The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-12-23

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SSI day of the session
General Hooker, of Mississippi, intro
duced bill which provides that in
future Congress shall meet regularly on
the first Monday after the 4th of March
in each year. This reform is regarded
as one greatly to be desired by the
thoughtful men of all political parties.
Just why thirteen months have hereto
fore been suffered to elapse between the
election of Congress and its meeting
nobody seems to understand. Under
the law the salary of senators and men,
bers of Congress commences on the 4th
of March, following their election, but
their duties do not open, and therefore
they return no equivalent for their
salaries for nine months thereafter-or
until the first Monday of the following
December.
A member Of Congress draws salary
at the rate of $1,000 per annum, or
nearly 800 per week each. Thus, the
United States government, under our
present system, gives in pure gratuities
to the fortunate gentlemen who happen
10 be chosen members of Congress, the
sum of over 800, 900 every two years.
The object of General Hooker's bill is
to furnish employment for the new
members of congress Immediately after
they commence drawing salaries; and
to proceed at once with the duties to
which the people elected them, and for
which the treasury pays them.
* ***#*#*****.
The importance of this reform can be
seen at glance. For instance: The
election of 1892 was fought out upon the
tariff ISSUE Under the present law the
subject cannot be brought to the atten-
ton of the Congress chosen upon that
issue for thirteen months. For six
months longer the question must be dis
cussed and the details of bill be grad
ually formulated. Thus, over year
and half succeeds before action is
reached. Then it takes from six months
to one year to make the new law opera
tive; and meantime the business of the
country may be unsettled, waiting to
learn what Congress is to do. And then,
probably, the people have changed their
mind, and turn round and vote for put
ting in the other crowd, who proceed in
the same slow and uncertain manner to
undo all that the other fellows may have
done.
1t can be seen what farce legislation
thus becomes. In its growth, its inven-
lions, its travel, its whole development,
this great republic wants quick action.
General Hooker's bill simply seeks to
apply the same rapidity to the law
making of the ration. 1t looks as though
the bill would meet with only slight
opposition.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The measure in which the Northwest
is most especially interested just now,
however, is the Anti-Option Bill. 1t
will be remembered that this bill passed
the House last winter by nearly two
thirds majority, and that Senator
Washburn made sturdy and almost
successful fight for its passage through
the Senate. 1t had, at the close of the
last session. an assured majority in the
Senate, but the opponents of the meas
ure succeeded in forcing it to go over
until this session. Senator Washburn
succeeded, however, in leaving the
measure in convenient shape, and it now
comes up as privileged bill. A prelim-
mary skirmish or two has taken place,
but up to this time the friends of the
measure have not succeeded in passing
it. At least two or three of its former
friends from the South have deserted
the measure, and it is not by any means
certain that it will pass within week
or two, and possibly not at all.
During the recess the price of cotton
has advanced quite largely, and the
exchange gamblers are asserting
through their industrious and we'll paid
lobby that this advanceiis caused largely
by the failure of the bill to become a
law last July. By the manipulation of
the markets the cotton gamblers are
just now causing the most tremendous
fluctuations, and all agencies working
in the interest of the gamblers are attrib-
uting these fluctuations to the Anti
Option bill.
Senator Washburn and his hackers in
the Senate are keeping perfectly cool,
however, and still profess confidence
that the bill will become law within
few days. There is large lobby at
the Capital apparently abundantly sup
piled with funds to use in the defeat of
the measure. and thew are making vary