Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-04-13
POLICY OF |NAC7ION,
Not a Single Public Measure
Passed by Congress.
DOMINANT PARTY TO BLAME.

With Big Majorities In Both Houses
Republicans Neglect Legislation.
Hostile to President-A Foolish Sys.
tenn Of Sessions-Taft's Weakness
Before the PeopIe.-The Appeal Of
Iabor-Two-third Rule illogical.
By WILLIS J. ABaOr.
he death of Senator William James
Bryan Of Florida marks what is per
maps Tue most extraordinary series of
deaths in one United States senate
known to recent years. Senators Nor
gan and Pettus of Alabama died With
In two months of each other. Senator
Proctor Of Vermont and Senator Mall
Tory Of Florida died very shortly there
after. Senator William pinkney Whyte
of Maryland died only Il few DAYS ago
Now comes news Of the death of Sen
ator Bryan, who came as the appointed
successor to Senator Mallory and who
had barely taken his seat in the senate
before the attack Of typhoid fever
which brought him to his end was in
CURED. His death Is peculiarly pitiful
because of his youth. He was the
youngest senator Of the United States
not yet thirtytwo years of age. In his
home state he had Impressed himself
upon the people as man Of force aud
ability. at the capitol he had not had
any opportunity to make his mark. 1t
was only on the 9TH Ut January that he
took his seat, uhd 1t was three weeks
ago that he WAS sent to the hospital
where he died. That Florida should be
thus in one session of congress twice
deprived of its representation In the
senate seems a cruel stroke OF fate. 1t
is hardly likely that the governor will
make an appointment to fill the seat
in season to make the successor useful
to the Democratic minority in the SEN
ate. However. as the Republican side
of the senate possesses now n two
thirds majority, it is just as we'll that
it should be permitted to accept COM
plete responsibility for all legislation
to be enacted this year
The Date Of Adjournment.
The indications are now that con-
gress will adjourn about the 25th of
May. The statesmen. and particularly
those In the house of representatives.
have matters Of political and personal
interest to attend to in their own dis
tricts. But so far the matters OF pub
;,,+ ;ot, how
supposed to attend to at the capital
have not been done. One half Of the
first session Of the Sixtieth congress is
over. and not one single measure Of
public nature has been passed by the
two houses and sent to the president
for his approval. This Is not because
Of any factious opposition on the part
OF the minority party. There has been
no filibustering nor even any attempt
at it. The senate has Its rwo-thirds
Republican majority, the house a ma
jority proportionately as great, but
absolutely nothing so far has been
done. It's true that this congress
Is hostile to the president. The distin-
guished Republicans there gathered are
inclined to believe that he has too
much Of an inclination to dictate what
the legislative branch Of the govern
ment should do. Perhaps to that ex-
tent they are right, but 1t may at least
be said that a president has the right
to ask that congress shall do some
thing. This congress has done nothing
SO far. Not even the committees have
to the present time reported the really
necessary measures. In the house OF
representatives there are 800 men. each
of whom draws in salary and allow
ances practically $4,000 year. The
salary aud the allowances go on
twelve months out OF the year, but the
average work does not amount to four
months annually. a foolish system
prescribed by law, which can be
changed only by law, divides congress
into short and long sessions. The short
session ia too short for any legislation:
the long session always precedes either
a congressional or presidential cleo
ton. and the politicians therefore avoid
doing anything which might affect the
result. That has been particularly true
in the last eighteen months. when the
last session of the Fifty-ninth congress
went out in impotence, and the first
session Of the SiXtieth congress is half
ended without any legislation for pub
lie purposes having been enacted.
Tho Anonymous Political Bureau.
One Of the interesting features Of
politics in Washington during presi-
dentinl camDaigu is the ANONYMOUS
news bureau. Both the Republican
and the Democratic parties suffer from
these concerns. l had an illustration
Of one the other day. when In sealed
envelope. bearing no return address,