Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-23

not in this country They have got used to revolutions over there, and this pressure upon the laboring poor will not be borne much longer. Now, as to the futurc action | of this house, it is pretty plain that it will take some time to accomplish anything, and then-well, another appeal to the peo- pie. You will find by looking over the rec 1 ords that every congress which camc in on | new and reformed issues had the same diff | faculties to contend with, and we arc now confronted with as many new and difficult | problems GS confronted the congress of | 1S61.'
 Panic Congresses.
 A study of the records suggested by MT. Hatch certainly goes far to sustain his statement and reveals some very curious facts. The First congress was in session F months and the Second only 10, after which came three very short and not very event. full terms. The Fifth was the first panic congress, was called in special session May 15, 1797, and sat two months, yet its en- tire sittingS covered but 13 months Tho l panic of 1797, although terribly severe, did not last very long, and after that came scv- eral short terms, the Ninth congress sit ting only eight months in all and being the shortest lived congress in our history. It is little singular that the war congress of 1S13-15 was one of the shortest, its en- tire sittings covering but 10 months.
 The Twenty fifth was another panic con gress. It convened by call of MT. Van Burcn on Sept. 1, 1887, and was in session most of the time to July 9, 1888. If one half stated in the Whig papers of that time was true, this congress was the greatest collection of traitors raScals and nincOm- poops ever got together, and if onc-halt they said was false the editorial liars Ot that day could give us fellows 50 in the game and double discount us The main fact to be noted is that the troubles of the time resulted from causes long in opera tion and could not be cured rapidly by any legislation, in which that congress had substantially the same difficulty as this one has.
 Long Sessions of Congress.
 John Tylcr's first congress tried hard to break tho record, but that was time of such general trouble, and so many horrible tragedies afflicted the administration that party lines were to some extent laid aside. The longest session before the war was also the most remarkable between Wash ington and Lincoln-namely, that of the Thirty-firSt congress, which sat cOntinu- ously from December, 1S49, to the last day of September, 1850. It ended the careers of many great men and passed the meas WHICH IStl lO l StIlSIfil ICN OIullO1 III party politics. It settled the status as re- gards slavery of all the territory acquired from Mexico and established that system of territorial government which remains to this time. At first view it seems little surprising that the first war congress of 1S61-3 should have been in session less than 12 months all together, but this is explained by the fact that party lines were ignorcd till the second year, and that very little except war legislation was needed.
 The famous reconstruction congress Ot 1867 sat not quite 14 months, but since that time the tendency has been for tho first session to continue about as long as tho people will stand it. Tho Fiftieth congress ended Oct 20, 1888, having lasted 1O12 months. Tho Fifty first or so called Mckinley congress was q good sec ond, as the first October "frost was on the pumpkin when it adjourned, but that was nothing to the political frost which came five weeks later. Taking the whole history, we scC abundant reason to accept the opinion of Joe Cannon that hereafter congress will be a continuous body, its members taking only short vacation in the hot weather, as other business men do.
 Political Straws.
 How much truth there is in tho view of Mir. Hatch that the farmers arc in con dition of gloom bordering on despair I cannot say, but it is certain that that is the condition of very many of the domi- nant party in this house, especially of those who have lately been home to sec about their conventions. It is"somewhat anus ing and certainly is very unusual for leading members of a party to give up an election in advance, but that is what some of the northern Democrats hero have done. The southern members being sure of re- election, with rare exceptions, strive in vain to encourage their northern copartisans with the statement that the party in pow CT is usually beaten at the off year cleo tionS anyhow. That is poor consolation to about 50 members of this house, who only got here by political revolution in tho first place and arc pretty sure that if they miss it this year their several ''gooscs arc cooked" and their names individual ly arc Dennis.
 MT. Holman, aftcra careful study of In diana says the Democrats are sure of elect ing three men to the next house and have a fighting chance for three more. In this house they have II. And this is about the average of comfort received from northern states. The panic, tho veto and the last elections had indeed depressed them, and Senator IIiil's speech on the tariff com plctcd the demOralization. When told that the defeat Of 1894 may be followed by vic tory in 1896, they smile sadly and reply that the horrors of death arc but slightly if at all mtigatcd by the mere hope of glorious resurrection. J. B. PARKE.
 Queer Clubs.
 Thcrc is q club in Berlin called the Gi- ants, every member of which is feet tall. Vienna has Lazy club, no member of