Evening star., 1937-11-13

| oent JEFFERSON to discuss the ceSsion
OF Louisiana by Spain to France. The
next extra session, in 1907, was also
called by Jefferson, and the matter
then under consideration was our re-
lation with Great Britain-the sub
ect, in fact, which made necessary
the two subsequent special sessions
one in 1911, called by President Mad
lson, and the next in 1914, also called
by Madison as a result of war with
Great Britain.
The United States experienced its
first financial panic in 1887 and this
necessitated a special session, called
by President Martin Van Buren. for
the suspension of specie payments.
AS an aftermath to these distressing
conditions, another special Congress
was called in 1841. The efforts made
during these two special sessions to
stralghten out the financial affairs of
the Nation resulted in the creation of
the Treasury Department of the Unit
ed States. Some of our most impor-
tant financial legislation has grown
out of special sessions for the consid-
GRAFTON Of matters pertaining to
money. In 1893, 1913 and 1888 extra
conventions of the Congress gave rise
to Federal Reserve. bank deposit in
surance and regulation of the stock
exchange.
In 1850 the mind of the Nation was
again preoccupied with wars and ru-
mors of wars. Because a previous ses-
sion had neglected to appropriate
moneys for the United States Army
President Zachary Taylor was forced
to call Congress together for that pur-
pose. From this date on, the coun-
try was in such turmoil due to the
Civil War and it's aftermath that one
special session after another was Or
dered to care for existing emergencies.
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
IN 1861 called the Congress into
special assembly because of insurrec-
ton in certain States of the Union.
During the days of reconstruction Con-
gresS showed an independent spirit
to the extent of adjourning without at
tending to appropriations necessary for
the maintenance of the Government.
In 1877 and in 1879 Rutherford B.
Hayes was forced to demand their re-
turn under his executive right to take
care of these matters.
The next special session gave its
attention again to money matters.
President Grover Cleveland in 1893
called it for the purpose of repeating
the Silver Purchase Act. President
Cleveland also ordered a subsequent
session in 1897 for consideration of
the Wilson, German tariff bill.
This was period of our history
when tariff was the question of the
day. In 1903 President Mckinley
called Congress together in extra ses-
sion for the purpose of discussing the
Cuban reciprocity treaty; in 1909
President Taft demanded congressional
attention for the Payne -Aldrich tariff
bill in special session and in 1911, in
an extraordinary congressional con-
vention the matter of Taft's Canadian
reciprocity treaty and law was taken
up.
Under the administration of Wood
row Wilson the necessity for settling
problems in connection with financial
matters and the increased cost of liv-
ing gave rise to extra sessions of Con-
gress. In 1913 the first of these was
called by President Wilson for the
purpose OF considering revision of the
currency, resulting in the Federal Re-
serve Act. In 1919 the high cost of
living brought the Senators and Rep
resentatives again together in extra
session at Wilson's call.
President Harding's administration
was harassed with agricultural prob
lens and Congress was called espe-
cially to consider the agricultural
emergency tariff in 1921. Under Pres
ident Hoover, in 1929, attention was
given during special session to the
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.
RANKING conditions, agricultural
conditions, industrial and labor
problems and the depression gen.
orally were reasons for calling the
special session of 1888, President
Roosevelt's first exercise of this ex-
ecutive privilege. And now, with the
country once more on its feet, it is
interesting to note that the main
finance of improved conditions in
these same fields becomes the ques-
ton OF the day and the reason back
of this years special session.
The stage set for this present Con-
gress promises to present an interest
ing, picture. The, Senate majority
leader, Alben j. Barkley, will take up
the leadership for the first time in
his own right, having served last ses-
sion in carrying out the program
started by the late Joseph T. Robin
son. Senator Barkley's own program,
it is likely, will continue to carry out
administration policies, as the Ken
lucky Senator has always been . |
strong administration man and there