Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-04
He Wants the House to Get a
Hustle on and Work
Quickly.
HOT AFTER OELIMouEnTs.
Tennessee Member Would Dock All
Congressman Who Miss attendance
Opposition to More Big Ships.
Special Correspondence.


Washington. Dee 27.-In the midst
Of the gayety and relaxation of the
holidays members Of Congress who
really have the best interests of the
country at heart are giving consider
able attention to the fact that both
pecially in the short sessions, and that
public interests suffer In consequence.
The present session convened on Dec.
3 and adjourned OH Dec. 20 for two
weeks holiday. The only work of
Importance done prior TO adjournment
was the passage in the house of the
legislative, executive and judicial APP
preparation bill. The senate did even
less than that, because most of the
time II had little to do, nothing having
been sent over to it from the house.
one result of this Will be that the
larger part of the business OF the ses-
sion viii gave to be rushed through in
the last few days and that meritorious
legislation will suffer thereby. This
occurs at the end of practically every
session. but the worst features are al
ways in evidence in the closing days
of the short sessions. Representative
Champ Clark of Missouri has COM
planned that numerous ''uBseemly JOBS
have been accomplished under cover
of the final rush and has promised 10
make speech on the subject after the
holidays The house has voted an ap-'
preparation for an additional clerk in
the Office of the enrolling clerk but
Mr. Clark and others insist that this
extra expense could easily be obviated
II the legislators would waste less time
and avoid croweIng so many important
matters through In a few days Just
before the close of a session. II IL
..,.I to faaNa
two whole weeks at Christmas time
The shortening of this holiday would
permit more careful consideration of
legislation, and, IL necessary. the length
of the short session could easily be in
creased by providing for an earlier
meeting date.
Representative John Wesley Gaines
of Tennessee has interested himself in
the matter and has announced his in
tention of insisting after the holidays
on the literal enforcement of the law
which provides that senators and rep
resenaives shall receive no salary for
days on which they are absent MIR.
Gaines some time ago introduced a
bill providing for the fining of absen-
tees. but has since discovered that the
law spoken of is already on the stat
ute books, although it has been d dead
letter for years. The Tennessee repre-
sentative says he will move for the
dismissal of officials of the house and
senate who do not enforce the law.
II Is certain that any proposal for
the building of another big ship like
the one the plans for which were re-
Gently sent to Congress by the navy
department and which is intended to
Guido the British Dreadnought in
every respect will meet with deter
mined opposition in the naval affairs
committees of both houses. The
It'd .I.fa -syaer
action on that part of the naval APP
rroproiatlon bill relating to new ships
until the very last. as 1t is obvious
that a contest Is inevitable. Promi-
nent senator's whose wishes usually
prevail in such matters announce that
they are unalterably opposed to the
construction of any more vessels Of
the Dreadnought type regardless of
the position of the president in the
premises. They are willing to pro-
vide for the building of more smaller
ships, which they believe will afford
a greater degree of protection than
one or two such monsters as the bill
passed last session made possible. A
strong sentiment in favor OF submarine
torpedo boats has developed, and bills
providing for the stationing of Is such
vessels along the Pacific coast and an
equal number at the principal ports
OF the gulf of Mexico are now pend
ing before the house committee.
The breach which already exists be-
tween the president and leading mem
bers of his own party in the senate
promises to be widened by the agita-
ton over the discharge of the members
OF the battalion of the Twenty-fifth in
fautry (colored), which was stationed at
Ere wnsyille, Tex, at the time of the
trouble there last August. Senator
Foraker's resistance on "A congressional
investigation is naturally not pleasing
20 the president, as the message he has
sent to Congress on the subject is sup
posed to cover all the facts in the case.
IL Is apparent that Senator Foraker be-
lieves that further Investigations will
bring out additional Information, how
ever. The situation is fraught with
political possibilities OF unusual inter-
est,
Representative John r. Andrus of
New York Is quite the most popular
member OF Congress among the page
boys and employees generally. He is
very wealthy man. and each OF the pages
and others have been the recipients
of n Christmas gift of q 81 bill from
him. His wealth is estimated to be in
the neighborhood OF sS50OO,oO0 Only
Senator Clark of Montana OF all the
other members OF Congress is supposed
To be richer,