Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-04-22
WHAT CONGRESS DID.
TIME FRrrrERED AWAY AND
NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED,
Only SEQ Acts OF All Kinds Were Passed
Out OF Several Thousands, and They
Were by No Means the Most Useful and
Important.
Congressional Ineficiency.


The record of the Congress just
closed presents a striking illustration
of the weakness of the prevailing
methods and tendencies If legisla-
tion. Most of the time was frittered
away in idle speech-making, and in
fllibustering processes OF disgrace
full nature. Only $50 acts of all
kinds were passed out of several
thousands, and they were by no
means the most useful and import
ant. The measures in which the
country was chiefly interested were
not dealt with in a proper and con-
elusive way. Time after time the
business of the House was blocked
by parliamentary strategy, and the
majority was powerless to enforce it's
authority. A single member fire.
quently put a stop to the pro-
ceedings, and prevented the pas
sage of bills which were OPP
posed only by small faction. These
things were done legally, under the
rules established for the performance
of official duties and the promotion
of the public welfare. It is nonsense
to say that methods which can thus
be perverted to obstructive and mis-
chievous uses are authorized by any
Of the conditions Of our system Of
government. They are merely cal
culated to confuse and prolong the
work of those who are chosen to car
ry out the wishes Of the people, and
to make the laws required to insure
the best results in the protection of
rights and the rectifcation of wrongs.
There is no excuse for the perpetual
tion Of devices and practices which
only serve to lessen the efficiency of
Congress and to disappoint the rea-
sonable expectations of the people.
The ST. Louis Globe Democrat very
properly thinks it time that steps
should be taken to place this great
body in line with the progress of the
age. The rules and presidents to
which it clings so tenaciously are out
of date, and inapplicable to present
circumstances. There was a time
when the work of legislation could
be performed in accordance with such
regulations, but that time went by
long ago. We are now living in a
period Of new necessities and respon-
sibilities, and a way should be found
to improve our legislative facilities
and provide better means for accom-
plishing sound and practical purposes.
1t is well known that the Jurisdiction
Of Congress extends to many things Of
an unimportant character which could
be much better attended to else
where. A large and constantly in
proportion Of the bills relate
TO local or personal matters that
should be settled in the departments
Or by special tribunals. The labors
If Congress should be restricted to
public questions and interests; and
those should be discussed and adjust
I'd in a simple and straightforward |
manner. There Is too much latitude
given to points of order and other ex-
oedients of embarrassment and delay. |
1t should not be possible for the mi |
lority to tie the hands Of the major
ty in any case, and certainly the |
light of an individual to say what |
hall or shall not be done is unjusti-
liable. The effects of such methods |
lave been seen so often that the av-
,rage citizen is perfectly familiar
With them; and it is much to the
liscredit of our craftsmanship that |
t has not evolved a more rational /
md effective plan of conducting the
of body which is invest
ID with so much power and influence.