Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-01-10

VNQOQW
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There could not be a more horrible
example Of legislative inertia than the
first session Of the sixtieth congress.
which began on Monday, Dec. 2, and
ended on Saturday, Dec. 81. The Pc
Rod between those dates nominally in
cludes three full legislative weeks. Had
congress been so minded it might have
done an immense amount Of work dur
ing that time and public business would
have been expedited to such an extent
that an adjournment could have been
taken about a month earlier than will
now be possible. Both the house n
senate were in session at frequent in
tervals, and fol a brief time during
part Of several days the Congressional
Record shows that the time of congress
was almost absolutely wasted. Moth
ing Of permanent value was done ex-
cept to perfect the organization of the
house and senate. The money of the
people was thrown away, n for all
the value to the country both houses
might nave met on Monday morning,
gone through formal organization, lis
tened to the Presidents message Tues
day morning, and adjourned Tuesday
night to meet again after the holidays.
Thousands Of bills were introduced in
the house, but all of them were handed
In and put in a box while the house
was not in session, for the introduction
Of bills in the lower house of congress
Is not part of the legislative program.
In the senate one statesman after an
other rose and presented a bill, which
was read by title and referred to the
appropriate committee, the same proce-
dure being taken in the house. The
committees of the house We're not an
nounced until Thursday, Dec. 10, and
final adjournment came two days later.
After having done nothing for three
weeks congress displayed its Christmas
spirit by adjourning for two weeks
more, so that the first real business
session of the sixtieth congress will be
opened Monday, Jan. G, five weeks
after the day set by law for the repre-
sentatives of the people to begin to
represent things.
Lie IOSlOulcc IepuTlIleHt 10 SOlAS W
seek the aid of Congress to prevent the
railroads from putting into service
bluff" trains with a view to capturing
mail tonnage and later abandoning
them. This fact is disclosed in the re-
port of the department regarding the
transportation of the mails for the cur
rent year. 1t is alleged that prior to
the reweighing periods, which deter
mine the routes and compensation ey-
cry four years, it has been the custom
Of some railroads to put on new fast
yrains with a view to capturing the
mails. Having been successful, such a
road, under the present law, must re-
ceive pay for that mail during the sue
ceeding four years wehther it contin-
ues to carry it or not. Accordingly
some of the railroads have been accrs-
toned to take off their bluff" trains
soon after the r%eweighing, allowing the
mails to be diverted to another road,
but continuing to receive pay for trans
porting them until the next reweighing
period, when the trick is repeated.
Speaker Cannon announced his ar.
: r%angement of the new committee on
: appropriations, with Tawney Of Mime
, sofa at its head and Livingston OF
, Georgia as the ranking Democrat. Taw-
ney has come out squarely for the pol
, icy of retrenchment, which the Speak
, er wal known to favor, and he Will be
the recognized watch dog Of the treas
+ ury'' during the life of this Congress.
3 In a statement Chairman Tawney re-
; ferred to the estimates for the next
+ years expenses being over S1OO,OOO.OOO
: over the estimates for the curriers' year,
and said this would mean a deficit of
+ SS3,O OO eco. Hence the necessity of
, rigid economy and the avoidance Of
new enterprises.
The roller skaters of Washington are
an interesting sight. There are 10000
children of skating age in Washington
and 10000 are whizzing around the
streets mounted upon two skates, while
the balance Of them, more or less con.
tent with an equipment of n skate a
child, are doing a complicated hop
whizz, u~ndismayed by the frequent
complications which ensue. The asphalt
streets are really a temptation not
easily resisted, End after dark the roll
er skaters seem to have grown sudden
" and mysteriously taller.
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Before the swearing in Of the two
new Senators from the new State Of
Oklahoma, they drew lots in h pres
ence of the Senate to determine which
; should have the long term n which
, the short. The blind Senator, Gore
/ drew the two-year term, and smilingl,
| congratulated his colleague, Senate
Owen.
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In the Senate the committees hav
been changed 50 as to fill vacancies ant
make places for the new members
!, Knox goes to the front, as expected
! by becoming chairman of the rules com
mittee, where he will have the duty o
defending the legality of the measure
: proposed by the majority. Other I'M