The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-01
CONGRESS OF UNITED STATES.
Representative Overstreet Tonsts that
Branch of Government.

Branch of Government.
Representative Overstreets response to
the toast, "The Congress of the United
States" was as follows:
1.-THE Congress of the United States is
the workshop of the Nation. [Applause.]
We approach the portals of the chief ex-
ecutive and stand uncovered. The crown
of the king or the robe of an emperor have
not as much of the power of government
as the simple garb OF democracy in which
our chief executive is clothed, because
whatever may have been the differences OF
political opinion prior to an election the
commission of the people makes him al
ways our President. tApplause.] We stand
at the Threshold of the Supreme Court
with reverent respect and admiration
Within sits the greatest body which mas
been given to any government. 1t is per-
haps the only body in existence which mas
at all times maintained absolutely It's IN
tegrity and. uniform reputation, ana yet
whatever may be the differences or 1udg-
ment among distinguished lawyers and the
men at large of the country, whenever
law has been construed or lnterpretated
by that body 1t becomes the edict or the
American people and is accepted universal
ly such.
And yet, however dignified the chief
executive and powerful in his capacity,
however revered and honored the Supreme
Court of the government, neither can OPP
rate construe or administer until the laws
shall first have been made by the Congress
of the United States. That body stands
sometimes, perhaps, without dignity, and
vet clothed with all power. We are ac-
customed to say that a physician holds
absolutely in his control his case because
he is familiar both with the disease w Si,o
shapes his policies and puts into erect
those policies.
ALWAYS IN THE LIGHT.
'"The Supreme Court may sit as the
chancery, taking its own time in which
to work out its problems and hand down
its decisions. Not so the Congress OF the
United States, because ii is always in the
fashlight of the public eye. 1t has no Sc
crets which are not known to every voter
in the land 1t stands as the object of
criticism; it is upon the storm cloud and
upon the tumultous wave. Its purposes
are known often times by the people as
readily as by itself. 1t has no time in
which TO shape its affairs except the time
which the people control as well as IL, and
Yet i'm that confusion which the storm
brings it must deliberate upon those queS-
lions which afterward become crystalized
in the law. These people become often
times the objects of contempt and criticism
by the prejudiced partisan press. but stand
convictions they take part of that cour-
age which the people give and some or
their fear and through it all they under
take to carry forward the purposes and
policies which they represent
..It has been said that this people is al
ways sitting in committee of the whole, end
In a measure that is true. But In a larger
measure it ST true that the Congress of the
United States, while still the forum for
American debate. is the clearing house OF
American thought upon public questions
and the people render a trial balance every
two years. And when we stop TO consider
the embarrassments OF their surroundings,
when render the constituencies from
which they come, IL is wonder that more
mistakes are not made instead OF the fact
that a few are charged TO them. For who
are they? They come from a country OF
76,000,0 900 people. Ours is a land whose con-
fines are almost limitess so far as modern
commerce and thought can go. We have
a people bordered by the two oceans,
heterogeneous people speaking one tongue
Within our borders are the intelligent. per-
sistent English; the plodding ever success
citablc French We have the confidence OF
the Protestant and the fidelity OF the
Catholic all nodded into one unit, one peo-
pie. speaking one tongue. living under one
flag with common destiny.
A VAST COUNTRY.
Even our country of contiguous territory
Is one upon which the sun never sets
for he scarcely withdraws his giIdings
from the snowcapped peaks OF the Sierras
when the song birds OF Eastern Maine
herald the approach OF dawn. Yet that
people is divided into forty-five constitu-
ances for senatorial purposes and 357 for
congressional. and they meet I'm the dual
capacity at a common capital I'm order
to unite upon measures OF public policies
for the public good. A people Of that