St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-05-27
Our Washington Letter.

VHN~'
Williams discretionary TacticS-The
rrnmnalker Publicity Bill-NO Car
Service 10 New StatiOn-NatiOnal Con-
vsntOn Notes
Twas found that Congress could not
adjourn May %, as anticipated. al.
.bouob the Senate stated that they
ropd be ready at the latest by Mon
iqr night for adjournment, but John
Sharp Williams the Democratic leader of
tbs House. and Champ Clark and their
leutcnants have kept up their flibuster,
5av after day since April l. so as to bar
Iegslatiou as much as possible on many
;moortant bills, and then taunt the
Peoublicaus with being a "do-nothing
marty" Ii is generally supposed that
men are sent to Congress to enact laws
hr the benefit of their state, and the
,opntry at large, but it would seem that
this is not the opinion of certain
politicians, who wish to use their power
for political ends and purposes to adj
vance their own interest and ambitions.
It looks foolish to see grown-up men
keep calling for division and roll call on
every amendment and bill and consume
1much valuable time of an entire Con
qress day after day, when there seems to
he nothing of Importance at stake. 1t is
NOT surprising that Congressman, who
4 are on various committees and who
have worked hard to bring in reports on
bills and wish to see them passed, feel
rntated and disgruntled with those
B who keep up such a steady opposition to
4 show their personal power and prevent
4 adjournment when the majority desire
N to return to their homes before the great
q national conventions are held.
y few facts may give one some idea OF
II thestatus of affairs. The Republicans
q have found in looking over the records
Il that the amount of time consumed in
H roll calls during the past seven weeks
Il has amounted to between three or four
b weeks of working time of the House of
81 representatives, which consists of 1896
members and delegates. A roll-call
Al takes usually from 40 to As minutes.
q The salary Of the representatives is
q $500 per year and any one can easily
! wmpute the time and money wasted by
u this democratic hlibuster. Many do
s. not realize that Congressman are often
in their committee rooms preparing re-
B ports OF listening to experts on special
q Subjects. when a roll-call bell is sounded,
summoning every member to the House
II 10 cast his vote on some trial amend
ment. He may have retEned to his
committee room for a short time, when
q treroI.-caI bell is again sounded and he
Is again obliged to return to cast his
s. vote or some bill may be defeated. 1t
u was stated that there was ID roll-calls
6 o one day, which was a record breaker.
Z continuing from morning until 1870
m. Then the republicans brought in
Some new rules to cover the case.
Now not only the republicans but
many OF the democrats are becoming
VERY weary Of Boss Williams obstruc-
aonary tactics twas found that there
were 70 conference reports, and many
other bills TO pass before adjournment,
and it Boss Williams" keeps up this
lTesome r0llcall on each report, Speaker
cannon thinks they will not be able to
sljoun under six days at least. If you
s aIow j hours for a legislative day, it
& LOOKS as II { would take week longer
transact the business of the House.
Strong pressure was brought to bear on
BOSS Williams to discontinue his fill
Ulster, but be declared he would not I'M
Ss the President would admit that he
was not omnipotent in the control OF
CESSATION IN Congress-. He had said
laJ u 30 republicans would Join with
1J democrats to pass certain bills, they
would pass hem This would entitle
u5 democrats 10 the credit of passing
Hos5 5uIs. The democrats who are
"5l VI his methods are urging him to
8 l'sst lof u is placing them in a bad
SuI They cannot pass those bills and
Dy o1struct legislation and it really
s. OSS -ne repubIcans no serious harm,
'T{ 10 anger and irritate them.
"1u Jhe democrats were rejoicing yes
'uay over The defeat OF the conference
yPoT, on the post office and ship subsidy
d ~, Inc republicans brought up the
l'u@paekur publicity bill" with its
'I'Du Hcn,s One of the provisions is
'Su'ell'n representation for the
'2as' Oh those states in the south
uE" have Acknowledgement laws.
uIu suspension Of rules, the debate on
4'1 S'de was 20 minutes. BOSS Will
a|S made bitter attack on the re-
'3''e''s against it and said that they
m '9'o'Ned themselves into a vaude-
n n, S'"1A company who dared not face
s'cd- pubic question in fair and
FORWARD way. This is an open
z| -. - "'usc ilr the reduction Of Southern
~. p5'Sga'ouou DE- Mr.. Gillespie of Texas
e. 'y passing this BILL 1.-THE condition
uS negro would be made worse than
AZ rSSeat Rep, Dalzell closed the de
And ND VITA s.rong presentation of facts
a.,. "EQu-nts in favor of the amend.
5sr he SAID there was no greater evil
Wal gentlemen should be sent to
Vim, ,'ouse OF representatives, not by
n''e OF the votes of fellows-citizens
AZ. " The Impression of votes He
IN statistic. showing that representa-
had III 'efl tam states and the population
-.s. uo relation to each other. The re
g..u,auye from the 1st Mississippi
MINI N.Y.. SITS here by virtue of 2, 563 votes
,,, .ag preventative of the FRS
re @ '( 81 Of Pennsylvania sits here by vir
<5,NIO votes The whole VOtl