The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-06
Congressman Are TOO Careless.

will not again command serious attention.
1t is certainly to be hoped that it will not.
Congressm en- Are TOO Careless.
Beside its acknowledged attractions as a
humorous publication the Congressional
Record has other uses supposed to be of
greater Importance to its own contributors.
BY reading that delightful periodical sena-
tors and representatives avoid the tiresome
necessity of listening to one another's
speeches. or course this isn't very courte-
Gus; but what does courtesy count for In
congress, where point Of order is supposed,
in these days, to be deadly weapon, and is
naturally resented by the chairl
Still senators and representatives
might get more correct idea
posed legislation by listening to what the
prepayment does say and not taking for
granted what he claims to have said. Only
the most frivolous Of speeches made in
either House seem to command anything
approaching general attention. Congress
men ought to be willing to endure some
thing in order to earn their salaries. They
are not paid simply TO infict their own ut
terances upon the country and then have
them altered in the Record. Verbatim re-
ports are very rare and our esteemed con-
temporary, the great Record, unlike the
newspapers of the country, prints what the
people would probably like to
have instead of what actually
occurs. This not only encourages inatten-
tion on the part of congressman, but makes
them unnecessarily careless in whet they do
say. They don't seem to think it niece, sary
to be correct SO long as they can be cor
rected. When speech upon any such
| serious subject as a constitutional question
| is made in either House that is sufficient to
cause general stampede. This is not as it
should be. Members are especially expected
to take an interest in the more
serious affairs of the nation. They
are not sent there simply for
joke, nor to foster or encourage general
hilarity. That is what The newspaper
photographers are paid big salaries to do
so that statesmen may be relieved of it.
Beside, when q congressman distinctly
hears another one make a proposition
he does not need to rely wholly
upon the Record in order to make a cor
rection or oppose the measure. Contradic-
ton is then out of the question, because
there would be a preponderance of ocular
evidence to sustain. the actual occurrence
When on one occasion the present Presi
dent Of the United States made speech In
the Senate, and no poor speech either
nobody seemed to recognize the Importance
of it. Nor did they even feel inclined &c
listen to him.
Possibly they might feel disposed to listen
now with at least feint of attention. But
he is not asking an audience at present
Yet it is quite possible that he would NOT
have had half the difficulty in impressing
his innate greatness upon his contempt
raries if they had only given him little at
tention then. Were he in the Senate to-
day, even after his presidential career. it is
still doubtful whether they would listen to
him. Very likely his last message yet re-
| mains unread, Notwithstanding all the care
and pride he has bestowed upon it.
| Whether congressman happen to agree
with one another in their speeches is not
the point. Their duty is TO prevent even
the introduction of pernicious legislation
that is unnecessarily occupying the time of
congress. In that way important measures
could be given more careful attention. and
less time would be wasted upon frivolous
and merely dilatory proceedings.
Since the gentlemen are paid to give their
attention to these affairs and invariably
volunteer their services for that purpose
there is no apparent reason why they shout
not give their constituents the worth of
their money. No one is ever sent to cong
ress against his Will, and after he gets there
he should be willing to fulfill at least half OF
his promises, especially such as cost him nc
| violent effort.