The Washington herald., 1912-05-09
EXPECT RECESS
At THE CAPITOL
F0RG0NVENT|0NS
Night Sessions May Be Tried.
but with Little Hope Of
EARLY adjournment.
REVENUE BILLS NEXT
These, with Impeachment Trial
and Tariff Measures, Fill
Programme.
REVENUE BILLS NEXT

Despite the gloomy outlook for an
esriy getaway from legislative halls be
cause Of the possibility Of an impeach-
ment trial in addition to the vast ac-
cumulation Of revenue and other legisla-
tive measures. a ray Of hope waS
Injected into the consideration yester-
day when II was learned that a number
Of Senate leaders are seriously consid-
ering the early Inauguration Of q series
Of night sessions with a view TO hurrying
matters along.
While there Is no marked optimism at
either end OF the Capitol. It Is deemed
possible that night sessions with noon
meetings in the Senate. and a fairly
long run of muggy, uncomfortable
weather may accomplish what now seems
iInpossible-an adjournment before the
national conventions.
Night Sessions May Follow.
Senator Gallinger Of New Hampshire,
titular head Of the Senate, yesterday in
troduced a resolution making the hour
OF meeting for the Senate at noon until
otherwise ordered. The resolution was
il the heightened sessions seem to hold
out some promise Of earlier adjournment.
a series Of night sessions may follow.
Believing that the coming national con-
ventions, particularly the Republican
meeting, win be the most warmly con-
tested in many years, and that the pres
ence of party leaders Of the House and
Senate will be much needed, the national
legislators are extremely anxious to be
free at that time. Despite the opinion
to the contrary, in many quarters, it is
believed highly improbable that Congress
VIII make even a pretense of sitting
through the conventions. though, from
the present outlook, a recess will AFFORD
the only means Of viewing the big meet
ings.
Expect IR1eachment Trial.
Senate leaders are convinced, from the
action OF the President and his answer
10 the Norris resolution in the Archibald
case. that the upper body viii be called
upon to serve as trial court in impeach-
ment proceedings. The opinion was gen
eral that the Senate must hold itself pre-
pared to act in this capacity whenever
the House announces its readiness to pre-
sent the charges. The basinesslike man.
ner with which the House COMMITTEES on
the Judiciary has set about the inquiry
leaves little doubt that the case viii
be brought up this session.
Judging from the present attitude Of
leaders in the two houses Of Congress,
that body would have its hands fun to
clear up its decks even without the i'm
peachuent proceedings. The conferedces
over the Appropriation bills are ex-
pected to be the most bitterly fought in
years, as the House conferees win fight
to the last ditch to uphold their economy
rTTz1 GsF-
will have correspondingiy strong desire
to prevent the cuts and kill new legisla-
lion which the bills VIII contain.
legislative Bill Next.
The legislative. executive. and judicial
appropriation bill. which the House prob
ably viii pass this week, will be the
subject Of an extremely warm series of
conferences, unless the House members
recede from the position demanded by
the bill. The bill, as it will go to the
Senate, will contain three pieces Of new
legislation. all Of which are certain to
meet with the strongest kind of opposi-
ton in the Senate. They are those pro-
viding for the institution of fve-year
tenures OF -office in the civil service;
Rbolishing the Commerce Court. and
abolishing the Bureau of Manufactures
and the Bureau OF Statistics in the De-
partment Of Commerce and Labor.
Two of these constitute pet bits of
Democratic legislation, and another, that
affecting the civil service. promises to
meet with pretty solid support In the
House. The Senate. on the other hand,
win refuse absolutely, II is believed, to
permit the House to legislate the Com
merce Court out of existence in an ap-
preparation bill, and the same attitude
will be assumed in regard TO the two
bureaus in the Department of Commerce
and Labor. AS to the civil service pro-
vision, it will be turned down fat as
an attempt to bring back the old spoils |
system, and consequently as a death |
blow to the civil service.
Hardly less protrscted win be the con-
fereDces on the sundry civil bill when
1t is sent across. and the conferences |
over the District appropriation bill are |
not expected to he either brief or har- /
monious
Add to the appropriation bills four /
tarin measures which, II is generally |
agreed, the Senate will pass in one form |
or another, and the chances fora get /
away within the next five weeks seem
slim indeed.