Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-03
CONGRESS MEETS
FIRST 0F WEEK
Second Session Of the 58th Con-
gress Will Be Short and
Probably Uneventfill'
OPENING ALWAYS INTERESTING
Plenty Of Routine Work for th, Session
and Many Important Measures Will
Come Up, But General Belief Exists
That the Great Issues viii Not b
Settled.

Settled.
Washington, Dec. 9TH, Fifty
eighth congress will be called to order
by President Pro TEN Frye In the
senate Monday and by Speaker Cannon
In the house. When the gav,ls Of the
presiding officers summons the sepa-
tors and representatives to duty nearly
every member will be in his seat. but
only routine business will lie trans
acted. The chaplain will pray the rolls
will be called, the regular resolutions.
Of notification will be passed, commit
tees to inform the president will be ap-
pointed and adjournment will follow
out Of respect for the deceai,ed niem-s
bers. The presidents MESA age gen-.
orally Is received and read the frgt
day, but the senate is punctilto in
certain. matters and Is almost sure to
adjourn as a tribute Of respect to the
late Senator Hoar Of Massachusetts
and the late Senator Quay OF Penn
sylvania. The message, therefore,
probably will not be read until Tues
day.
But there will be enough to attract
the crowds which will fill the galleries.
The opening OF session Of congress-
has become flower show. Immense
floral pieces designed to typify the
man. or the state. or the district he
represents are placed upon members
desks In both chambers, often times to-
tally obscuring the man they are In
tended to compliment. Besides these
huge floral emblems sena tors and
members are remembered more mod..
estly by simple bunches Of fowera
Admiring constituents, CLERKS In the
departments. wives and eathearts all
ways see that favorites in bl,th senate
and house are favored with flowers.
In fact the custom has grown to such
proportions that those who ire not res
'membered In the annual gorgeous con-1
gressional floral display feel that they
have unconsciously been given greater
distinction by the omission.
Plenty to Do.
After the opening day, when the
message Of the president is. read, the
regular business Of the session will be-
gin and the legislative wheels will grind
steadily until March 4, 1905. There is
plenty to do. The calendars OF both
houses are loaded with bills Of all
kinds; hundreds Of new bills will be
introduced and committees are ready to
report enough to keep congress- busy
for twelve months, but In the three
months congress will probably " do little
more than pass the regular stnnual ap-
preparation bills. There has been some
talk OF q possible extra session. The
result OF the November election was
scarcely known before this talk began.
Heretofore extra session rNAArs nave:
been held In allegiance until the holt-
day recess or at least until after the
election returns have been digested, but
this year the discussion began before
the president knew how many votes
he would have in the electoral college.
The only reason why such q session
should be called is because there is
demand in certain quarters for a rec
vision OF the tariff.
Revenue.
An intimation has been made that
curtailment will satisfy marry congress
sional leaders, but the ma jority may
determine otherwise, In which event
some revenue legislation may be neces-
sary and an extra session fer that pur-
pose may be called. But This Is SAID
to be a remote contingency, and the
probabilities, according to The leaders
who are here are that there will be
neither tariff legislation nor an extra
session.
Recjurocity.
Coupled with tariff legislation dis
cussions is the subject OF reciprocity.
A number Of proposed rectprocity
treaties have been, and still are, repos-i
ing in the pigeon holes OF the senate.
During the coming three months there
NAV be some talk about these treaties,
but the indications are they will not be
seriously considered. SO strong has
been the opposition to them that 1t has
never been considered worth while TO
report them from the committee on
foreign relations to which they were
referred. There was considerable talH
during the last session OF congress cone
cerning tariff revision, AMI rne suge
gestion was made by several prominenU
leaders that any revision that was nee
essary could be accomplished during
the short session OF congress, the ldeA
being that revision would be on tho
lines OF reduction and woula meet with
little or no opposition. II more reve-
nue. is needed and 1t Is found necessary
to add some internal revenue taxes, ops
position may be more promo mced. Rev
enue legislation Of any kinsi is sure 70
create considerable talk In the senate
and that means delay. In fact 1t has
become known that under present con-
ditions legislation during the short ses-
sion is enacted by practically unani~
NOUS consent. Any half dozen sena-
tors who determine to defeat bill
have the power to do 30. with the priv
ileee Of unlimited debate In the
house the stringent rules enable tho
ma tnr.tv to transact all business It
desires and so far as that body is con-
cerned there is no difficulty about any
legislation that may be at'senrtn' bv:
ASe' .-------------s
CONTINUED on fifth page.,