The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-02-23
SHORT SESSION BAR PROGRESS
Many Congressman Favor Change Of
Date of Meetng-Want Time.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. %
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
obeying that injunction that it's men,
bers shall assemble at least once in
every year, and sucn meetings shall be
on the first Monday in December un-
less they shall by law appoint diff
ferent day." The result of this pro-
vision is that, on every alternate year
there must be a short session, and so
congress is prohibited from a full and
free consideration of public questions
except at the long sessions-once in
two years. ',}. q.
It 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 en-
acted. 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 I'M
pressed with the argument that the
meeting of a new house of representa-
tives ought not to be delayed so long
after an election. 1t happens now and
| then that a single great issue con-
| trolls the election of a house of repre-
sentatives, and yet the men who are
| chosen to come to Washington to
voice the sentiment of the people are
compelled to wait thirteen months be-
fore coming here unless, perchance, an
extra session should be called.
| To remedy that defect, it has been
suggested that 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.
/ Yet another suggestion is that the
regular meeting time (the first Mon
day in December of eacn Year, should
be advanced to the third Monday IN
November, Or to some other date I'm
mediately after the November cleo
ton.
The suggestions that are going
clearly that sentiment in favor Of
changing the present system is crystal
Llizing. The point is that congress
should have at it's command each year
ample time in which to transact the
public business. 1t is always posi-
BILE for the president to convene con-
gress 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 hav-
| ing a new congress meet soon after
March 4. Nearly onefourth of the
house of representatives would ap-
pear fresh from the people, with a
thorough understanding Of public sem
timent on the subject of railroad-rate
| legislation and the modification of the
tariff, and about one-sixtn 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