Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-22
A QUESTIONABLE PROPOSITION.

1ne burning anXletV OF our energeUc co'
temporary, the New York World. now that
an overwhelming Democratic majority is Sc
cured for the next Congress, is one of the un-
conscious bits of humor with which our poll
tics are decorated. That the journal which
few weeks ago was denouncing the PROPOSE
tion of an extra session as the other works
of the evil one should now be calling for an
extra session next spring is but an express
i've measure of the extent to which the boot
is on the other leg. But when the wide
awake World carries its desire to see Dem
ocratic Speaker getting even with Mr.. Reed
to the extent of going back on constitu-
tional principles, and asserting that it is
anomaly anu injustice that Congress
should not meet until over a year after its
election" it is worth while to examine into
the Justice of this criticism of the Constitu-
ton.
The makers OF the Constitution founded
their provisions on sound reasons generally.
The remarkable wisdom and enduring quail
ity of their work is universally
acknowledged; but at the same
time few attain a complete appreciation
of the fact. A just estimate of the value
and lofty wisdom of their provisions may be
attained If we ponder the fact that nearly
every great abuse of the present day from
monopolistic combinations down to patron
age squabbles car be traced to either a
violation or notification of the standards
set up by the trainers of the Constitution or
its early expounders. To say that this one
provision of the Constitution bv which the
House elected in November, 1890, meets on
the first Monday of December, 1891, is
wrong is not to be taken as an impeachment
of the general wisdom of the Constitution;
but it may be regarded as a failure to
recognize the wise reasons which lie at the
bottom of this particular provision.
The purpose of the constitutional enact
ment was plainly that the representatives
of the people might have a space to consider
soberly the issues on which their election
was secured before taking the final step of
flaming it into law, and to avoid the peril
of haSty Legislation that would be likely to
attend upon the meeting of Congress while
fresh from the heat of the contest A very
good illustration Of the sound reasoning at
the bottom of this provision is afforded
by the present case. There is no doubt
that the Democratic majority in the next
House will take more moderate and con-
servative course by thinking over matters a
year than if they should meet on the 1st of
Januars or the LIST of March next, and,
while warm from the fray, undertake to
make a clean sweep Of the last sessions leg
islation.
Possibly our Democratic contemporary can
see that there are two sides to the question,
if it will take an illustration as applying to
its opponents. The Congress whose first
session has just ended was elected in 1888,
but did not begin its career until year ago
Suppose that it had been able to put in two
full terms before the election which has Just
taken place. and had thus had time to add
to Its record the complete enactment of q
Federal election bill, of bill taking away
from the States the power Of congressional
apportionment, and had beyond that ap-
piled to the late election of Congressman the
apportionment proposed by the census? 1t
is not probable that Democratic opinion
would have regarded these results as vim
dication of the criticism on the present pro-
vision; bu. beyond that it is worth while to
recognize the distressing effect of an election
in the middle of Congressional term.
The beginning and the end of the Con-
gressional session are both unfortunately
fixed as to seasons. and make the short term
inadequate. But it is BY no means certain
that to make the meeting of new Congress
follow closely On its election would be an
improvement on the present arrangement.