The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-03-08
THAT 16 SECOND CONGRESS.

For about 16 seconds in two years these United
States of America have the house of which
the constitution calls for and you dear friend and brother
have congressman.
You elect your congressman for two years. You pay
him $4,000 for his terms work He you 6 seconds
thereabous and then-pou your CONGRESSMAN is gone
and there nothing left but the long black coat the
serious MEN, the $1,000 year private secretary the place
on the pay roll and the mileage For legislative purposes
your congressman is cipher during the remaining
year. 364 days. % hours and A seconds of his $4,000
term.
Each of has interest in of these chaps and
ought know about these 16 Tor less seconds which
cost about 1926 EACH
On the 18th of March, at about D. m Washington
ID CO time, if you feel cold chill down your spine you
day '''' WV ~ ~|'''>' f'''''s
Once each two years congress is organized. The
new members in Then after speaker is elect
ed and some other business transacted chap gets and
says:
81 that the house proceed to do business under
the rules of the preceding congress-"
Uncle Joe will hit the table crack with the gavel and
unless they do differently this year. the motion will pass
and the voting that motion will be the first last and
only free act and deed OF that congress during it's two
years of life.
The sixteen seconds are over.
The rest of the time the house will do exactly what the
speaker orders permits and less. No bill
can be considered; committee reports nothing
be voted debated except what the speaker and his
committee on rules may choose.
Now you, Mr.. Citizen, value your opinions pretty
fairly well, don't you!
You like to have folks listen when you start out to save
the country" don't you?
Is your citizenship worth cent?
lis your patriotism as big penny?
Is your public interest unselsh enough to be measured
by copper coin?
If not you better join the suffragets-and just talk.
But for cent you buy postal card and in one
minute you address it to your congressman and
''VOte to change the rules; let the house it's
committees
Then sign your name and address to do this
and mail it it will reach Washington two three days
before March 15
On March To- if congressman is less afraid of the
speaker than he of you and your fellow voters he
refuse to proceed under the rules of the last house,
1t the house has enough to elect good speaker
can't it also be trusted to name it's committees?
Now Uncle Joe and his people little scared and
they have fooled Tor it is charitable to put SOY eight of
the protesting republican congressman AS matters stood
there enough rebels to end the rule and then
calendar Tuesday, granted great concession.
Up to now noboy call up bill for consideration
Under the rule, week a member will be per-
med to call up bill for debate and vote but only if it
has been favorably acted upon by a committee.
And the speaker continues to the committees,
that your congressman s pet measure will be dead
Rameses long the committee refuses to consider it
favorably
Some 100,000-probably more-peope are going to
write their congressman about it in response to cam
paign waged by the big magazine Success You will be
in good company if you join the movement
Mind you the issue is: ''Shal we have 16second
gress a twoyear congress?"
Write your congressman and say 'Let the house
its own committees
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