The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-22
SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT BE
CHA ANGED.

and higgledy-piggledy condition than the
calendar of the Federal Government. The
terms of the President and members of Con-
gress begin on the 4th of March, but the
regular annual sessions open on the first
Monday in December. The financial year
commences in July, the Legislative year in
December, and the political year in March.
Congress meets at the beginning of Decem-
Der, and after a dawdliug, do-nothing session
of two or three weeks, it adourns over till
January, when the business of the session
really commences. There is at present a law
requiring each new Congress to meet and
organize on the 4th of March, although the
election of members from several States is
strung along through the ensuing spring and
summer months. This struggling confusion
has not heretofore worked any great practical
Inconvenience; but it is of late years be-
coming important, and the time approaches
when it ought to be rectfed
The meeting of Congress on tie first Mon
day in December, though its business does
not really commence until the second week
in January, is practical absurdity which ad-
mits of an easy remedy. The only date speci-
fed in the Federal Constitution is that given
for the annual meeting of Congress; but that
is not so fixed as to preclude change. This is
the language:-
"The Congress shall assemble at least once in
every year, and such meeting shall be on the first
point different day."
AS Congress has authority to fix any other
day, it ought to do away with the humbug of
beginning the session five weeks in advance
of any serious business. For the first half
century the assembling of Congress in De-
cember was not preliminary sham. Before
the era of railroads, when Washington could
be reached only by slow and tedious Jour-
ney in stage coaches the members, once
h1a6 f1xyH itA@ ,,1la
excursions, and Legislative business proceeded
in regular train from the opening of the ses-
sion. But those days are past never to
return. With the growth of wealth the Gus
toms of our people are becoming more fes-
tive, and rapid transit and free passes on the
railroads make the temptation irresistible for
members to participate in the hilarity of the
holidays. In England, Parliament conforms
TO holiday customs and does not begin its
regular annual session until February, the
holiday festivities continuing in great Eng
lish houses through the greater part of Janu-
ary. If our Congress would change by law
its annual meeting to the second or third
week of the new year, nothing would be lost
to the public business, and members could
spend the holidays at their homes without the
trouble of an idle and profitless journey to
Washington.
To such change there is but one valid OBJ
lection. The second session of each Con-
gress terminates on the 4th of March; and if
it did not commence until the middle of
January, there would be only six weeks for
the business of the session. But as six or
seven weeks are all that are given to business
| now, the change would make no real differ
ence. We would accompany this change with
another, namely, removing the absurdity of
beginning the political year on the ith of
March. The political year 0ught to begin
with the annual sessions of Congress. Wher-
ever the political year has been arranged with
intelligent foresight, regular legislative ses-
sions start with the Inauguration of the
executive and the commencement of the
terms of the members. In the State of New
! York, the Governor is inducted into Office on
the 1st of January; the sessions of the Legis-
lature begin at the same date each new Le-
gislature commencing its business precisely
when the terms of the old members expire
The Federal Calendar is an absurd muddle,
because intelligence and foresight did not
preside over its adoption. The Constitution
left it to chance; and chance is the parent of
confusion. When the Federal Constitution
was formed, it was the wish of it's trainers
that it should go into operation as soon as
possible after its ratification by the requisite
number of States. But nobody could foresee
at what dates the ratifications would be given.
The Constitution therefore fixed no date
when the new government should be organ
old Congress of the Confederation. The
necessary ratihcations we're completed about
midsummer, 1888, and in September of that
year, the old Congress, having received the
certificates, took steps for setting the new
government in motion at the earliest
convenient date. 1t provided fo
the choice of Presidential electors in
January, their meeting and voting in Febru
ary, and the organization of the new govern
ment on the first Wednesday of March, which
happened to be the 4th The beginning
of our political year was thus fixed for the
4th of March, without any other reasen thar
/ temporary convenience. But having beer
thus accidentally begun, it cannot be changed
without an amendment of the Constitution
The Constitution positively makes the tern
of the President four, and of members o
r Congress two years. AS they originally begal
: on the 18th of March, they must necessaril.
terminate 1T that date. The incongruit,
ought to be remedied by an amendment o
1 the Constitution fixing the beginning of tn
5 political year some time In January, AM
} requiring the regular sessions of Con
r gress to commence at the same time. Th
only Inconvenience that would result woul'
be the shortening of the terms of on
, set of Congressman and one President b.
. six or seven weeks. The convenience tina
: would be gained is manifest. Every secon
Z session of Congress, instead of being Gu
Q short, as now, by the fth of March, Nigh
{ run on as far into the spring or summer a
e the necessities of legislation should rende
expedient. There is at presenta law requirin
each new Congress to organize on the 1t
Q of March But it organizes merely to dispsrss
: requiring new members to make long journey
: from the Pacific coast and other distar
4 pOintS merely To be sworn in. their heavy tri