The National tribune., 1910-11-17

II
/ two new States with four Senators vii
be admitted withinya year. 1t is quite
certain that Arizona will send tive
Democrats. Probably New Mexico vii
send Republicans, but a Democratic
landslide in New Mexico, bringing In
two Democratic Senators, might leave
the Senate a tie.
Senators average in years well along
toward SIS or GO, and the death rate
among men at that time of life is quite
noticeable. Three Senatorial deaths
| have occurred since the adjournment
! of Congress in June. A heavy mortal
lity rate during the next IL months
might jeopardize Republican control, il
| it occurred among Senators from the
numerous Northern States that now
have either Democratic Governors OF
Democratic Legislatures.
Talk of Extra Session.
| Talk about forcing President Taft to
call an extra session of Congress has
begun here to-day. 1t undoubtedly can
| be done if Senate Democrats are will
ing to go to- such a length rs to defeat
some of the appropriation bills. TX
penses for running the Government
during the fiscal year that dates from
July / next would ordinarily be voted
this Winter, prior to March 4. But
should any of these bills fail it would
| be imperative that the President con-
ivene the ed Congress. Once the Con-
gress is in session the President cannot
control the subjects of legislation the
Senate and House choose to consider.
The telegraph wires out of WASH
lington have been loaded of late with
numerous suggestions about tactical
warfare. Many of these have, for one
reason or another, been impractical If
not absurd. The idea of thus forcing
IAN extra session, however, is more or
less plausible. If such program is
decided upon the Democratic leaders
would naturally keep it to themselves
ltiIi well along toward February, if they
could. No one can say yet whether
they would welcome the immediate
task of tariff revision. There might be
IembarrasSments in that connection.
There would also be advantages.
Changes in some schedules can prob
iably be enacted. Insurgent Senators
would presumably join with Senate
Democrats in lowering the duties on
woolen and cotton goods and perhaps
in abolishing the duties on foodstuffs.
lit would then be up to" President
Taft to veto or approve. The party
dangers which attend revision at a ses-
sion Just before a Presidential election
would thus be eliminated in some meas
ure.
1t is claimed that the House rules
I
days a week for appropriation bills,
and that this will not give the House
time to dispose of those bills before
March l.. This status may cause some
embarrassment, but the House has the
remedy at hand by voting to suspend
or modify certain of its rules. A de-
lay there in completing the supply bills
would give the Senate excuse for talk
ing some of them to death. The only
remedy the Republican leaders at the
north end of the Capitol could apply
would be to keep the Senate in con-
tinuous session. Filibusterers must then
maintain debate or permit vote.
If the forcing of an extra session in
! this manner meets with much Demo-
cratic favor, it may make the Repub-
! licans uneasy about a Christmas re-
cess. Ordinarily Congress does not set
| tie down to business till early in jan
uary. BY emitting the two weeks re-
cess that covers Christmas and New
Years the Republicans could make 1t
very difficult to defeat appropriation
bills at the short session.
There has been some speculation
about President Taft voluntarily call
| ing the next Congress in extra session
| to enact a tariff law. It is decidedly
| improbable that he would do So His
Tariff Board will by no means have
completed its Investigations by Lex
Spring. He would virtually be encour-
aging a Republican Senate to tear the
Aldrich- Payne law to pieces.
Some new organization scheme fol
one or the other of the two parties ID
now broached at Washington almost
daily. The latest is for the Democrats
and insurgents to reorganize the Sen
ate at the beginning of the next Con-
gress and divide the Ioaves and fishes
among themselves. These would in
clude the desirable Senate Chairman
ships and a considerable amount of fat
patronage Such an alliance could, for
/ instance. prevent Senator Penrose, OF
Pennsylvania, from becoming Chair
man of the Finance Committee, which
has to do with the framing of tarih
/ laws.
1t Is exceedingly doubtful whethe,
either the insurgents or the Democrat,
would assent to such a combination
even tho they might be entirely willing
to join IN some measure of tariff revi'
sion. The insurgents. always insisten'
that they are Republicans. would bal
themselves from the party caucus by
/ ton. The old Democratic Senator,
would not be drawn into such a trap
1t would make a very dangerous prece
dent that might return to trouble them
By almost the same token the sug
gestions for further change Of th'
House rules this winter. for the pur
ipose of embarrassing tho Democrats
are not well founded. Such actor
would not be binding at all upon tn,
next House, and. furthermore. any at
tempts in that direction would prob
ably force the Democrats of the presen
House upon the defensive and give the en-
a strong tactical advantage.
The hullabaloo since election abou
the insurgents and Democrats startin;
a campaign this Winter for the choic,
of all House committees by the entir,
party membership is little short of sill
ly. No such thing would be practicable
with a view to change the membershi
of committees IN the expiring Congress
And, as already stated. 1t would no
bind the next Congress at all. The Re
publicans would not try 1t on for goot
reasons, even to make a precedent T.
trouble the Democrats. From a par
tisan standpoint they could not affort
Ito DO it. They would be helping tn
Democrats in reality more than hurting
them.
His Case.