The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-09
CONGRESS KNOCKED OUT.

tHC ulspdJchcS, lHaL NpHpEcSS was 81
overpowcred by President Taft's mes.
sage that the House adjourned until
the third day after its reading, and the
Senate also, with the probability that
neither house would do any business uu-
til the sixth day afterwards, This is
all the more surprising in view of the
fact that the country had been led to
expect that there would be a fireworks
display at once, there were so many
eager souls in both houses that wanted
message was not so ovcrpowcring as the
adjournment of Congress would sug.
gest, but on the contrary it mildly put
before both houses a number of sug-
gestions for legislation that might rca-
sonably be taken up without delay,
In fact, the President S recommenda-
tions have been so openly announced
for weeks, if not for months. as to a
number of the things that he enumer-
ates in his message. that it is surprs-
ing that there were not a flood of bills
introduced and clamor made for the
immediate consideration Of resolutions
covering many of the points.
We have been assured from the
Democratic standpoint that there would
he an immediate ruction on the open
ing of Congress with respect 10 deal
ing with trusts, combinations, and
monopolics in restraint of trade, The
Standard Oil and various transporta
tion combinations have been pointed
out especially as objects that would re
ceive sternly-smiting blows as soon as
Congress assembled. What is the mat.
ter with those gentlemen who were so
loud, so eager, and so impatient for
Congress TO meet that they did not
have their weapons ready to deliver
their blows instanter1
We have been assured, also. on the
other side, that the "regulars,' with
Cannon ns the chief in the House and
Aldrlch in the Senate, would at once
proceed TO vindicate their records and
put down the insurgents with a strong
hand. No disposition of this sort has
been manifest, however. and President
Taft, although very rashly and unwise.
" delivering in his Winona speech a
direct thrust al Representative Tawney
and others of the "insurgent Repub-
licans, had not word to say in his
message that would even hint at dis
satisfaction with them or with any
thing that they had done.
Again, the insurgents have been
clamorous to "get atn Cannon and
Aldrich at the very first moment when
they had chance to do so, and yet
they quietly subside, agree to practi-
cally a weeks adjournment, and ap
parently all is peace and good win.
This is quite In accord with the holi-
day season, and with the mutual fore
bearances and good will that are ex-
pected to prevail about Christmas time.
And yet the elision of week from the
activities of Congress at this time
means that there has been a general
consent that nothing important shall
be done until after the holiday recess,
That recess will begin sufficient time
before Christmas for every Senator
and Representative to reach his home
if he wishes to do so. We may rea-
sonably expect, therefore. that the part
of the Congressional session which
comes in December will be practically
a blank. There will, of course, be n
large number of bills introduced, but
the members can hardly be expected to
warm up to the consideration of any
thing important or to the earnest dis
cussion of any measure, proposition, or
policy until Congress reassembles in
January.
Perhaps the most striking matter
proposed so far was that Of Senator
Bailey of Texas, who urged that the
Senate should not meet during. the day,
but hold its sessions altogether in the
evenings, after the fashion of the House
Of Lords in Great Britain. But the
citation of the hour of meeting of the
House of Lords is not an especially
happy one for our Republic, especially
Just now when the House of Lords is
practically on trial before the British
public. Still, the Bailey proposition
has good deal to commend it, and it
ought TO assure a fuller attendance in
the Senate all the time, if adopted. But
the question on its adoption will range
supporters and opponents on the divid-
ing line between business and the So
cial whirI. The business men will want
the sessions at night so that they can
attend to business, the calls Of their
constituents, and visits to the Depart
ments, during the day; while the Scna-
tors who are attracted by the social
world will want the hour Of meeting
to remain as it is, so that they will
have their evenings free for social func.
tions and cnjoyments.