The Indianapolis journal., 1903-08-20
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

James A. Hemenway, of Boonville, mem
Der of Congress from the First district.
and the man, who as chairman of the COM
mlttee on appropriations, will become In
diana's most conspicuous member of the
National House of Representatives at the
opening of the coming session, was in the
city yesterday. His mission was one of
business, he said, but he found time to meet
and talk with a number of politicians and
late in the afternoon was present at the
Statehouse at a watermelon feast of the
State Tax Board, where he was found by a
Journal reporter. Among others present at
the cutting of the melon were Major Geo.
W. Steele, of Marion. former representative
from the Eleventh district: Union B. Hunt,
of Winchester, former secretary of state
and probable candidate for Governor, and
the members of the board-Governor Dur
bin, Dan Storms, John Wingate, Parks Mar
tin and John c. Billheimer, secretary. The
assemblage was one to lead the reporter to
conclude that there was something on aside
from a discussion of watermelons, but every
one present insisted that nothing but the
luscious melon and the pleasure of bask-
ing in the society of the others for a few
minutes could have brought him there.
XXX
Representative Hemenway has Just re-
turned from a months vacation spent at
Lake Champlain and points in Canada
in company with Representative Joseph G.
Cannon, of Illinois, his closest friend in
Congress, and the man who Will be the
next speaker Of the House. Naturally it
might be expected that Mr.. Hemenway
would have store of interesting political
news, but he was inclined to be exceeding
ly noncommittal
NO." he replied to a question ventured.
Mr.. Cannon did not invite me to take the
trip with him to assist in making ND the
House committees for the coming session.
Mr.. Cannon has not taken up that question
formally as yet, and will not for some
weeks, I understand
Mr.. Hemenway admitted, however that
the personnel of the important committees
may have been" mentioned by them DUR
ing their outing. 1t is well known that
Mr.. Hemenway stands closer to Mr.. Can
non than any other member Of Congress,
and when it was announced that they had
left for a months trip through Canada it
was reported that the House committees
would be practically determined before their
return. Indiana is especially interested in
this question, as in addition to the berth at
the head OF the appropriations committee
which will so to Mr.. Hemenway, there is
a vacancy on the ways and means COM
mittee that is sought by several members of
the Indiana delegation and there are other
good assignments that Hoosier representa-
tives are after. Overstreet, of the Seventh,
Lands, of the Ninth, and Watson. of the
Sixth, are understood to have ambitions
TO serve on the ways and means committee.
In answer to a question as to the prob
able date of the special session of Con-
gress Mr.. Hemenway said that 1t had been
understood that Nov. would see the rep
resentatives and senators back in Wash
ington.
There is some talk, however, of an ears
lier session, some time in October" he
said. There are objections to calling the
session in October because Of the elections
in November, but / do not know what
weight they Will carry. The neec for a
| special session is supposed to be in the
demand from Eastern sources for financial
| legislation / am not sure ! see the need
| for additional financial legislation at pres
| ent, or In the near future, but that Is a
| question for Congress to consider carefuIly
| and dispose of. The demand seems to come
| principally from Wall street sources, largely
as result of the recent fiurries on the
| Stock Exchange. The difficulty on Wal
| street, as / see Ii, has been that the water
has been squeezed out of some stocks, but
| do not understand the situation to be criti-
cal. or one that calls for special legisla.
ton 10 reneNe II am ihcHEeo 10 De
| lieve the situation Will adjust itself read.
| lily without any bad effects on the country
| at large. The volume of currency in circu.
| lation is now so per capita, twice as large
/ as il was fifteen or twenty years ago. and
| the amount of business done by checks has
increased in even greater proportion
| Ii is understood that Mr.. Cannon is vigor.
/ ously opposed to the proposed additional
| financial legislation, and Eastern papers
have charged that as speaker of the nexl
House he will block all attempts to secure
| such legislation, but Mr.. Hemenway de.
| ciined TO discuss Mr.. Cannon's position. HI
/ was careful. also. to say that he himself
| had taken no positive position on the ques'
| ton, and would not until he had given th(
matter further consideration wheh Congrest
assemblies
Samuel L Calhoun, Of Evansville. has ~
Gently announced that he win be candi
date against Mr.. Hemenway next year fol