Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-07-10

sAAV &Asst AaVS WSOII0A Tic sWOIuS,
but the sum and substance was to the
effect that the ant was prudent and
Industrious insect and in the summer
prepared for the winter, while the
grasshopper sang the summer away
and was unprepared for the cold
weather. Congress works on the plan
Of the grasshopper, except that it fools
the. winter away and then works like
Turk in the sultry days Of summer
to make up for Lost time. What could
be sillier than for 500 grownup men
to take two weeks holiday at Christ
mas time, knowing full well that il
they do their duties will keep them In
Washington into Julie, sometimes into
July, when 1t is hot enough in this de-
lectable city to make the skin slip Of
almost? But they do it just the same.
The truth is that congressional cleo
lions ought to be held the last Monday
n August and congress should con-
vsne the drst Monday In October-the
most delightful season of the year ON
the Potomac. And the representatives
elected in August should be the ones
to meet in October. 1t is preposterous
to have session of congress in which
from one-fourth to one-half OF the
members have been defeated for re-
election, AZ we have now. The theory
Of the two year term for representa-
dvss 10 that they should be fresh from
the people. Nevertheless we cling to
the bad habit Of retaining for the short
session the members rejected by the
people. The reason why the meeting
Of congress was set for the nrst Mon
day in December was that that date
gave the farmer members time to har-
vest and sell their crops and to make
the long, slow journey to the seat Of
government. The trip took months
then whore Il requires days now. The
reason having failed, the date for the
convsning Of congress should bs Set
back to the frst Monday In October
Then congress coald do It's work and
get out Of Washington before the sum.
ner solstice-a consumnation devout.
y to be wished. By electing representa-.
dves the last Monday In August-the
idlsst portion Of the year-and having
congress convene on the first Monday
In October would allow ave weeks in
which to ascertain the results In even
the closest districts-ampls time in this
day Of railroads, tslsraphs and tele.
phones. But the vis inertia in human
nature u nowhere more in evidence
than in the congress Of the United
States, which we fondly and proudly
call ''the most august legislative body
On earth"
This congress has been 40 exception
- the matter OF foollng away the
cold, invtgorating days Of winter and
spring and then working IKE galley
slaves while the Precipitation lowed
freely. Tho three weeks before Christ
mas were sQusndsred In debating
the Presidents message, an utterly fu.
tile performance. Words, words, words
merely that and nothing more. Then
followed the tive weeks Of Christmas
holidays. running the total up to five
weeks before We even settled to work
The upshot was that during the last
two weeks Of the session everything
was done In rush, slapbang style, and
bills Of the most far reaching conse.
| Quences were rammed through with
out adequate debate or without any
debate at all under whip and spur OF
| the house machins-the committee on
rules. II evil comes Of 1t the Rspub
lican house machine will be entirely tc
blame for II, for while we have put VI
q game fight whenever fight was JUST
liable, they, with their beastly majority
Of LIP, could generally outvote Us.
As the president made many recon
msndations 1t would have been strange
II several Of them had not been enact
ed Into law, ~ his party has an almost
two-thirds majority in each house Of
congress, but he has met with three
pronounced defeats-arst, on the state
hood bill; second, on the Payne Philip
pine tariff bill; third, on the santo Do
mingo treaty. OF course the house hat
nothing to do with the treaty. Th,
house passed the Payne Philippine tar
II bill. but only by the aid Of the bull
q the Democratic votes. II all tn
Democrats had lined up against 1t, /
would have been defeated by sever
votes. So even that was defeat TO
the house Republican machine. In tn
statehood matter, however, both til,
administration and the Republican
house machine We're severely rolled b.
the Democratic minority, aided ant
abetted by the Republican insurgents
10 the Democrats, led in the house b,
Hon. John Sharp Williams and in tn
senate by Hon. Joseph Weldon Bailey
do the people of Oklahoma and the In
dian Territory owe it that they are t
be blessed with immediate statehood
Vhe people Of Arizona and New Mex
] leo also owe the Democrats in con
i, gross a perpetual debt Of gratitude TO
the long and heroic and successful fgh
made to prevent their being force,
into an unnatural and uncongenial un
lon. On the whole, the conduct Of tn
J Democratic minoritles in house an,
e senate has strengthened the party 70
the impending congressional election
g and for the greater contest Of 1905
y Consequently we have much cause 70
hope and self congratulation.
:. Russia and the Jews.
II would appear to most people ths
the awful drubbing which the Jay
a gave the Russians would have taugI
q the latter some sense. It would ais
q appear that the internal troubles whic
have afflicted the cara vast ampjre