The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-08-21
or CONGRESSMAN.
Row They Carry On Legislation
Is House and Sonata
Private penafnn uSIla Are introduced
~ tbe score. uut Action Is Had
ON 0niv q Few-Fnte ek
petifiona.
Isneclal Washlneton Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.
Tho claim is 1aade that the house
al Representatives is not constitution
ally IN session. Senator Morgan, Of Al
ALBANIA, 8 distinguished constitutional
lawyer. has sthted in the senate that
this entire session Of congress is un-
constitutional.
The senator claims that, although
Che letter OF the constitution seems to
be complied with, the spirit Of the in
strument is violated. because the house
4 OF representatives. under a standing
rule, adjourns for three days at a time,
whether a quorum is present or not,
Speaker Reed has never publicly ex-
pressed himself on this subject until
now. He says. Article I. section 5 Of
tire constitution, clause 2. says; Each
house may determine the rules Of its
proceedings This seems to be
plain enough. Under that constitution
ii provision, the committee on rules Of
the house Of Representatives of the
Fifty-fifth congress brought in a rule
providing that a-djournments shall be
from Mondays & Thursdays. and from
Thursdays 10 Mondays. The constitu-
ton authorizes the house of representa-
tlves to determine the rules gifts pro-
eeedings.' That is all that the pres
ent house OF representatives has done.
We adopted a rule for these constita-
ticnal adiournments; and it is simply
political nonsense to have our constitu-
tional right to do SO questioned"
Whether Senator Morgan is right, or
whether Speaker Reed is right. must be
determined, If ever, by the supreme
court of the United States; for that
body ale.,e has constitutional power
to interpret disputed questions con-
corning the Interpretation OF the or
ganic law upon which the republic is
based. Correspondents and readers
have their own views, but the supreme
court alone can decide who is right in
this contention.
One thing, however, is very apparent.
Every man has a purpose in his public
and private life. What is the purpose of
Speaker Reed, Chairman Dingley and
the other members of the majority of
the house of representatives? There
seems to be no doubt upon this sub
iect. for Chairman Dingley announced,
early in March, that there should be no
legislation enacted, except tariff legis-
Iation. Speaker Reed publicly an
nounced. from his official position at the
speakers desk. that this special session
of the congress wa called by the presi-
dent solely for the purpose of the en-
actment Of revenue or tariff legislation,
That is all very plain; but there is
something back of il.
Every member Of the house Of repre-
sentntises has some constituent. oreoa-
1nents, urging him to secure special
legislation. Excluding pension claims
there are revolutionary war claims
Mexican war claims. civil war claims
and numerous private claims against
l the government, amounting ia the ag-
gregats to more than $1O0. 10000 That
Is d pretty big sum of money, and would
be alarming in its proportions, ever ii
the national treasury were not in a
bankrupt condition.
II Is the determinations Of Speaker
Reed that none OF these claims shall
have consideration at this time. Dc
you know why2 Because there il
danger that many Of them would be
passed, and the government is in no con
dition to pay even its just obligations
You read about trusts and combina.
lions Of rich mel, to accomplish re.
suits. Well. congressman form comb,
nations. too. The statesmen who have
constituents after them, demanding
consideration of their special measures