New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-08
CONGRESSIONAL WRANGLING.

There are some symptoms already OF the old
disease, which made the last session OF Con-
gress disgusting and disgraceful. Already
pemb ers begin to rise to personal eAplana-
TONS to set into wrangles about the prece-
dence of committees and bills, and to indulge
in frivolous amendments offered just to show
their sharpness. Do members of Congress
know what their constituents really think of
this sort of thing Or are they aware low
much of the time they wasted, during the last
dsreputablc session, in such performances
Look at The Congressional Record for the last
session. 1t Ia dreary mess /; probably no liv-
ing man has the physical or mental strength to
read it. But man can run over the pages,
and see approximately how many are occupied
with mere speeches for constituents that were
never expected or intended to have any effect
upon legislation. and how many iii wrangles
about personalities or the order of business.
Surely members cannot be aware themselves
how much time they waste or allow TO be
wasted in this way. They fancy, however, that
the voters forget, just as members themselves
do. There they are sadly mistaken. The aver
age voter has never counted the pages and
would be amazed himself, as his member of
print a cold analysis of the time spent at the
last session. but lie nevertheless has very
strong general impression, produced 10y perusal
of the daily reports. He knows in a general
way that Congress made itself disgusting, and
that he was diGgusted. Mole than that lie does
not care to know.
AT the moment, members do not find their
own performances dsgracefn Filled with the
fire of personal or partisan rivalry, and fancy
Ing that the cheap hangers-On at Washington
represent the whole people, members get ex-
cited over the most contemplate trifes, feel
that they would be disgraced if they should fail
to get the better Of each other in a contest of
fsh-market ora .ory, and thus they become un-
conscious of the lapse of time. Read III cold
print the next day, the performance is about as
interesting as the contest in blackguardism
which often occurs between drivers of colliding
drays or cabs III Over-crowded streets. 1t re-
ouires a soul attuned TO such music to appreci-
ate it, In every bar-rOom in the country. and
among the DULLES and blackguards about every
corner grocery, there may possibly be found
some who ale interested, just as mCbs gather
to see a dog. fight. But what has this disgrace
tul wrangling to do with the duties Of Senators
or Representatives
Still more frequently it comes to pass that
the wOrdy wrangle is not personal in its origin,
but is prompted by desire to secure success for
party or a favorite measure. Hour after hour
is spent in barren talk-time enough TO bass
either of the conflicting bills, perhaps-with 10
real gain to anybody, but to the disgust of sc n
sible voters. The chat of bruisers In "A not
house is not bit more useful to the country
because it happens to be about politics SO the
empty repartee and pOintless recrimination of
partisan wrangles III Congress does not help
either party, but it does serve to show constit-
uents that their Representatives. and Senator's
are not fit for their places.
Now Congress is beginning new session. 1t
has an unusual amount of work on hand that
needs to be done. In order to do much, i'll or
der to do anything well, there will have to be
an earnest effort ON The part of the worthier
members who feel their responsibility, to put
stop to the senseless waste Of time. Probably
the success or failure of the session may turn
largely Oh their endeavors to that end. They
can make it very unpleasant, If they choose, for
any conceited person TO waste public time in
airing his personal likes Or dislikes. his shallow