Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-04
EXTRA SESSION FORECASTS
Many Persons Interested in Its
Probable Length.
farfff Debates Exceed 70 Last Until
JIuiy--speniscr Cannon Muy Hasten
Matters in House, hut Senators
VIII Take All the Time They
Desire.

veat for the inaugural parade?" the
most popular form Of greeting now
heard In washington u.s. How long will
It take Congress to revise the tariff"
Almost everybody in the national capi-
tai is interested in trying to find out
the probable length Of the tariff session.
Members OF Congress want to know SO
that they may make their political plans
for the summer says tho Washington
correspondent OF the New York Post.
Their families want to know. SO that
vacation plans may be arranged. Every
business man who comes here wants to
know, because he realizes that unsettled
business conditions will prevail as long
as the Senate and House are "tinkerins
with the schedules" And, Of course, the
people Of washington. especially the
merchants and hotel men, want to know.
because Congress Is the great asset Of
commercial washington.
Speaker Cannon has been quoted ms
laying that he sees no reason why the
special session should not adjourn by the
middle of May, or the first Of June. IL
Mr. Cannon ever made this statement.
ne was not serious I1s closest friends
will be out Of the way a. early as Juno
!. They are predicting that the lawmak-
ers Of the nation will be fortunate II
they are able TO return to their respect
I've districts to explain to Fourth-of-Juy
assemblages the wonderful new fiscal
policy which the United states has a
dopted.
II Mr.. Cannon could manage the Senate
as easily as he and his associates control
tho House, an adjournment by May l
would not be impossible But the Senate
has no purpose to rush through tar
III bill. Senator Aldr!cf and the other
republican leaders are not making any
vacation plans for the early summer.
They purpose to stay in Washington un-
til they get a bill that suits them. Tn
der the Senate rules. tariff legislation
cannot be driven through under whip
and spur method. Two or three detern
Med and dissatisfied men can prolong
the session almost Indefinitely.
THE PRESENT PROGRAMME.
II tho present programme is carried
out the Payne bill will reach the Senate
about April Is. This means that from fif-
teen to twenty days will be devoted to
debate on the bill in the House. on the
will he March Is. Chairman Payne and
his republican colleagues on the ways
and means committee will be ready TO in
troduce their bill. It will be referred to
the committee on ways and means. and
the democrats on that committee will be
called in and asked how they like all OF
It. and they will be ready to propose a
substitute bill. It Is the hope Of Speak
er Cannon that the Payne hill will be re-
ported to tho House within week after
the Congress NETS.
No agreement has teen reached as to
the procedure IN the House. Doubles.
II will be necessary to invoke the power
Of the committee on rules to put the
bill through. The democrats will ask
that II be In order to move amendments
to every schedule. This proposition will
be resisted by the republican leaders.
who will NAL an effort to line up their
party for the committee bill. It 1. possi-
BILE that the committee on rules may
work out plan whereby only one a
,nendment An be offered. If this is done
Champ Clark. the minority leader. will
he recognized to offer the democratic bill
as substitute for the Payne measure
The programme will be to vote down the
proposed substitute ana put through the
committee bill without amendment
PERIL OF THE PAYNE BILL.
The best parliamenta ria ns IN the House
say they do not see how the PAYNE bill
can be put through at all If It Ia
opened to general amendment from
the foor. This is the explanation they
offer: The Payne bill represents
months Of study and Investigation. It
has been framed more carefully than
any other tariff bill In our history. In
ita entirety II may not be satisfactory
TO single republican Congressman.
but it will represents the best COM
promise measure that tho Ways and
Means committee can frame. Now.
they say, to permit the House TO vote
a change in the steel schedule, for in =
stance. would mean complete over
throw OF the compromise arrange
ment mobilization Of the steel
schedule might require redrafting
Of some other schedule. In other
words. to use the language OF one OF
the House leaders. "A tariff must be
made in committee. Any effort to make
such a bill. in the excitement Of debate
on the floor Of the House, would result
IN a measure which would be so obnox-
ious that the business interests OF the
country would laugh at us
or course, free debate will be permit
ted. Perhaps Ave or six hours q day fol
two weeks. or maybe three weeks will
b allowed the republican and democrat
&c orators to explain their position or
the tariff. When the oratory has al
cooled oft a month six weeks will BIZ
given to members within which to sub
NIT speeches for printing in the Congress
siOnal Record.
THE sENATE's SHARE IN THE
WORK.
The Senate finance committee will begil
active work on the tariff bill as soon a
the payne measure II made public. Onl,
short sessions Of the Senate will be hell
until the bill comes over from the House
A. soon as the bill reaches the Senat
there will be nothing for the House Il
DO except 10 meet every third day ant
adjourn. There will he another big nigh
in the House when the amended bill
comes back from the Senate. When tn
conference committee Is appointed Their
will be a temporary lull in both the Sen
ate and House. That from two to thre
weeks will he required for the confer
snce committee to reach an ngreemen
IL predicted by those who are familia
with the tariff beliefs OF Senator Aldricl
and Chairman Payne.
Nearly every member OF the Senat
will make at least one tariff speech
llama senators will make from two to