The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-16
SHORT SESSION AS
BAR TO PROGRESS
Many Congressman Favor Chang
ing Date for Meeting, to Cure
Evils in Lack of Time.
BY w. w. Jermane,

Washington, Feb. 16.-There is a
strong revival. OF sentiment just now
among the legislators of the nation to
the effect that congress must sooner
or later change the annual date of
meeting. Ever since the adoption Of
the constitution congress has been obey
ing that injunction that it's members
"shan assemble at least once in every
year, and such meeting shall be on the
first Monday in December, unless they
shall by law appoint different day.
The result Of this provision is that, on
every alternate year there must be g.
short session, and so congress is pro-
hibited from a full and free consider
alton of public questions except at the
long sessions-once in two years.
1t has come to be a habit with the
legislators to come together for the
short session with the understanding
that no general legislation will be enact
ed. The session is limited to three
months, and out Of that limit must be
deducted two or three weeks for the
Christmas holidays. Even the appro-
priation bills do not receive the care
full consideration they should have, and
any general legislation enacted in the
hurly burly Of the short session is
bound to be only half digested.
Remedies Are Numerous.
Numerous remedies have been sug-
gested. Many public men are impressed
with the argument that the meeting
of new house of representatives ought
not to be delayed so long after an cleo
ton. 1t happens now and then that a
single great issue controls the election
of a house Of representatives, and yet
the men who are chosen to come to
Washington to voice the sentiment Of
ho 10
teen months before coming here, unless,
perchance, an extra session should be
called.
To remedy that defect, it has been
suggested. that a congress elected in
November should meet regularly in the
following spring, say in March or April,
and thus be prepared to carry out the
expression of public sentiment at the
November election.
regular meeting time (the first Monday
in December Of each Year, should be
advanced to the third Monday in No
vember, or to some other date imme-
diately after the November election.
The suggestions that are going around
are all tentative, but they show clearly
that sentiment in favor Of changing the
present system is crystallizing. The
point is that congress should have at
its command each year ample time in
which to transact the public business.
1t is always possible for the president
to convene congress in extra session,
but the public is prejudiced against
special sessions, and every president is
disposed to let important legislation
wait.
The Present Situation.
The legislative situation today is used
as an argument in favor Of having
new congress meet soon after March 4.
Nearly one-fourth Of the house of rep
resentatives would appear fresh from
the people, with thoro understanding
of public sentiment on the subject Of
railroad-rate legislation and the modi-
fcation of the tariff, and about one
sixth Of the senate would be new and
would, for the most part, be made up
Of men who are in sympathy with the
policies for which the president stands.
Allied with this question of changing
the meeting time of congress is the
much discussed proposition to change
the date of the Inauguration of the pres
ident and vice president. Two years
ago it seemed probable that the move
ment in favor OF moving the inaugu-
ration forward to some date in April
nors of nearly all the states had ap-
proved it, and public sentiment had
Endorsed it, it was allowed to languish
and die.
If Saturday, March 4, turns out to be
a wintry day, and the usual number of
deaths from pneumonia result from ex-
posture on that day, the agitation for
change of date will no doubt be re-
newed.