The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-19
EXTENDED REMARKS.

r EXTENDED REMARKS.
1t is far cry from the Congressional
+.ecord of half century ago to that
BIZ to-day. Go to some old library
Where you Will find these yellowed
a..oIumes of oratory and debate, en-
ealmed in the dust of the years Com
Fare them with the Record of to-day,
fnd note the great difference between
+ile smaller book of that day and the
encyclopaedia of the present. What
t. more to the point, observe now much
lxtraneous and supertluous matter Is
by taking the astonishing stand that
fhat did not happen did happen. Con-
s'ress allows its members to print III
,he Record speeches which they never
made. The rules are suspended, and
member is allowed to print his ''ex-
,ended remarks" just as II he had de-
fvered them on the floor, In the pres
'nce and hearing OF his fellow-meni-
jers This is worked on about the
amc principle as Roosevelts construc-
dve recess OF the Senate in the matter
Il the appointment of Collectors Crum.
1T Charleston.
1t is bad enough to let this record
20 out. making the impression that
Congressman has made a speech OF
which he never uttered one word.
some of his constituents give him
.redit for what he did not do; and the
act that the press of Congressional
line would not allow him to do it is
10 excuse for the deception.
Take the Record at present. 1t is
stiil being issued. though Congress adj
ourned on June 25. The last number
We have received is a pretty good eN-
ample of the abuse of the Record by
congressman, who wish to talk Tor
,uncombe. instead of business. The
1on. Marlin E. olmstead, of Pennsyl-
fania, has unloaded on this num-
ser six and half columns OF mere
.emarks. and twenty-five columns OF
.ited matter, including the address OF
secretary Knox at the commencement,
exercises OF the University of Penn.
sylvania, and a letter from that dip.
3omat of scarcely less length. Tho
Hon. Edwin Yates Webb, of North Car
Dina, is not a bad second to Mr.. Ohm.
stead, for he talks three para
graphs about the ceremonies at the I'M
yelling of the monument at the Kings
Mountain battle ground, giving the
inscriptions, themselves the length
of good after-dinner speech. in
full He then adds a newspaper ac-
count of the ceremonies, dedica-
tory ode. an address by DR.. Henry Mel
son Synder, of Wofford College
South Carolina, and his own speech on
that occasion (Which he was not pres
ent to deliver on account of sickness)
The whole take up lot of space; but
folks at Gastonia. N. c., that viii re.
ceive the address, and tile it away un
opened for 1.-The. benefit Of their pos
terity.
No man, unless it be Senator Bailey
of Texas. would ever think Of maxim;
a speech In Congress anywhere nea
20 long as those printed in the Record
II Mr.. Olmstead were to try to tall
the length of his printed clipping blu
reau to his constituency, his Demo
cratic opponent would win in & wall,
1t may be said that this is the onl
chance that some congressman have T.
make their speeches, that the rule
shut them off, or that Speaker Canno
Maybe so; but it is submitted that tn
Congressional Record ought to be sim
ply the record of what actually is sal
and done in Congress. The Government
ought TO waste no money in publishin
Congressional political thunder an
buncombe. The Congressman will sti
have seed to distribute
The mass OF the people are little in
fiuenced by these preserved grafton.
these picked dictionaries, sent on
broadcast to them. What they wan
from their representatives Is no
speeches and Incorporated addresses l
the Record. but tangible material re
quits to the district and to the Stat
and to the country at large. The
will, in these days, that their represen
tatives shall simply attend to thei
business.
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GOoD ROADS A CURE FOR INsANIT'
There is q good deal of truth in wha
the Clinch Valley News says about ba
roads being the cause of insanity 4
the country. When this Common
wealth has better roads, 1t Will hav
also "a happier and more contente
people in the finest country homes o
this continent. Hear what the New
has to say:
"A statement was made here recen
ly In public sthat the majority or II
inmates in the insane asylums ar
detention houses for people wit
weak minds. came from the countr
Dill Tho exclamation of this condltiC