11 xfvno 1fVny
sion of the Fifty-eighth Congress nothing
has been determined. He believes now that
session ought to- be called, and unless in
his opinion conditions should change be-
tween this time and next fall the proba-
bility is that the call VIII be issued. His
idea Is that at the extraordinary session
the Cuban treaty could be disposed of with
out disturbing or delaying the business Of
the regular session. At the coming long
session of Congress a great mass of bust
ness will demand attention, and in view Of
the important campaign of next year 1t Is
likely to be the desire Of Congress to ad-
journ in June If possible. Final disposition
Of the Cuban treaty at an extraordinary
session would be long step toward the
clearing of the decks for the regular ses-
sion.
It Is understood that the President does
not regard immediate action by the House
upon the treaty as necessary, inasmueh as
the Cuban sugar crop which will be af-
fected directly will not be ready for mar
ket until next winter. IT, then, action
should be taken upon the treaty some time
next fall 1t would be effective in ample
time to afford that relief to Cuba which
the President so greatly desires to give.
Nothing Has Been Decided.
1t is fair to state that the President has
in no wise reached any decision as to an
extra session, and that many senators do
not regard it as at all likely that such a
session will be called after all the reasons
for and against such ac,pon are fully
weighed.
The objections urged to an extra session,
and especially in October. are numerous.
The principal one is that a number of i'm
portant state elections will be held in No
vember next and that members-elect of
Congress will be busy in their states. Pre-
liminary to an election year, and with the
democracy working to get together, the
services of all the republicans of promi-
nence will be needed in close states it is
pointed out. There must be no reversal of
opinion in republican strongholds, republi-
can senators point out, and it would be
practically impossible to get an attendance
of members-elect on an extra session. It is
likewise pointed out that if an extra session
should be called after the election the time
would be SO close to the regular session OF
Congress as to make such action almost un-
necessary.
The President has in mind that as the
sugar crop will be ready to market in the
justice to Cuba that she would be able to
market that crop under the low rates ac-
corded in the treaty but 1t Is here pointed
out that the sugar planters have frequently
held their crops to await better prices, and
that they would undoubtedly hold the crop
a few months longer this time If they feel
confident that the House would approve the
ratification Of the Senate.
Might Be Important.
An extra session Of Congress in the fall
would probably prove an important one on
many questions beside that Of the Cuban
treaty. Financial interests Of the country
would undoubtedly welcome it because OF
the likelihood that the Aldrich and Fowler
bills would be promptly taken up and most
likely passed. The money stringency so
much expected this fall would be worse in
November and December than at any other
season owing to the rush of business.
1t is unquestionably the intention Of re-
publican leaders of both houses to put
through some financial legislation as early
as possible when the next Congress meets
and an extra session would afford them
time to act possibly early enough to avert
what many financiers predict may be a Sc
rious crisis In the financial affairs OF the
country. The Aldrich and Fowler bills are
both measures of relief. The former al
receipts to be deposited in national banks
and makes other than government bonds
security for these deposits. The Fowler
bill permits banks to increase their circu-
lation by lessening the amount Of securities
to be deposited. The going into effect Of
the Cuban treaty would likewise give small
amount of relief, In that it would lessen the
customs receipts Of the government and
keep out Of the vaults Of the treasury Just
that much money, leaving it in trade chan
nels.
The Presidents Callers.
Before the cabinet meeting this morning
the President saw a goodly number of
callers, the number including eight or ten
senators. Senators Culom and Hopkins
presented Col. Clarke E. Carr Of Gales
burg, ILL.,, who wanted the President to
visit that place in October on the occasion
Of exercises commemorative of the anniver-
sary Of the Lincoln-Douglas debate
Senator Burrows presented Mark Ireland
of Chesning. Mich. a young man who
wants to be appointed as lieutenant in
the regular army.
Want Reorganization In Virginia.
]. 8. Browning. a prominent republican
Of Pocahontas, Tazewell county. Va. called
at tAe White House to discuss with the