The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-08-10
loiInNMrNr or o0Nannss
Mbors Of the first session Of the foty

1ehth congress are virtually ended but
not completed, IL has been
an extremely long session, as stated
by us day or two 0gc-
TIE third session In length since The var
and IN some respects It has been mcmoi-
able session. Not memorable indeed from
great measures enacted but rather the fail
urc to enact any while the country cS-
pected and needed something, and mcmor-
able too for the vast and unusual number
of bills presented, and the reckless inroads
into our treasury surplus. There never
was such number of private relief mca-
sures before the house, and, in view of the
cash balance, never such o
generous indifference about their
passage. by reference to another column
some idea can be obtained of what has been
going on in Washington, and some more
practical knowledge, also, perhaps, Of what
as now situated, congress has to handle in
the matter of business. The aggregate
number of bills and resolutions introduced
into both the senate and house was o. 465, or
over % measures on an average TO each
member of both bodies. To have passed
all these bills and resolutions in the seven
months passed would have required
the dispatch Of business at the rate of 80 a
day-a thing impossible. even had
there been no debate whatever upon any
single measure. Even if the bills were
simply read and explained intelligently by
inf
not one-tenth Of the number named could
be passed according to the peculiar meth
DDS and rules Of the house in the time this
congress has been in session. As a result,
we learn that 5000 at least remain for con-
sideration in the senate. Only 1903 bills and
joint resolutions have passed the house and
some 400 or more the senate. The great
majority of these were pension bills on
measures of private nature. The reduo
ton of taxation, the settlement of the presi-
dental succession and one or two other
measures of paramount interest slll
remain for action thereon. Among them
may be mentioned the matter of civil SER
vice reform and the overlapping question
of all, monopolies, which the people de-
mand the government shall strike a blow
at. The few matters of prominence han
died were the Mormon and Chinese ques-
tions the extension of the charters of ma
tional banks, and the annual appropriations
bills and the river and harbor bill, passed
over the veto of the president. As affect
ing US particularly we might also mention
ba !, nf ~,
to railroads, for it amounts to that, and
the bill for the reimbursing of
Texas for moneys expended for
frontier protection. Dallas has not
been forgotten in the matter of Apr opria-
tions for public buildings. The only new
or especially significant feature in the an
nual appropriations was that relating to
the navy, where sums were voted for the
repair of the monitors and the building of
new cruisers. When we have said thus
much we have outlined the work of the
first session Of the forty-seventh congress.
All other measures have been chiefly of
private nature, but they have made havoc
with the public treasury and have set an
exceedingly bad precedent. Upon the whole
then, we cannot see that this congress, so far,
is entitled to any. special communication,
bat on the other hand cannot but feel that
it has been failure. 1t is possible that,
coming as it has Just before the general
elections, its members have devoted more
time and attention to the interests and re-
lief of some of their constituents with a
Vic IN ipH al
quarters in their candidacy for reelection
than to the country at large. At any rate,
the country as whole has been ignored.
But what shall be said of this constantly
growing volume oflegislation? How is it
possible TO check this unusually recurring
flow of bills and resolutions, myriad-sided
in their nature and purposes, and operating
as a lancet upon the body polite? So long
as members continue to introduce them by
the thousand, it will be next to impossible
to reach half OF them, and many measures
of real importance must remain buried for
ever under a mass of private claims and
jobs. In fact, 1t is becoming almost absurd
for member to hope 10 secure the passage
of bill which the country is not clamoring
for. This iall a number of new men will be
sent up to congress, and they, in turn, will
have thousand measures to present and
so the work of piling Pelion on ossa
will proceed. In a few years, if a
stop is not put to such voluminous leg |
islation, a thorough oyerhauling ana new |
codilication and digest of national statutes |
will become an absolute necessity in order |
that even the learned few may know what |
Is and what is not the law. Members should |
be limited in the number OF bills they may |
be entitled 10 introduce, or such strict con- |
struction Of the constitution and statutes |
hereunder should be adopted as TO confine |
legislation absolutely u national themes |
and purposes. The Federal government is 1
rapidly becoming parent when 1t should |
1nly be policeman, and the only remedy |
IS in the active interest and uprising Of the |
people. so long as they tolerate it, this /
abuse Of legislative privileges will continue. |
Il cannot but be with sigh Of relief there
ore that tine country will /
rail the adjournment Of congress.
)ne other fact becomes prominent in the
Of this tremendous business /
before congress, and while in one
Ienseit is gratifying. il but emphasizes the
necessity for simplifying legislation. We
-efer to the growing greatness Of the coun-
~. The opening mp and peopling Of nex
ands, the creation OF new states and dis
riots and Federal bailiwicks, increasing
.ommerce and intercourse with other
,eople, are giving rise 20 a thousand
rev questions, and unless the laws
re lessened aud simplified or the
lumber OF legislators decreased, 90 that