The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-30
CONGRESS rs pgAp-LockEp.


Dispatches from Washington print
! ed this morning in Tho Times-Dis-
| patch Indicate that Congress Is in the
| midst of a dead lock- the like of which
| Militant Insurgents, or Progressives,
as they call themselves, old-line Demo-
Gratis and the Republican Regulars all
have their plans, but are unable to
carry them out. The railroad bill is
tied up: the conservation measures,
which have been in allegiance since the
ed Statehood bills and the postal saw
ings bank measure are all on the cal
endar, but that is all Congress seems
powerless to act on them, and nobody
cares whether a vote is reached or not.
1t seems not improbable that the
railroad bill may be squeezed through
by the united efforts of the Regulars
and of few stragglers from the
Democratic ranks. but it's final form
is still uncertain. The Brown merger
amendment which was thrown on the
track when the party engine was puff
ing away on the road to legal enact
ment, must be passed on, one way or
the other, before the final vote can be
taken. and upon its fate will depend.
In large measure. the form of the
BILL Browns amendment, accord
ing to our dispatches, is about the
stffest thing that has yet been intro
duced, and undoes everything the rail
road Senator's under Elkins. have
done in the last two weeks. The Reg
ulars have hopes of defeating it, but
their uncertainty is shown in their
unwiilingness to make any predic-
tons as to when the vote will be
taken.
After the railroad bill becomes law,
there is still greater doubt as to what
will be taken UP next. The men who
have been bringing the petitions OIL
Arizona and New Mexico to Congress
for ten years are clamoring for a
hearing. but their cry is being drown
ed by the Insurgents. who are plead
ing that the conservation measure be
given the right of way. At the same
| time. the Insurgents are waiting for
the civil appropriations bill to come
up, in hopes of making campaign ma
| terlal by another attempt 10 form
an effective tariff commission, and a
| few Democrats are preparing to thun
der their denunciation of the Aldr!c.i
abomination when this bill is under
consideration.
While the Senate is thus divcrting
itself, the House is at a standstill.
The only Administration measure" so
called. on its calendar is the postal
savings bank bill. over which the Re-
publican caucus has been growing and
| fighting for three nights. 1t Is a
| hard bone to snaw. and there is SO lit
! tie respect for it's provisions that no.
body took the trouble to insert any
| provision in the appropriation bill for
| the Inauguration of the system Here,
as elsewhere. the Republicans are do
ing more talking than acting. and
are not in the least concerned about
tie fate of this much Wanted off
spring Of the late presidential cam
pa;Sn
There is, OF course. Il vast usul CT
marking time about the refusal of
Congress to act, for some of the Scna
tors and many of the Representatives
are so uneasy for their seats that they
are avoiding entanglcmcnts, yet it is
perfectly obvious that they could not
make laws if they would No party
has the desire t. act; but none has
the power if it had the desire.
Everybody is watching everybody else,
and keeps still for fear the other fell
low may move.
We suppose there is no great objec-
ton to this An inactive Congress is
generally safe Congress, and quiet
Republican majority Is the one which
will do the country the least possible
harm. Still. If this state of affairs is
to keep up indefinitely. and If moth
ing is to be done, what is the sense in
prolonging the session? The people
do not care. and Washington Is a
fearfully hot place to live. VIC sug-
gest that Congress take rest anc
that its Republican members pack ur
their belongings and surrender thci,
Washington Leases
| -