The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-12
A HINT TO LEGISLATORS.

a HINT TO LEGISLATORS.
The arrangement in the congression-
al House of Representatives for five
minutes speeches after next Monday,
although half hour speeches are al
lowed till then, does not meet with fa-
vor from some of the obstructionists
who stand in the way Of the Wilson
bill. Perhaps it is little too much
of an extreme in right direction. But
the other extreme is a public nuisance.
There are many members of Congress
who seem to think they were elected
to make lengthy orations which, print
ed in pamphlet form. may be distribut-
ed gratuitously among their admiring
constituents and aid in their members
return to the national legislature.
The Congressional Record is weighted
down with long and verbose disquisi-
tons. which might be simmered down
with profit to 1.-THE of their proper
tions, and would have a greater ap-
pearance of actual profundity by the
change. A few facts and fewer fig
ures, when possible. told in plain,
straightforward manner, would be of
much more value, and would be better
appreciated by the cultured as well
as the illiterate, than those flights of
rhetoric which wing their way into the
ancient classics, and seek for meta
phors and tropes and figures in heath
en- mythology, or in veritable history
that has no bearing on the things of
the present.
Personal encounters, no matter how
witty or how enjoyable for the mo-
ment to people on the spot, ought not
to be INDUCED in to the waste of time
and the delay of public business. There
is far too much of such frivolity and
party pyrotechnics, and something had
to be done to shut it off. The reform
of the tariff must be conducted on bus
mess methods. and debate ought to be
limited and pertinent reasonings on
either side.
This holds good as to our local legis-
lature. There may be a good deal of
satisfaction to the victorious high til
ter, who downs an opponent in YER
bal encounter or a dispute involving
parliamentary tactics. But the public,
whose time is so wasted, very soon get
tired of that sort of thing and desire
to see the members get down to bus
mess and to talking hard sense, if they
have any. if not, to keeping still.
We do not level this shaft at either
party or side of the House. 1t is
meant as much for one as the other.
Let every measure presented go on it's
merits and be championed or fought
on its provisions and purpose. Leave
out the personalities and the party
references. Let every good bill have
fair play and every bad bill be sat
down upon, no matter by what person
or party 1t is introduced or supported.
h66lSldliOn IL d SGIlOuS lndUl6I duQ pO-
Iitical pugilism is not wanted in the
halls of the Assembly.
By what we have said here we do not
wish to be understood that The Her
aid favors any attempt to shut off a
proper expression of opinion on any
measure that may be introduced. There
must be no gag rule. Any party that
resorts to it will lose more than it will
gain. The remark attributed to a
member of the majority in the House,
1--WE intend to do just as we please
is the boast of 8. braggart and such
policy will meet with public condemna-
ton. Fair debate, fair rulings. regard
for the rights of the minority must be
the course pursued or the wrong will
rebound on those who perpetrate it.
Let US have legislation without bun
connie and without bitterness.