The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-13

1t the sanctuary of the sober second
thought of the nation" De Tocque-
Vile. who was the profOundest as we'll
as the most accurate observer of our
institutions, and whose study of them
heated his calm philosophy into burn
ing admiration, declared that 1.-THE
American house of representatives is
the expression of the emotion of the
nation; the American senate is the
expression OF the Judgment of the ma
ton"
Thus the house acts quickly, fer
vently, sometimes passionately, and
always with the warm blood of the
real and vital life of the people. And
for precisely the same reasons the
senate acts deliberately. critically, al
most with coldness-not with the cold
ness OF the Indifferent worker, but of
the scientist who, eager to solve the
problems of the laboratory quickly,
is yet far more eager to solve them ac-
curate!y. And so the house is much
more human than the senate, and the
senate. in the nature of things, more
judicious than the house.
Where House and senate Differ.
say that the action of both house
and senate have exactly the same
cause. The congressman is elected
for .wo years. The people demand
certain legislation instantly. The con
gresham must be reelected at once;
for congressamn's campaign never
ends. And therefore, he responds to
the peoples immediate thought, be-
caus Ii he does not they will punish
him by defeat. For the very same rea
son, the senator is quite as ant to
resist that immediate demand of the
people. He is not up fer an early cleo
ton. and he considers. not what the
peoples mind may be today upon this
question, but what it probably will be
some years hence. He considers that
If he votes for this measure now, the
people will applaud; but If they
change their mind four CT five years
hence. they will forget their applause
OF today in their condemnation of to-
morrow
So out Of human nature itself
springs the question which the house
puts to every measure: rs it what
the people want today?" and the ques-
ton which the senate puts to every
measure: rs it what the people will
want tomorrow-when they have had
time to think it overo" And in an
swering it's questions. the house, I'M
der its rules, acts quickly; for, in
the nature Of things, unlimited debate
in the house is impossible. There are
three hundred and ninety-three men,
bers in the house, and if each man
should speak without limit on any i'm
portant question the house, even If in
continuous session, could not pass a
dozen measures in a decade.
On the contrary. there are only
ninety senator's land the men who
wrote the Constitution supposed that
there never would be more than forty
at the Outsidel. Therefore, extended
debate is possible and necessary.
The senate is the only place in all
the world where there is absolutely
free debate-yes. more than that: the
United States senate is the only spot
on earth where free speech exists.
Every man sees the universal ad-
vantage of liberty and the gradual,
but steady, equalization of ancient
forms Of government to those free in
situations. Of which these of our coun-
try are the first and most perfect
models. Some countries. like Switzer
land. have caught up with and passed
us in the race toward the goal of
pure democracy: and others. like
France and England. and in some feat
ures. such as her municipal govern
ment, even the German empire. are as
much more modern as we are now
than we were more modern than they
a hundred years ago.
Yet i'll this universal uplift OF peo-
Piles and nations toward the govern
ment OF the people. the senate of the
United States remains the only sanctu-
airy of free speech on earth. That Is
the most striking and glorious fact in
the whole framework of our govern
ment-yes. and Of all government: and
7 repeat it because it is so great. so
tremendous.
Much Talk Makes Wise Laws.
The free speech of the senate often
means long debate. But without that
extended discussion enactment OF wise
laws for the American people would
be impossible. The country is so big
so vast: our people are so numer-
GUS: their interests are so varied, in
tcrwoven, interdependent, that law
which when enacted must cover a con-
tinent and apply to almost ninety mil
lions of people. and affect all of their
inter!aced industries. must be modi-
fed. balanced. adjusted with nicely. or
it will work more evil than good.
So. from every part of the country
senators ought to advise the senate
and the nation as to what is best for
the republic with respect to that law
from that senator's point OF view:
and for his opinion he should contend
with vigor and enrich his debates with
industrious research. He should speak,
not for the separate welfare of the
state or section from which he comes,
but for the welfare OF the whole Amer
lean people as their welfare appears
to him: for senator is not a senator
of state: he is senator of the
United States from a state. He is the
representative whom the people of
state send to the councils of the ma
ton to give the best wisdom of the
people OF that state in devising laws,
not for that state alone but for the
whole republic.
BY the time even a small number of
senators has discharged the high duty
of elaborate, careful and thoughtful
counsel in the form of debate much
time has been acknowledgements.
But this is only apparently. As mat
ter of fact. very little time has been
taken. For example. in the last eight
years congress has been in session
on the average about four months
year. This is not :nuch more time
than is consumed by the legislature
of state. Yet during this historic
period more new. far-reaching and
dest;ny-freighted questions have been