Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-02
THE NEV CONGRESSIONAL TERRI.

THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL TERRI.
A bill is now pending in congress to es-
tablish the time when the term of each
congress shall begin and end. Under the
present regulation new congress begins
on the first Monday of December every
two years. To illustrate, the congressman
THAT is, the members of the house of rep
resentatives) elected in 1882, take their
seats in December, 1883. The members of
the next house were all elected in 1882, as
in Maine in September, in Ohio in Octo-
Der, but in most of the States in November.
Their terms begin, nominally, on the 4th
of March, 1888, but, unless it happens an
extra session of congress is called by the
president, they cannot appear and qualify
until the first Monday (the Sd day. of De-
cember, 1888. The first session of a new
congress has come to be known as the long
session, for the reason that such session
may be prolonged according to
the will of the members.
The second session expires by
Limitation of law on the 4th of March,
each alternate year. Thus, the term of the
present congress-, which began last Deem
Der, expires March 4, 1883.
The new bill now pending contemplates
no change in the time or times, for elect
ing the members of the lower house. The
bill proposes such a change of existing
law, so that the term of each newly elected
congressman will begin a short time after
the election, and that each new congress
shall meet almost Immediately after the
election, instead of as now, thirteen months
after the election, supposing all congress
men are elected in November. 1t is not
proposed to change the time of the meet
ing of the next, or forty eighth congress,
of the succeeding, or forty ninth congress,
March 5, 1885, and fixes the date of the
second session upon the first Monday of
January, which, as to that congress, will be
the first Monday of January, 1886, so that,
by this plan, congressman, whose terms
technically begin March 4, 1885, meet in
regular session on the 9Th of March, in
stead of delaying until the first Monday in
the following December.
When the constitution was framed, and
the laws enacted which still control the
election and term of congressman, the
theory obtained that the representatives
would require time in which to familiarize
themselves with parliamentary rules and
usages and the needs of their constituents.
This view was largely founded on the ex-
pectation that each congress would be very
largely, if not entirely, composed of new
men fresh from the people. The theory
was all very well, but the practice that has
grown up exhibits that in this particular
''the fathers" could not evolve from their
inner consciousness the results
that were to follow. Doubtless,
in their minds eye, the trainers of the
constitution saw the hall of representatives
filed with large preponderance of new
men each time. When, however, we see
Mr.. Kelly sitting in congress for more
than quarter of century, and Sunset
Cox, Sam. Randall, Holman, of Indiana,
crowding close behind him, and
actually scores of others serving
ten, fourteen and sixteen years,
we see how wholly times have changed, and
that the idea af succession of Represen-
tatiyes, S'fresh from the people," was the
Pigment of a dream.
The only objection that is urged to the
pending bill is,that there may be too many
"fresh" members. Very likely this arises
from the fact, that probably since the early
days of the republic, more new members
were elected last fall than
ever before, and there is some
thing of a disposition to adhere to the
ancient plan of probation" However
there is not much force in this, as there is
no danger but there will be "old stagers" |
enough to leaven the whole lump. On the
whole, the innovation is a good one, and |
Will De approved by the country.