New-York tribune., 1905-01-06
CALLED TO WHITE HOUSE.
LEADERS IRE SUMMONED.
Conference To-mowosu on Tariff
Special Session and Economg
IFBoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAI-.l

I'll
washington Jan. 5.--The Pres. lent has ,n-
~,,ea the leaders of the Senate and House % !,
conference at the White House to be held on
saturday afternoon TO consider the best time
10 call Congress in extraordinary session for the
rsrpose OF readjusting such tariff schedules as
# may be deemed necessary to change. The
guestion OF federal receipts ana disbursements
VIII also be discussed with a view TO deter
mining in what direction the present session NAV,
best econoHize on expenses in order 10 avoid a
serious deficiency.
with the possibility of a special session OF
Congress 70 be called about June confronting
them. the lenders fn Congress are disposed to
reconsider their former objections 10 a special
session 10 follow Immediately after March 4
and sentiment in favor Of a spring session is
rapidly developing.
The announcement that the President was
seriously considering the advisability OF calling
Congress in extraordinary session about June l.
which was made exclusively by this bureau in
SIS dispatches printed in the Tribune on Wednes-
ssv. morning created consternation at the Cap
,tol. and was followed last night by a series of
conferences among Senators and Representa-
dives To-day q number Of the leaders called at
the White House to discuss the situation with
,he President the outcome Of their visits being
,be summons FOR Saturdays conference.
The result Of these preliminary conferences
v-as general accord OF opinion that a spring
session would be preferable to one called in
June or July although a number Of Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES stlI believe that an extraor-
dlnary session in November would be better
than one called at an e5rlier date.
Senate leaders vnea called on by members of
the lower house for information admitted their
inability 10 guarantee that tariff bill sent over
10 the Senate at the regular session would be
disposed of 10y any particular date. Some mem
bars Of The House assert their belief that post
poneulent or tariff readjustment until the reg
ulsr session would entail protracted debate in
the senate with the result that many Repre-
septatives would be renominated before the bill
became law and might then suffer in their.
campaigns from the positions they might be
compelled 20 take with regard TO certain tariff
schedules.
In brief. there are many members OF the
House who. now. that they convinced that
changes in some of the tariff schedules are in
evitabe see the force of the Presidents original
argument that so delicate subject had best be
disposed Of at the earliest possible moment. and
as far in advance Of the Congress elections TO
occur in November. 1906. is practicable.
Those members Of the House whose majortties
are not nonninally overwhelming and who appre-
ciate the trouble mschievoUs Democrats may
make are. therefore. urging the Speaker to exert
his influence IN favor of a spring session
ppn0sed 70 tte. sigrfT,g session are a number of
inhuertiaI Senator'S. some Of whom regard any
change in the tariff schedules as unnecessary,
perhaps dangerous Others pronounce a special
session entirely sUper1uOHs, even il tariff
changes are contemplated. and still others believe
that q session called for October or November
would accomplish all that is desired. on the
other hand are men who believe many schedules
So sntiquated thar they are unjust. and the
sooner they are rectifed the better for the cOun-
sry.
one of the reasons why special session
called Al early Gay 10 dispose Of the neces-
saTE tariff changes appeals strongly to the
President is that it would leave Congress at its
neVt regular session free 70 consider those rec
onmcndatiouS IN his Message relating 10 fed
eral control Of railway rates, the suggested pol
icy of licensing corporations engaging in inter-
10 carry into effect the so-calIed antitrust pol
Icy of the President Right here ii should be
emphasized that the President is not kCsstent
on any form Of legislation suggested, although
ne deems il Of the utmost Importance that some
legislative mea SuTes be devised which will ef-
fecJuaiiy dispose Of the evils which he has
called attention. IT. therefore, the Swayne i'm
sion, and the tariff al a special session, the
decks VIII be cleared for action in the direction
o. properly regulating the interstate commerce
Of the nation
While 81 IS TOO early 70 make definite predic-
tons, il may be safely asserted that the opinion
Of Congress IS drifting IN the direction Of
uaoTdnaTy session, 70 convene y Immediately
purpose of efecting such alterations in the tariff
schedules as progressive conditions in the mer-
camille world have rendered necessary.