The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-04
EXTRA SESSION.
Petitions Are Pouring in ON
President Roosevelt
Asking Him to Call Congress
Together at Once.
FROM ALL SECTIONS.
They Come But Do Not Agree
as to Requirements.
Probability lis That Currency
Tinkerers Must Wait.

Washington, D. c., Nov. Am IN
creasins demand for an extra session
of congress to deal with the financial
situation is coming in on the president
from all parts of the country.
The president is not inclined TO has
ZEN the assembling of congress, which
is dine to he in regular session four
weeks from Monday, and the cry for
currency legislation probably Will
have to wait.
The lesson of the financial furry,
emphasizing as it has defects in ex-
listing currency laws, seems to have
been taken close to heart all over the
country. Bankers and financial in
terests everywhere have Joined in the
request that congress be assembled at
once to deal with the problem of pro-
vidiug an elastic currency. The de-
nand has been made manifest not
only in the shape of petitions TO the
president himself but also by way OF
letters and kilograms to members OF
congress who happen to be in Wash
ington.
Senators and representatives have
been Hooded with messages from con-
president to issue call for an extra
session forthwith But the sheer
number of these requests has served
to prevent their being successful The
president has found that no two parts
of the country are able to agree on
any plan for providing the relief that
all desire.
Some propositions have come from
western men which do not at all agree
with others from the east, while the
south has still different ideas of what
should be done. In this situation the
president feels that it would be unwise
to ask congress to take up the matter
in extra session, when the probability
would be that only a flood of speeches
would be let loose. enbodying hodge
podge of ideas, and nothing beneficial
would result. He believes that with
more time for general consideration of
the needs OF the situation congress will
come to the task of legislating for an
elastic currency with much better
chance of evolving a scheme of ade-
quate relief
rapidly and every day brings optfmis-
tic reports. The crisis has been passed,
and with the measures adopted by the
secretary of the treasury and Controller
Ridgely, a prompt increase of currency
is assured, which, with the influx of
gold will be ample to meet ali necesSi-
ties until congress can have plenty of
opportunity to act with delioerauion in
stead of precipitately as there would be
danger if an extra session were called.
Not Justified, President Feels.
Several of his callers discussed the
matter with the president and found
him disinciined to believe that any gen.
ufne relief could be had by s'InD1oning
an extra session. On the contrary, he
thinks that such action would only
make matters worse. partly by produce
ing undigested legislation if it produce
any, and partly by giving the situation
a bearing which he does not believe is
justified.
The president has been assured from
most reliable sources that there will be
no opposition on the part of the great
Industries of the country to the enact
ment of the necessary laws to carry
out his ideas of federal control to the
extent to which he has expounded them
IN his recent public utterances.
Some of the presidents petitioners
suggested that the president set con-
gress to the task first of making such
amendments to the financial laws as will
result in the maximum of f1exibility
with the minimum of basic change in
our system and that the president en-
body his suggestions or corporations con-
troll into succfnct recommendations for
enactment into law.
Quote Speech as Argument.
In this connection the president has
been directed to the following quota
lions from his speech al Providencetown.
Mass. August 20 last:
: II believe in a national incorporation
engaged In interstate business. 1 be-
-1eVe TurIneTUlOTep tHdI the need for
action is most pressing as regards
these corporations which, because they
are common carriers. exercised a quasi
public function; and which can be COM
uIetely controlled, In all respects by
the federal government. by the exercise
of the power conferred under the inter-
state commerce clause, and, If neces-
sary, under the post road clause of the
constitution.
ssThe national government should ex-
@rctse over them similar supervision
and control to that which it exercises
over national banks. We can do this
only by proceeding further along the
lines marked out by the recent national
legislation:
a. engaged in interstate commerce.
ard such a concern must not be al
loved by a. dexterous shifting of posi-
ton. as has been too often the case
IN the past, to escape thereby all re-