Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-06
A PERPETUAL CONGRESS.

Arguments In Favor Of If-LengthenIng the
Terms and Increasing the Salaries Of
Congressmen = Changing Inausurasion
Day-The Merry Legislator.
CORRESPONDENCE or THE DIsPATcH.I
WASHINGTON, b. G.. October "A strong
sentiment in favor Of continuous sessions of
Congress is springing up among Congressmsn,
and in fact among all who are interested d.
rectly in legislation. OF course, we who live
here want them. We like to have Congress
with us as long as possible, because it brings
life and money to the city. It is much merrier
when the festive Congressman parades the ave-
nue. and makes Rome howl In the restaurants,
as he often does. he does so with complete
immunity, you know. The police may caution
him, but they never arrest him. Once in
while one is taken in before he can prove his
identity, but after that he is suddenly released.
Sometimes it is difficult to establish their iden-
tity, however. as all men in state Of sin look
very much alike to the average policeman, and
in that case there is nearly always in the neigh
borhood good Samaritan in the person Of
newspaper man who knows everybody, and he
assists the statesman out of his difficulty. But
these are secondary considerations. The coun-
try at large cares little about the merriment or
great deal about the conduct of the supreme
progress of legislation.
Time for Change.
It is certainly time for the abolition OF many
of the old laws and customs which have been
in vogue since the beginning of the Republic,
and which were good enough in their day, but
H. ~,
The country has grown too great for session
new Congress, long adjournment. and then
short session from the LIST of December to the
4th OF March. Legislation piles mountain
it never should be touched, but the trouble is
the beneficial legislation cannot be reached,
except by unanimous consent, without wading
through the entire mass as It is numbered on
the calendar. Thus vicious legislation is often
enacted simply because the supporters of such
bills can block the progress OF Congress unless
they are granted their wish, and this is the
session, when everything goes with a rush.
With continuous sessions this would not be |
the case. Then no recess would be taken until
commendable legislation was out Of the way,
even though the sittings were to last from the |
beginning to the end Of the Congressional term |
of two years. But with this reform others |
would necessarily come. The date of the regu-
lar assembling would have to be changed to o |
Congress, that the new Congress mightcome |
together at once. The time Of the inaugura-
ton of Presidents would probably be changed |
from the 4th Of March to the Both OF April. A |
great effort would be made to extend the |
length of the terms of members Of the House |
to three years, or perhaps to equal those of the
no good reason in the minds of many Repre- |
sentatives The pay would probably be in |
creased. That $500 q year is not enough for |
man of ability who leaves his home and busi- |
al,
in this day without saying. At the increased |
pace at which all well-to-do people now live |
that sum is not more than So 900 was few |
years ago. and a Congressman who wants to be /
anybody and do anything in Washington must
spend money freely. 1t is evident that many OF |
the old landmarks and traditions will soon be |
wiped out with the vast increase Of population.
the consequent increase Of necessary legisla-
ton, and the changed social conditions OF the |
country and its capital.