New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-19
PRUNING BILLS IN THE SENATE.


| Brr. Carnegie has felt impened, from a sense
| Of duty to posterity, to simplify the spelling
| book, but there are other matters Of needless
waste that require attention, Also Even in the
grave Senate Of the United States there are
opportunities for an arbiter Of taste and letters
to exercise his critical judgment in way to pro-
mote simplicity and save printers ink. Thus,
when Senate Bill 2,266 was considered in the
Committee Of the Whole the other day Senator
Gallinger stood ready with his pruning hook to
Iop off unnecessary or unrepubIican words The
bill authorizes the Joint Committee on the
Library to purchase q bust Of President Zachary
Taylor simple matter IN ITSELF It might be
supposed, yet capable Of being made simpler as
the proceedings IN regard to 1t, veraciously
chroniCled in Tho Congressional Record" show.
Mindful Of the subject which calls for this trib-
ute TO the carefulneSs Of our legislators, even
in apparently minor matters, 1t may be stated
in the language Of Tho Record that the bill
proposes TO purchase Of Mrs Lola Wood
widow and sole exeCutrix Of John Taylor Wood
I. Esq. (whO was a grandson Of President Zach
"ary Taylor a bust Of President Zachary Tay-
"Ior IN her possession, If the same can be bought
"for a sum not exceeding $1,000" Even the
simple phraseOlogy Of this bill, somewhat re-
mote from the exciting issues Of the day, did
not escape the vigilance Of the PetrOnius Of the
Senate, as the collOQuy ensuing demonstrated:
Mr.. GaIIinger-In line 4, before the word
Lola" move to strike out the word mis-
tress."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. GalhngeT-In line ., after the name
Wood" move to strike out esquire"
The amendment was agreed to.
There was no discussion in either case It
was merely the recognized duty of some Senator
to apply the pruning hook, and the New Hamp-
shire statesman, promptly and without
thought that did not harmonic with the purest
principles Of rhetoric democracy and patriotism,
unfinchingly applied it. and the bill as passed
has the conciseness and severity Of a law Of
Lycurgus.
Thereupon Senate Bill 5O8 was read. The
bill IN its original cumbrous, tautologous and
unrepublican form, proposed Ito pay James NJ.
MCGEE NJ. D., $40 70 for funeral expenses IN
Cured in the burial Of Mary J. De LANCE, de-
ceased, who was pensioned on Certificate No.
S18 as the widow Of Augustus De LANCE
late Captain Company @, 144th Illinois Volun-
teers." THE Record" continues:
Mr.. Gaunger-In lines 4 and I move 70 strike
out the words doctor Of medicine"
The amendment was agreed TO.
Mr.. GalIinger-In line Z after the words DE
LANCE" move to strike out deceased"
The amendment was agreed to.
Thus Mr.. Gallinger uses his pruning hook
He labors without q thought OF fame and
merely IN the usual way Of Senatorial duty.
He will not be elected a member Of the Legion
Of Honor for his exercises, but the stately tones
Of the Senate proceedings viii show to posterltv
the devotion Of the Quintillian Of the Senate to
republican ideals, and the country can we'll af-
ford to pay for printing ten words in 'gThe
Record" to preserve the memory Of one word
saved In a bill from such motives