Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-17
Neither Republicans Nor DEM
ocrats Seem Opposed.
BOTH FORESEE PARTY GAIN
Not Difficult for Either Side to Bring
About.
'ILIBUSTER WOULD FORCE IT
Failure of Appropriation Bills
Would Make It Measure of
Necessity.

How about an extra session OF the
Sixty-second Congress-
EVERY incoming member OF the House
OF Representatives puts that question 10
somebody or other just as soon almost
as ne steps off his train in the Union
stauoh' And IL is question that not
only the rank and file. but the leaders OF
ooth parties. would give almost anything
'o nave answered as soon as possible
with something definite in view they
could lay their plans and build their de-
fenses But just at present 1t is a waiting
game.
Both Parties Predict Gain.
And just suppose there is an extra ses-
sion. who will force it?
Inc republicans? Ask one Of them. and
ne IL wax enthusiastic in the affirmative.
'"Certainly." he'll say I'VE have ey-
erything TO gain and nothing to lose An
extra session, with its tariff possibilities,
would show up the democrats
They couldn't get together on rev.
enue tariff I'm a thousand years. They
couldn't get together on anything else.
Let's have an extra session, by ali
means"
hC uCHlOCIdtS. ASK Qen1OcTat, ana
he'll express himself I'm just such definite
terms that an extra session would be all
that is necessary to complete the rout OF
the G. o. =.
Certainly" he'll say I'VE have ev-
erything to gain and nothing to lose.
The democratic House could get to-
gether on number OF important sched-
ules about which there liz popular feel
ing and in which there Is a general de-
rn laa
legislation and send IT over to the repub-
lican Senate.
What would happen then? Don't you
suppose the country would understand
Senate was the only remaining bulwark
OF the interests that stood firm to pre-
vent the outrageous protection of profit
glutted trusts and material reduction
IN the. high cost of living?
Give us an extra session by all
means"
Party Prospects in Balance.
AS q matter OF fact, there n little to
choose between just now in the matter
Of any advantage that might accrue to
either party through forcing an extra
session. The political situation was
never more interesting
Admittedly, the whole future Of both
parties-and 'tis a roster outlook than
the democrats have had in years. with
the view ahead little misty from q re-
publican standpoint-hangs In the bal
ance- A false move an ill-considered
step. hasty action, may determine the
political complexion Of the next admin
istratiOn and even Of succeeding admin
istrations for many years.
OF course, If 1t is admitted. for the
sake of argument, that the democratic
party Of today is the same old democratic
party Of yesterday, and that with its
n nf aoy,fo ffxroex
in the Sixty-second Congress. 1t will I'm
mediately proceed to make an ass OF it
self in seventeen different directions, then
the republican premise is pretty well
founded that an extra session. called or
forced. which would meet after the con-
clusion Of the regular session the 4th OF
March would help the G. o. p. wonder
fully.
Carrying out this assumption a little
farther, the democratic majority in the
House would strike the top of the to-
boggan by quarreling bitterly among
themselves at every conceivable oppor-
tunity. winding up in hopeless tangle
by an absolute failure to agree on reyi-
sion of important schedules of the tariff
through the selfish local views of indi-
vidual representatives. This situation, if
1t materialized. would, Of course, make q
republican holiday.
Democrats in Present Accord.
But it does not appear to the disinter-
ested observer of events as If the demo-
cratic party of today is the democratic
party of yesterday. Leaders and rank
and file are positive about this. and seem
to have ground for the claim
Old leaders have been eliminated or de-
posed. New leaders ave sprung up. Old
ideas. ideals and issues have been rele-
gated TO the upper shelf. with modern
progressive policies in plain view on the
counter.
1t Is an admitted fact that up to date
the democrats of the House in this Con-
gress have presented a spectacle of close
harmony, such as has not been the case
in the previous sixteen years. If this
solid formation. this united front can be
maintained, IL the party can get together
on general tariff revision, or on the reyi-
sion OF certain schedules now prominently
before the minds of the people. putting the
failure for the enactment Of proposed
along this line up to the e.
.. F., then the extra session would be
the biggest trump the democrats could
play, and the republican party would he
led to the slaughter.
Extra Session Easy to Force.
The development of this situation to its
logical conclusion is going to be a deli
cate and interesting thing to watch Many
minor considerations are going to cut q
big figure in the result, too
Undoubtedly either party can force an
extra session If 1t SO desires. 1t would
be particularly easy for the republicans
to do this. All that would be necessary
would be for Representative Tawney OF
Minnesota, retiring chairman of the an
committee, to DELAY q littla
bit on each Of the big appropriation bills.
The short session is hardly long enough
now to permit of the handling of the big
annual supply bills in committee and on
the floor. A little additional delay would
be fatal.
Nor would the democrats have much
trouble in bringing about the same result
mild filibuster would do the trick ar
the short session. The revised rules per-
NIT of SO much general and individual
legislative business being undertaken. to
the exclusion Of appropriation measures
on certain days, that only about three
days a week can be counted upon as abb
solutely available for this purpose.
And all this being true. what everybody
Is asking, is the meaning OF the sugges-
ions that have been put out through the
press and elsewhere that President Taft
IS going to urge the republican Congress-.
N view of the impending democratic ma
ority in the House, to enact legislation
It this short session that will carry out
! few more pledges of his administra.
ion.
And there is that reapport:onment bill.
like a big cloud In an already
gloomy sky. But 1t isn't necessary to
-efer to this and other details to illus
A