Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-19

|
| would certainly pass if there were q day or two
more of time, but the full 800 60 over to be
reintroduced and to burden the calendar Of the
| next House.
Mr.. GRAMS RESOLUTION.
Among the measures that will fail thus Ii the
resolution of which Dir. Grain is the author,
| which il designed to correct this evil
IN measure and to make the length
OF the sessions more consistent with
the amount of work that demands attention. Ii
Is the resolution which, proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution. substituting
the 3ist day of December for the 4th day Of
March as the commencement and termination
OF the official term of members Of
the House of Representatives and of United
states Senators, and providing that Congress
| snail hold its annual meeting on the first Mon
day in January and substituting the 3O,h of
April for the 4th of March as the date for the
commencement and limitation Of the term of
| the President and Vice President.
1t was not expected by Mr.. Grain that action
would be had on this resolution during this
congress, but was matter TO be considered by
the same committee which had in charge the
force bill, and that measure occupied ali their
| attention.
THINKS IT WILL PASS THE NEXT CONGRESS-
Mr.. Grain said to q STAR reporter today that
he had no doubt that he could get the resolu-
ton through the next Congress. A majority in
this Congress, he says, are in favor of the prop
osition and it could easily have been passed had
1t been got before the House.
AS soon as the next Congress meets" he
said. Il shall reintroducc the resolution and
shall press 1t actively until 1t is passed. There
| Is strong sentiment in its favor, which am
sure will lead to its adoption
Mr.. Grain took occasion in the House yester-
day. while the post Office bill was under dis
| cussione to make a speech on this subject in
he GA cd affa IN fhx IMAM 80
making n change in the time of the meeting of
Congress.
THE BENEFITS OF THE CHANGE.
What, he said, lis the benefit to be con-
ferred by the adoption of this joint resolution?
What are the evils which exist and call
1t forth? Mr. chairman, it has a twofold OBJ
ject. 1t first contemplatesa change in the date
OF the commencement and limitation of the
term Of the President and Vice President of the
United States. Today. as we all know. that
term begins and terminates on the 4th of March.
Strange as 1t may appear. there is but one
law upon the subject OF the limitation of the
term of the President and Vice President and
of members of Congress, and in the term
members of Congress include, Of course.
Senators as well Representatives. There
is nothing in the Constitution which
says in exact language that the Congress of
the United States shall begin and terminate on
the 4th day of March: Why do propose the
extension of the term of the President of the
United States until the 30th Of April and that
date at noon as the beginning and as the limi-
tation Of the executive term2
propose 1t, first, because. az is well known,
particularly by the physicians of the entire
country, the 4th OF March is usually a very
harsh and inclement day. Many thousands Of
cases OF pneumonia throughout the country had
their origin on the 4th day of March two years
ago and on the 4th day of March four wears
before in the city of Washington during the
inaugural ceremonies of Mr.. Harrison in the
one case and of Mr.. Cleveland in the other.
SENTIMENTAL REASON.
Another reason, rather in the nature of a
sentimental one, confess. but nevertheless
worthy Of consideration, lies in the fact that
George Washington, the first President of the
United States, was inaugurated on the 30th day
March, the Vice President having been
inaugurated nine days before. The reasons for
this are found in the fact that the first Senate
of the United States and the first House of Rep
resentatives found themselves in the condition
in which our unfortunate friends on the other
side were too often placed in the first session
Of this Congress. namely, without a quorum.
What are the evils OF the present system as
they affect Representatives? A man elected i'm
November, 1880, to the House of Representa-
tives does not enter upon the discharge of
his duties for thirteen months thereafter.
His term of Office does not begin until
the 4th day of March, although he was
elected in November. Thirteen months after
his election he comes to the capital and enters
upon the discharge of his duties, although for
nine months preceding he has been receiving
his salary at the hands Of the government. He hes
been receiving a salary for doing nothing
He has remained at home attending to his
private affairs, his own business concerns, but
the government has paid him S4l6 a month
from the 4th day of March up to the time when
ba aral, aaAsv l..
duties a Representative.
He has been receiving his salary, say, for
months before the time when he is sworn in as
a Representative, that is, provided he lives, be-
cause it not infrequently happens, unfortu-
nately, that members elected in November die
between the 4th of the next succeeding March
and the first Monday in the following Deem
Der, the day Of the commencement of the first
session of the Congress to which they have
been elected.
DELAY BETWEEN ELECTION AND MEETING OF con-
GREss.
Again. Representatives are elected in Noyem-
Der upon issues which, when they come to the
Capitol thirteen months later. they find have
been determined and settled. As occurred two
years ago last fall. and also last fall men occu-
plying seats in the House of Representatives
legislate for the country
think it is an outrage upon public senti-
ment and q disgrace to our system that the
representatives Of a party which has been re-
pudiated at the polls should afterward defy the
will Of the people by legislating in accordance
with the policy that had been adopted before
their Repatriation. And, gentlemen ON the
other side, do not make this remark
with reference to your party alone, because the
same thing could have been said about the
democratic party, which after the defeat of
1888 continued TO legislate upon questions Of
public concern in line with the policy which
that party had followed prior to the election.
This observation, therefore, applies with
equal force to both parties and to both sides of
this chamber. Is it right that this should 90
on? What do We find today? We find the
republican party, defeated in the last cleo
ton upon an economic issue called the
Mckinley law, legislating today, and, as the
author Of that law said the other day In the
discussion Of some question, controlling the
destinies Of this country and intending to con-
troll them until the 9Th day Of March.
THE MrLIs TARIFF BILL.
Two years ago the same spectacle was Wit
messed on this side. Mr.. Mills had formulated
. tariff bill; that bill had passed this House;
II became national issue; Il made his name
household word throughout the civilized world.
The republican party joined issue with the
democrats upon that question. They accepted
the gauge Of battle that we threw down. They
beat our party at the polls. And vet st the
short session following the defeat Of November
Mr.. Mills and his associates still continued to
regulate and control the destinies Of the country
10 far a. they could be controlled bv the Housa