The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-17
REFORMING CONGRESS
WHAT MIR. CLEVELAND HAS ACCOM-
PLIsHED IN THAT DIRECTION.
His Refusal 10 visit the Capitol on
the Last Day to sign Bills Was a
Blow mt an Old Custom.

oinlsSlon from the closing programme OF the
old familiar farce of turning back the
hands of the cock. The crowds that flock
into the galleries on the closing days have
come to look for this bit of comedy just as
they look for the busting scene at the
beginning of the ordinary drama, or the
1oiiing of the villain in the last act. 1t is
the stock in the trade of the correspondent
who goes in for descriptive" and the
omission on the 4th inst. of this heretofore
essential part of the days proceedings was
looked on by those gentlemen as a de-
privation of one of their most precious priv
ileges. The scene, however, was omitted.
and in consequence. Captain Bassett for
the first time in many decades, at the close
OF short session, failed to meander down
70 the rear end of the Senate chamber,
while solemn hush filled hall and galleries,
and business temporarily suspended. there,
with Polonius-like gravity, to open the face
of the clock with long clothes pole with
hook on the end, and to turn back slowly
and with shameful disregard for the feel
ings Of old Papa Tempus the hands of the
great clock that warns the senior solons
during the session of the fight of the min
utes. 1t is impressive scene and adds
materially to the interest generally felt in
the wind-up of the proceedings OF what is
tive body on the globe" BY this clever,
ingenious and highly original scheme the
Senator's who have wasted months, weeks,
days and hours with the utmost indifference
gain a few scailt minutes at the close of
the session and attempt to convey the i'm
preston to their constituents that they are
SO fond of work and SO anxious to earn
their salaries that they are willing to rob
old time himself in order that they may
render full service to the country. 1t is
doubtful, however, if they ever really fool
any one. The business men of the country
and the voters who watch more closely than
they are given credit for the doings of their
Representatives in Congress can generally
tell the difference between a hawk and
handsaw, no matter what the direction of
the wind, and the refusal of President
Cleveland to give countenance to this silly
bills pushed through in the wild hurry and
scurry of the last few hours of the session
W W earn nun the M an ana n respect
try. He has probably struck the. death blow
at this custom, and it is well he has done
80 There was never any good reason for
its existence and the circumstances sur
rounding this wild haste at the wind-up of
9 short session gave unlimited opportunities
for any amount of crooked legislation.
Hereafter it will be necessary for the
Senate to give less time to the ''to-be-con-
during a session and more time to the
transaction of real business If 1t is under
stood that there will be no rushing through
of bills permitted in the last hours of the
4th of March. 1t will place the discredit of
unfinished business where it belongs. 1t is
tion Of sensible and practicable rules for the
transaction of business in the Senate.
Mr.. Cleveland on the 4th of the present
cisely. and before him lay fifty-seven bills
that he had not had time to consider. Many
have Received the ssn Of the Prea
dent, but no blame is to be attached to
him for his desire to examine each bill care
character of the legislation it contained.
There is question in the minds of many
at the Capitol. however, as to the correct
ness Of the position assumed by Mr. Cleve-
land and all his predecessors except Presi-
dent Lincoln, that bill must be signed be-
session in order to become a law. In the
case of short term ending with the in
auguration of a new President the position
Is correct enough, but with the case of a
short session in the middle Of a. presidential
term, as in the present case, it is held
that Mr.. Cleveland could probably sign
bills at any time he wished after the adj
journment of Congress. President Lincoln
signed the abandoned and captured prop
erty act on the 18th of March, 1863, eight
days alter the adjournment of the Congress
which had passed it, and since that time
been questioned. A discussion of the ques-
ton developed the fact that the Supreme
Court last December rendered a decision in
a mine case in which 1t treated the statute
as valid one and judicially declared that
the Presidents authority to sign bills under
the conditions named was settled. After
this there is no reason why President
Cleveland could not have considered the
bills before him at his leisure after getting
Congress off his hands" without regard for
the noon hour, which proved SO fatal to
many hopes. OF course. in the of the
adjournment of a short session on the in
auguration of a new President the bills
would have to be signed before noon, as at
that hour the right to sign bills would be-
long 80 another President. who would have
had no connection with the legislation
under consideration up to that time.
Bills have been signed by Presidents after
the inauguration of successor, however,
and after the noon hour on the 4th of
March of such an inauguration. although
old custom of turning back the hands of
the clock. The bill creating the rank of gen.
after President Cleveland had been sworn in
and was signed by the President of the
Senate and President. Arthur while Presi-
raj address. The nomination elevating
General Grant to that rank was sent back
10 the Senate from the Presidents room
Cleveland's remarks. An employee of the
House. WHO was at that time a page in the
events connected with the passage of that
bill. It did not come up in the House until
the calendar the Fredericks-wilson election
case was to have precedence. Wilson, of
Iowa, who lost his chance of securing his
right to the floor to the friends of General
Grant. The bill was rushed through as
hastily as possible. but it was necessary
to turn back the hand of the clock three
times before the bill had finally gotten
through House and Senate. a roll call with
its interminable reiteration, was necessary
as the yeas and nays were called for and
this took up full twenty minutes of good
time. When Chauncey, of the House, clam
bered down the press gallery steps the
first time and turned back the clock, which
was then over the Speakers desk, very
few noticed the action. A repetition, how
ever. called for murmur from the floor
and galleries. and the third time the OPP
Grafton was performed there was distinct
shout of disapprovai from those who
wanted to get out on the plaza at the east
front of the Capitol to hear the address
of the newly inaugurated President. In the
Senate the same thing was being done, but
as there concerted action the Sem
ate clock was showing fifteen minutes of
twelve while the House clock was show.
ing II 80.
When the bill finally passed the House
IL was given TO a page, who carried 1t
over to the Senate His pathway was be-
set with many difficulties. The corridors
were filled TO suffocation with crowd that
at times effectually barred his way. but at
last after many strenuous efforts he
climbed through the massed throngs in the
Senate corridor and got the bill into the
hands Of the Clerk of the House, who
was stationed in the vestibule of the Sem
ate for greater haste and who at once
signed the bill and rushed it into the cham
Der, where ii went through with a dash and
was carried to the President for his Sior-