Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-04-29

-e Ii is unleniable that there is fault
e method Of doing business in Congress. an,
T. every session seems to make the matter wors
r instead of better The unlimited amount @
: debate in the Senate causes great delays il
reaching conclusions which could with on,
: tenth part Of the woriy warfare be reached
just as wisely as they now are-oftcntme.
more wisely and with less stirrirg up Of i'll
feeling. There is hardly bill or resolution
, brought forward for consideration of which
the merits could not be determined BIZ well
considered discussion from a halfsiozen scua-
tors far better than by speeches from half or
two thirds Of the whole body.
Though in the House a debate can be
stopped by the previous question: process
sometimes resorted to very iniuricusly to pre-
vent any debate when fair debate ought to
be allowed-yet there are so many ways Of
getting chance to speak if one is determined
to have one, that practically the license Of
irrelevant speech is nearly as great in the
House as in the Senate, and it Is greatly
abused in both bodies.
Among other causes Of injurious DELAYS in
Congressional business, Is the multiplicity of
bills and resolutions introduced to accom-
plish the same general purpose. They pour
in steadily from the first almost to the last
week Of the session. They are literally /
numbered by thousands OF course all /
must be referred, and the committees are
overwhelmed with conflicting and incongru-
Gus propositions, all Of which claim their at
tention and all taken together promote dis
traction instead Of concentration of iude-
ment, when the latter is the very thing
needed. Protracted delay is the inevitable
consequence.
OF course every member has the right to
introduce bills and resolutions on any and all
subjects without limit, provided only that
he keeps within the bounds Of order. But
it is right which can be and is grossly
abused in practice; and by its abuse there Is
an immense waste Of valuable time Clear
ly this Is not necessary. 1t ought to be pos
sible 50 to arrange things that on all matters
Of tar-reaching policy-measures which must
help or hinder on a large scale-some guiding
principles should be well consider ed by a few (
members of acknowledged experience, abli-
ty' and influence, and in this way the con-
trolling principles of all or most important
bills substantially settled The details
would then be made to conform to those prin-
ciples by whoever is charged with the duty
OF drawing a bill, and its phraseology made
clear and consistent. II the committee to
which such a BILL when introduced, is re- |
ierred is fairly and well made up, their report,
or If there is decided difference of opinion, -
their reports need not be delayed for weeks .
and even months, as is now often the case, +
thus giving time and furnishing induce fl
nent for the Ignorant, the short sighted, and "
the mischief making to get up impracticable a
9r unsuitable schemes Of their OVID to hinder. $
or defeat measures which ought
10 be carried into effect.
Such a well considered and well drawn
bill ought to be carried through its stages. :
debated and amended if need be, and reach :
4 final vote within some reasonable time, ac- II
'ording to It's character. Instead Of that 4
bow common it is to see bill which need A
not take iortnight's time spun along month o.
after month taken up and laid down. with v
i've times the amount Of time used IN in de- ~
)ate over the several dilatory processes that
| fair discussion Of the bill itself would have c'
allied for. In this way whatever has been OF
arly said pertinent to the merits Of the So
MEASURE is mixed up in the minds of a,
members with 50 many other topics and
he reasons for or against it are so load
d down with sideway influences of all sorts. s,
hat if It ever reaches a vote a large portion a,
i the members vote on it less intelligentlv I'D
han they would have done at Its first pre- N
entation- Thus it happens, too, that a
lrge number Of most important bills are ex
immed into the confusion of the last two OF
avs OF the session, to be settled bv COM ue
littees of conference, by whose hasty agree- u
rents and the concurrence of both houses y;
J their reports because they must agree to no
ZEN, or all labor will be lost, and perhaus be
ublic interests sufer) bills become laws tn
hich suit nobody, except perhaps few col
lrewd managers who have private ends mi
serve. Scores and scores OF measures. An
lose Of consequence too, are bv this
,use of the license TO introduce bills and
nendments so loaded down with successive de'
'opositions somewhat diverse but all pro- foo
ssedly aiming at the same general result, shi
to perplex the minds Of members, excite etfc
llousies, lead to the formation of petty ne,
ques, and thus impede and injure legis- a.
ion to great extent.
Not to multiply illustra tons, we only need Out
er to single case in the present session. nei
ry early bill was introduced to abolish rem