The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-02
THE PEOPLE AND CONGRESS.
Lawmakers in Washington Are Paying
Attention.


Pablo sentiment will not get all i
would like to get from Congress af TINS
session but other sessions are comings
The point IS that the people have learn
ca what they can 40. They may fal
to get d plre-food bill at this session
as result of the double dealing Of Ger
tain members of the House Of Represen
tatives but they will eventually ge'
what they want along that line, and y
the meantime, it will be surprise i
somebody Is not punished N case ad
iournment does come without pure food
legislation Of satisfactory character
The people evidently believe that Con
gress is lettering financial conditions u
the Philippines, and though the legisla,
tors may put the Philippine tarih bil
over until another session, the measure
will have to be considered sooner q
later because the public insists that
there shall be no running away from Z
plain duty. Congress, likewise, may fai
III this session To make ii unlawful fol
to federal supervision, to contribute e
political campaign funds, and may fai
TO enact 4 law for publicity in national
campaign expenditures, but II Will havt
to pass both these bills sooner or later
because the public is insisting that i
shall.
1t il notable fact that letters and
petitions from the people have suddenly
acquired new standing IN the halls 81
legislation. Not long ago petitions for OF
against legislation were treated as 50
much waste paper when they reached
Congress: senators and representatives
hardly TOOK the time to read them. Us.
ually they were fled in formal way
and that was the last heard OF them
In these days every senator and repre-
sentative who has regard for his politi-
cal future and most Of them have
sees to it TINT every letter Of petition
relating to pending legislation Is an
swered, and, furthermore, that it Is
presented to the committee or the sena-
tor who has that particular legislation
in charge, A few days ago five -four
milling companies in western state
wrote protesting against the action OF
the House in striking from the agricnl-
tural bill the appropriation for the de-
partment OF agriculture These miIlers
pointed out in business-Iike way that
these investigations had been OF sub
stantial benefit to them. The letters
were referred TO the committee on agTi-
culture OF the Senate, and the nutrition
appropriation was restored. In the old
days before public sentiment came TO
its avn. those letters would never have
been considered BY the committee pro-
baby never would have reached the com
mittee, Many like instances might be
cited 10 show how public sentiment has
got in its work during this session.
4 compilation Of statistics relating
TO the -yoiee of the people" during this
session OF Congress would be interesting.
1t would undoubtedly show that more
letters and petitions have come in dur
ing the session than during any five
previous sessions. The stream has not
hnlted since last December The petit
tions have covered every subject rate
legislation, statehood immigration.
Chinese exclusion. free alcohol, pure
food, etc. The petitions bore on their
face evidence of originality and testi.
mony that they were not .'drummed I'M. .
They were not from local politicians
who had suggestions to make respecting