The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-06-24
Adjournment.

The first session of the Forty-third Con-
eress closed yesterday afternoon. Again Wash
ington has a deserted appearance and the
three hundred and sixty odd men who have
been watched with unusual anxiety the past
six months have gone home to meet the peo-
lie.
We are not of that number that think
the proper thing to do is to abuse man be-
cause he is so unfortunate as to be elected to
Congress. On the contrary, we are inclined
10 believe that the average congressman is at
least as honest, as trustworthy, as those
who elect him and in point of ability quite up
to the best of his constituents. 1t is true that
We have said some uncomplimentary things
about the present Congress or a majority of
IL. Moreover,it'is very probable that we shall
during its next session, have occasion to offer
further criticism upon its action. Neyerthe-
less, it is fair to say that the present Congress
is deserving of some praise. If it has its
shortcomings, it has also its merits. First, it
old cut down its own pay fixed by its pre-
decessor to the old figure, and in doing that
did not take back the franking privilege. For
this act, however tardily done, it is deserving
ofmore praise than we will, at first thought,
accord it. Second, no jobs have been put
through. The lobby has been repealed.
Sometimes this has been done by small ma
jority, butit has in every instance been DONE
The hundreds of plunderers of the Treasury
have found it a very bad Congress for them.
For this it is deserving of great praise-more
than it will receive, for those of us who sell
dom or never visit the capital cannot COM
prehend the pressure brought upon members
by the skillful lobbyist. 1t is to the credit of
the majority, too, that it has remorselessly
applied the probe to scandalous reports and
alleged abuses. The Ways and Means Com
mlttee even carried its investigations to a
seemingly needless extent; and it was done
too, at the instance of the majority which
comprises Republicans of national reputation.
The affairs Of the District Columbia were
subjected to the most searching scrutiny by
ajoint committee, where the Speaker of the
House, at least, might have shielded his party
associates and secured the application of a.
coat of whitewAsh. The Republican lea1ers,
too, particularly the House Committee onIAp-
preparations, did their utmost to reduce tie
expenditures of the government. In this d.
rection they obtained excellent results, as the
appropriation bills will show, though they
by no means secured that degree of econo-
my that the people expect. But in this re-
spect the average congressman is like the
average constituents firm economist in gen.
eral, but not trustworthy as relentless re-
former, when special appropriation is re-
CURED for his own locality. ...
The modification OF the bankruptcy law,
of the moiety system, the reduction of the
salaries of congressman, the repeal of the
Sanborn contracts, the reorganization of the
Dist. of Columbia government, an act for the
distribution of the Geneva award, and few
Others, embrace all the legislation creditable.
it is not long list. III
On the leading question of the day-a sound
curency-Congress signally failed, the Sen
ate more deplorably than the House. The
country had right to expect better things of
that body than of House which embraces
so many new members. Had the Senate
contained less time-servers in both parties,
and acted firmly and promptly for the honor
of the nation, the House would have followed
its lead. 1t may be said that both branches
represented their constituents, but on ques-
tons of finance, it is the prerogative of real
craftsmanship to devise wise measures and
show the people that they are demanded.
That Congress failed to do this, that it turned
deaf ear to the warnings of history and for
got legislative and party pledges, is humIiat-
ing.
The most notable measure that failed to be-
come law was the civil rights bill. It re-
qured two-thirds vote to get it before the
House, and this it failed to get though a
large majority of the dominant party voted
for it. ses} ft e19933 ya
The last hours Of the session, to the credit
of both branches, was devoid of those dis
graceful scenes which have frequently charac-
terized the close of sessions. The House es-
pecialIys promptly transacted its business and
was much ahead of the Senate, a circum
lance which is largely due to Speaker Blaine,
Messrs. Garfield, Dawes and few other
leading members. t.f, ss