Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-07

J The Senate is piling up work for the House to
tackle as soon as il is organized To-day il will
probably send over :he EdrlundS' Utah bill for
concurrent action, after which il win proceed
10 pass on several other important public meas
ures. OF late years, the senate has become the
business end of the Capitol.
IL was, perhaps, due To- the fact that year
after year Senate bills have been slaughtered in
the House, that Senator Hoar felt moved yes
terday 10 introduce bill 10 extend the duration
of sessions. Whatever the reason, the move IS
In the right direction. 1t has become apparent
To every one who has had occasion to watch
congressional. proceedings that the legitimate
legislative business Of the country cannot be at
tended TO within the existing limits of sessions.
As now arranged, Congress sits only ten or
eleven months out of the twenty-lour. This
may be a nice arrangement for the members,
whose pay goes on whether they are in session
or not, but il is a wicked waste of the country's
time, in view of the notorious fact that the pub
lie business suffers from neglect. The idea that
public office is public trust has not penetrated
very deeply into the mind and conscience of the
average Congressman. In most cases, man
goes to Congress Tor the personal distinction of
the place, not from a desire 70 serve the coun-
try, and hence the anxiety TO get into Congress
is only equalled by the eagerness to get out of
any burdensOme or combining duties connected
with the honor.
The sessions of Congress ought to he contin-
nous, with such occasional short recesses as
other busy men take in their labors.
The interest in the Congressional committee
list led TO the virtual ascCrtainment of the
principal assignments in advance of the formal
announcement 1t appears that Mr.. Carlisle
has been conservative possible in his
selections. Wherever il was practicable the
old chairman has been continued,-the most
notable exception being in the case of Mr..
Curtin.
As was to be expected, the House is organized
on western basis. The Speakers local inter-
ests are with that section. and his chief advisers
come from the west also. Hence il is not sur
prising that the committees that are TO deal
with the tariff and the coinage should reflect
western views.
The task OF organizing the House is becoming
with each Congress a more delicate and burden
some one, and it is getting to be question
whether the duty should be thrown upon any
one man. In the Senate the committee assign
ments OF new members are fixed in caucus. n
similar method might not be practicable or de-
sirable in the House: but the increase In MEM
bership. the multiplication of committees and
their greater Importance suggest tine inquiry
whether the present arbitrary system is the
best that can be devised.
lIThe directors of the New York city elevated
railroads need TO be very certain that they are
In the right before they engage in a fight with
their engineers. BY the terms of their charters
they must not stop their trains, and the public
will not be disposed To construe the law lem
iently on their behalf, unless it appears that the
company is clearly justified in its action. And
1t will not be accepted 4 valid excuse that
the company insists on the engineers working
Tor more than eight hours day.
New Year is the season for presenting bills,
but Uncle Sam must have been reclSessly using
his credit last year 10 have over three thousand
OF these little bills presented to him during the
FIRST week in January. Moreover. it is said
that Uncle Sam is very bad pay. and that very
few of these bills will ever get the slightest at
tention.
John L. Sullivan is a slusger but when he
attacks the press. even in the shape of small
news boy, he assumes q contract too big for
his biceps- The news boy he hit day two
ago In New York has promptly had him ar
rested, and he will have to pay dearly for his
cowardly attack.