The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-10
HOW THEY DO IT IN WASHINGTON.
LICENTIOUS LEGISLATION.

The " licentious press is q fruitful theme
in Congressional circles. The licentiousness
of the press is purity compared with the
RIGHTEOUSNESS Of national legislation. Let us
take look at how things are done in Wash
ington by the IIonorables.
The disgrace of Congressional law making
is all the more dsgraceful because its evils
have been effectually provided against by the
Constitutions of a number of States. The
highest sovereignty in the country disdains
to guard its great interests as carefully as the
inferior sovcreigntes guard their compare
lively small interests
Omnibus bills are form of legal dissipa-
ton in which Congress frequently INDUCES,
and from which the people frequently suffer.
An omnibus always has room for one more
job, and that job is always on hand for free
ride into the Treasury. The Constitutions OF
eighteen States, of which Illinois is one, pro-
vide that bill must treat Of only one sub
ject, and must express that clearly in its title.
"FOr other purposes" in the title of an ON
nibus bill covers multitude Of sins. A
change in Congressional rules would prevent
omnibus steals, but Congress will not make
that change.
TO pass any act which lays tax. creates a
debt, or makes an appropriation, requires, in
New York and Wisconsin, three -fitths of all
the members elected to either House, and, in
Illinois, majority of all members so elected
Thirteen States, Of which Illinois is one; re-
quire q majority of the actual membership in
each House to pass any bill. At Washington.
the affirmative vote which makes q law is
often bare majority of bare quorum, and
so pitiful minority Of the whole House or
Senate Evils spring from this. A short
statute would put a stop to them, but Con-
gress will not pass that statute.
Nineteen States, one Of them Illinois, re-
auire the call and the record OF the yeas and
nays on the final vote for bill. This puts
men on record and makes fragrant theft too
dangerous The same safeguard would work
as well at Washington, but Congress will not
adopt this safeguard for reasons we'll known
to themselves
Illinois and some other States require every
bill to be read on three separate days, and
every amendment to be printed before the
bill and the amendment can be passed. This
is great check to hasty legislation, but Con-
gfess will not even try it.
Three States, Michigan, New York and
Rhode Island, require twothirds vote of
the members elected to either House to an
propriate public property or money to pri-
vate or local purposes. Something like this
would save the country hundreds of millions
in wasted subsidies, useless internal improve
ments and lobby-owned "claims" Yet Con
gress will not pass the needed rule.
Congress will not do these things or any one
Of them, unless the people compel it. A men,
Der who should introduce bill to cover
these cases would have it greeted with jeers |
and sneers, referred to a committee, and, if |
not smothered there, finally put at the end Of
the calendar, where it could not possibly be |
reached. He might work ten years to get it |
through, all in vain, unless the people work |
with him. Ii the voters mt the polls grow
tired Of having the representatives at Wash
ington rush through, with indecent haste and
lavish jobbery, the most important and the
most vicious laws,-if they force the party
managers to put this reform in their plat
Iorms,-if they wiring promises to support it
rom candidates for Congress they reject
men who opposes it. in the House or the
senate it, in word, they really want it,
hey will gel it. And if they do not want it,
hey almost deserve to be cursed with the
Existing licentious legislation. Chicago