National Republican., 1883-05-05
LeglslatIng by IsIeetrIcItr.

Yffylng through the world, and also for
ping everything while remaining in IL, have
'tained permission to set up patent con-
ivance they have for voting in legislative
tdies 1t is an innocent looking affair, like
0e push button wicked persons ring in hotel
Iom, when they want to order cocktails (,
d perhaps the inventors would do well to
ke hint from this harmless suggestion and
tve cocktail button on each members desk,
1well as yea button and nay button and
here" button. There is no doubt about
Il utility of the apparatus, If it Is
sirablo TO hurry up tho sessions
20 action is simple: debate closes
Ievious question--short speech ;'all in favor
~ yea; pop she goes on the button; up
vmps printed list in front of tally clerk, and
lrattle of musketry fills two boxes with yea
d nay balls. The bare idea is somewhat
Awildering, or shocking, to use an electrical
m. The next thing necessary, should the
r. system bo adopted, would be to invent an
Ictric arrangement for springing now
leasuro on the house after firing out the
lmploted one by electricity; and while the
1ventor is working at this problem he might
well try his s'hand on scheme for getting
REPORT by electricity out of some Of the
lw old committee rooms 1t would be of
Iall use to have all this machinery for firing
'tontestee out of his scat and q contestant
Ito ii If there was no electricity in tho room
the committee on elections. Tint was one
'buble with the old arrangement as pre-
'busly tried-it simply unsettled things
Icn everybody was excited md
ieded great deal of time to
link tho matter over Some call IL filibuster-
'Ig). OF course, much would dopend upon
to shall be speaker. With Mr.. Randall
ere would be little ouno danger; but sup
lse 10. Blackburn should be made speaker,
IA in moment of excitement and surprise
puld return. the fire after volley of yeas
IA nays|by bullet rather than by the old
,EnY All Of these things should be taken
10 consideration, aud doubtless will be.
Irhaps commission to visit France and as
lrtain how similar scheme works in the
lrps legislatif will DO necessary. Americans
lght to be able to st, nd as much electricity
Frenchmen can; and, so far rs the outside
sblic is concerned, it would not care if
. members could touch button at
lme in their congressional dis
lcts, and have printed speech on
le tariff jump in front of tho speaker.
at would be no worse than the continual
brking Off Of old speeches in the Record for
weeks after the adjournment. The
lrdship would all come upon the members
lemsclves, and it is, very properly, left to
EN- to say whether or not they will have
patent Boston machine for legislating by
lctricity. With proper encouragement, the
Fentors can doubtless be induced to invent
attachment by which Mr.. Holman will be
Iabled to object by electricity, and Mr.. Cox
enabled to fire in Il joke now and then
electricity, and Mr.. Springer spring up
do the necessary amount of interrupting
lth the same rapidity. There is one good
ing about it, as it strikes one without
living thought the matter over much, and
III is that it will keep the members in their
is. With such touch-and-go method of
hning things at hair-trigger
lk, so to speak-no member could
lord TO risk fatal record by
ing out at voting time. There could
no lcisurely waiting by S. to complete
ltory to Il. while p. and r. were being
He'd out by the clerk, and w. was out in
L lobby, with his best car toward the door.
lwould make them all stay in their seats,
y n if one would take the trouble to count
the hours and days wasted by tho demo-
is last winter in flbustering, and sub
TACT IL from the entire time of sitting, it
1uld not only do away with 10 o'clock meet
Ks and night sessions, but give time for con-
IS TO do much else that ought to have been
Ile but to strike at tho root of the evil
pre- must be some voting outside of con-
ss, and the old republican methods well
piled are good enough. 1t really matters
1tle whether the democrats in congress vote
1chain lightning or telephone, they will
ind their time on party measures anyhow.