St. Paul daily globe., 1896-01-06
AN IMPORTANT REFORM.

The January number of the Atlantic
Monthly contains lucid and forceful
article entitled "a Congress Out Of
Date" which fmpresses upon the pub
lie once more the absurdity and public
wrong Of the arrangement by which d
new congress does not assume office
until thirteen months after it's cleo
tion. We have made frequent refer
ence to this preposterous adjustment
Of legislative terms and there is no
doubt that the whole country is dis
satisfied with it. It is a chief cause
of the lack of responsibility TO the peo-
pie on the part of congress which has
been a cause of criticism of our po-
litical system both at home and
abroad. After an election has been
held, and the people have given their
verdict upon men or measures, con-
gress which they may have repudi-
ated altogether remains in office and
holds its second session, with full
power to legislate independent of pop
ular control. Thus, the writer in the
Atlantic notes that there were in the
Fifty-frst congress 176 Republican
representatives when an election was
held in November, 1890. AT that cleo
ton only fifty-two Of these men were
sent back to Washington by their
constituents. At the last session of
this body there were, therefore, 124
Republican representatives, sufficient
to control the course of legislation,
were not responsible to any
body, and upon whom no further pen
atty could be visited for misconduct
or failure to perform their duty.
To less degree the same holds good
of the presidential office A president
is chosen on the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in November, for four
years. For four months after that,
or until the 4th of March next fol-
lowing, all the vast power of
the presidential Office is WELD
ed by the former incumbent
1t is situation which presents almost
irresistible temptation to partisan ac-
tion. In these four months the presi-
dent might, through the exercise of
the appointing power, overturn the
civil service and entrench members Of
his own party in office so that nothing
but wholesale removals, leading to a
restoration of the spoils system, would
be possible to his successor without
complete denial of justice. The dan
ger that legislation unapproved by the
people may be enacted during this
term between the election and the
realization of it's results is a real one.
Two or three times policy repudiated
by the popular vote, such as that en-
bodied in the different force bills pro-
posed in congress, has been adopted
by an irresponsible and defeated ma
jority, and the nation has barely es
capped having this forced upon 1t
against it's will
No state in the Union, it is observed,
would tolerate such an arrangement
for moment. In all the states a
newly chosen governor and Legislature
go into Office within a few weeks Of the
date of election. The common GUS
tom is to hold state elections at the
same time with the general election
in November, and to have change
of government on the first day of Jan
uary next following. Those states in
which any other arrangement pre-
vailed have abolished it. Only in the
government of the United States,
where the issues are so immensely
important, does the antiquated and
senseless system that is here attacked
prevail. 1t did not originate in any
desire of the people, but was mere
accident, dependent upon the time of
year at which the constitution was
adopted by the requisite number of
states, and upon the settlement of
the first seat Of government. 1t SO hap
peneu ttAca-t the 4th of March was the
most convenient date thereafter for
the inauguration Of the first president.
and ttae beginning of business under