About March 20

Washington, Dec. 9. - Congressman Hopkins of Illinois fixes the time fox the convention of the special session as not later than March 20. He is a member of the ways and means committee. It is his understanding that the republican members ol that committee will go to work at once upon a tariff bilí with a view to the presentation of it to the house soon after the special session meets. He believes it can be put througM congress in time to receive President McKinley's signature in June. Reciprocity will be made a strong featur of the new tariff. Mr. McKinley has expressed himself as strongly in favor of this. The cali for the special session will state that it is for the consideration of the tariff, and will specify no othei purpose. The form of the cali will not necessarily limit congress to tariff legislation, but it will convey to the body that such is the president's earnest desire, and will probably be respected. En order to hasten action on the tariff it is understood that as few appointments to office as possible will be made until the bill is out of the way.