The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-13
EXTRA SESSION.


Astorian il is evident that there will b
no extra session of congress as was con
templated at one time by Presiden
Roosevelt.
A disposition has been shown IN SOM
quarters to question The value Of an ex
ira session of congress if that session
is not to be called until after the Novem
Der elections, Ii has been said that HI
tie or nothing can be gained by insist,
ing on 'Vtiftaih rispf' meeting of moi
more than three weeks. II is argued the
gaiAe is not worth the candle, especially
If the members of the two branches find
a way to vote themselves double mileage
] allowances.
But this view, though plausible, is
based on serious misconceptions. 1t is
not likely, in the first place, that con-
gress will authorize the payment of
double mileage Technically an excellent
case can be made out by those who hold
that one session can not be merged into
another and that mileage is collectable
for each separate session, no matter how
minute the interval which marks the sep
aration. Two years ago only ''eonser-
yative recess" intervened between the
termination of the first and the beginning
of the second session of the 5th con.
gress. The house of representatives de-
cided BY vote. however, that there had
been an actual break, and that its APP
preparations committee had followed pre-
cident in reporting second mileage ap.
preparation. Then the house unanimous.
ly waived its claim to compensation. A
year later it reyenged itself and voted
to accept constructive mileage" But
the senate refused to sanction this pay
ment, and the mileage grab paragraph
persisted in conference. With such a re.
cord confronting and with the knowledge
that popular sentiment is becoming more
and more intolerant of reflections from
scrupulous conduct in public life, the
new congress will hardly venture to stand
on technicalities and vote itself compen-
sation for travelling expenses incurred
only in imagination.
1t is equally beside the point to argue
that legislation will be in no way exped-
lated by bringing the two houses togeth-
er three or four weeks ahead of the reg |
luar session date. As a matter of fact. |
the gain made is more material than |
it seems to be on the surface. 1t is a |
commonplace in Washington that each
new congress which assemblies on the first
Monday in December wastes practically |
the first five weeks of the session. Be.
fore the committees can be announced
the holiday season comes on, and little OF
no work is undertaken until near the |
middle of January. If congress meets
in any other month than December there
is no valid excuse for delaying organiza-
tion, and within two weeks the commit
tees are named and the wheels of legis.
lation begin to turn. Instead of backing
and filling and merely making time, the
two branches fall to work, and the
Christmas recess, when it does arrive,
no serious interruption to
business
The advantages of little earlier start
were strikingly demonstrated in the his.
tory of the last congress. That body
met on November 9, 1903, and sat in ex-
session until December 5.
1903, when the regular session opened;
but the impetus gained in those four ex-
ira weeks enabled those two houses to
bring the session to a close on April 20,
1904. No necessary tasks were sighted,
yet an adjournment was taken earlier
han any other long session year since
1918. The incoming congress must wres-
lie with unusually difficult and impor-
ant legislative problems. 1t needs time
md a free hand to do its work, and this
work will be materially facilitated by ad.
pting the expedient of brief November Il
ession-an expedient which has already q
royed its helpful quality.
--O a