Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-01-21
SENATE TO PASS.
BILLS 1T WANTS.

BY ARTHUR w. puNN.

Washington, Jan. 21.-TSpecial. 1-Tt
n who does not know the senate
1t might appear that the legislative
program was going on the rocks and
that nothing would be done this SEES.
sion and perhaps an extra session
would be necessary to pass the ap-
preparation bills.
Senator Bailey has given notice that
a flibuster would defeat the bill to
increase the number OF army engi-
neers. Hepburn and Bailey have joint
~ served notice that the tariff COM
mission would be talked to death.
Hepburn has intimated that the reso-
luton for electing senators by direct
vote would not be allowed to come to
a vote, while his colleague, Senator
Borah, who reported the resolution.
has served notice that II the resolution
does not reach that stage there will
be little else done this session.
Then Senator Gallinger says that al
though he has been twenty years In
the senate without doing any f1libus-
tering he is likely to do something Of
the kind IL he Is not given q show for
a vote on the shipping bill
Now, there Is d legislative tangle
which ought to be adopted by the ed
itors of puzzle pages or the men who
get up labyrlnths and give a prize to
those who can find their way out. But
the senate viii get out. 1t VIII ac-
complish all that q real majority de-
sires to accomplish-the passage Of the
appropriation bills.
sscrsted Dark Person.
Many a legislative body has sought
in vain for the "nigger in the wood
pile" as have men who have been Of
fered business opportunities that SEEM
ed promising. 1t Is the opinion Of a
number of people that a dark person
has been secreted In the amendment
to the constitution for the election Of
senators by direct vote of the people,
which. when southern statesmen get
to work on the matter, will enable
them to nullify tie amendments to the
constitution permitting negroes to vote.
Several men in the senate have be-
,ome very much alarmed on the sub
|ect, which is especially interesting
when we consider that negroes have
been voting In southern states for
en- years and are not likely to vote in
he future.
But then it Is like every other effort
D change the fundamental Law. Every
1t IS attempted serious objections
re raised. It Is true that congress
aHsed q resolution to make an income
constitutional although ths gem
raj opinion waS~S>such an amend
nent was unnecessary because the /
curt might have reversed its former
lecision IL 8 case was again submit |
ed.
Tawney siamss Roosevelt.
Chairman Tawney Of the house COM
on appropriations blames for
ner President Roosevelt for the era OF
extravaganza Of which Statesmen COM
plain so bitterly and do SO little to
prevent. He says that Roosevelt's de-
a Dattleship as large ~ that Of any
other nation caused the mad race for
war vessels.
While that might account for the
increased expenditures for the navy,
it win not apply to the increases for
the army, for public buildings, for
rivers and harbors and the material
increases in the salaries of men In
congress and high officials in the ex-
ecutive departments.
another cause of extravaganza"
remarked Tawney, els the mistaken
idea entertained by many that pros
porous times may be kept up by lib
erai appropriations of public money.
They do not realize that all this mon
ey must come from the people In the
first instance"
Moving Out tbs Desks.
For twenty years the house Of rep
resentatives has been talking Of NOV
ing the desks out of the chamber and
adopting the British plan of seats or
benches. The very best reasons are
given for making the change. IL
would make members more attentive.
would lessen the confusion, would re-
duce the size OF the chamber, and /
don't know what all n would not do
in the way of legislative improve
ment. And yet in spite Of al these
facts the desks remain because they
suit the personal convenience OF the
members. And In many matters in
congress no other reason ID neces-
sary.
Dwight Would Dock 'Em.
Congressman Dwight, whose chief
duty as whip of the house is TO see
that a quorum of the house Is pres
ent. would enforce the rule that when
A member is absent he should be dock
cd his pay. No doubt a rigid enforce
ment of that provision would soon
cure the absentee evil. which necessi-
tates a roll call svery day In order 10
get enough members present to DO
business.
The slaek attendance. 10 because
members are not interested In the
business Of this sesasnu, TIE PRO
cessfinss are u~Npana1iy dub.