The Portland daily press., 1883-01-30
a Reformed Calendar.

Congressman Blanchard of Louisiana. a
statesman who IS not familiar to the coun-
try at large, will become widely known if he
succeeds in achieving reform he has un-
dertaken. That reform is a reform of the
Congressional Calendar and is a wise. and,
Win some amendments, an entirely practi-
cable measure. Mr.. Blanchard proposes to
have the Congressional term begin on TIE
hrst Monday in December of even years, in.
stead OF on the 4th of March of odd years,
and to have the annual sessions open the
Hrst OF December as they do at present 1t
isthought by some that this change in the
calendar may be effected by a simple law.
The results which it would produce are OBJ.
vious.
In the first place, it would put each Con-
gress into Office Immediately after its cleo
ton. No change of the day for voting is
suggested. On some accounts it would be
better to have the Congressional elections
either one month or two months earlier
han at present, but at any event the pro-
posed innovation would bring every House
Of Representatives to Washington fresh
from the people. There would be no such
chance for the members elect or their con-
stituents to forget the issue on which they
were chosen as exists now.
Secondly, Mr., Blanchard's plan would
do away with the absurdity of "short
sessions" This country is as big one year
as another, and public business is unfit, nm
ly pressing. But now one session of Con-
gress lasts six or eight months, while the
next is limited to three. Short sessions are
notsriously prolific in jobs. BY requiring one
session to begin as soon as a Congress came
into existence, and The other year later, at
the middle of its term, no limit shelt of
fall year would be placed upon either.
But no change is recommended in the be-
ginning and ending of the terms of Presi-
dent and Senators. Hence, as the st. Louis
Globe points out in discussing the proposed
law, some curious complications would fol-
low. Surprising Mr.. Blanchard's scheme 20
be enacted, the Fiftieth Congress would ex-
tend from December /, 1886, to December
/, 1888, and the Fifty first, elected in No
vember, 1888, would come into being in De-
NsnA~cA' Sub tuo ISoluohl CHOSEN IN NO
vember, 1888, will not be inaugurated till
March 4, 1850 day in the middle of ses-
sion of Congress, as proposed. Some practi-
cal inconvenience would attend such sys-
tenn. Moreover, newly elected Senators
would continue to take Office on March 4 of
sdd years. Their advent, following the
withdrawal of their pre- decessors, in the
Midst of every other Sc ssion could not fail
to interfere with the progress of legislation,
and this fact of itself will prevent the adop-
ten of Mr.. Blancnard's system in its pres
emit form. His ends may be reached by max
ing the day for the annual meeting of Con-
sress March 4, instead of the first Monday
in December, but the summer heat of Wash
ington is against any such solution of the
problem.
The desired reform can probably be at
tained only by constitutional amendment.
The twelfth amendment in effect names
March for the beginning of the Presiden-
tlal term, and the Constitution fixes the
term of the President at four years and of
Senators at six. No act of Congress can
cut of three months from the period for
which the President and the Senators are
entitled to their places. To accomplish his
object the Louisiana member should intro
duce a resolution for an amendment to
the Constitution which will make New
Years the first day of our political as well
IS calendar year.