The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1911-08-12
HARD WORK TO
keep A QUORUM
Many. Members Of Congress
Eager to Go Home.
were HELD BY THE LEADERS.

Both Underwood and Mann insisted
That National Legislators Should
Stay on the Job-Uneertainty Of Poll.
tics Shown In Varying Attitudes TO.
ward William, J. Bryan. @,se, -
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.
Washington, Aug. 10.-ISpeciaL +
That congress has been anxious to get
away as soon as possible has been
shown In the difficulty found in keep
ing quorum in either house. The
fact Is that most members felt that
everything that could be accomplished
had been done when the Canadian
reciprocity bill was passed. In the
efforts to keep a quorum it was no
ticed that Majority Leader Under
wood and Minority Leader Mann both
felt impelled to criticise members who
were seeking leaves Of absence. %
THE most important public business
l know Of for a member of congress
Is to be here for the next week or ten
days.. declared Mann.
II agree entirely with the gentleman
from Illinois," said Underwood 1.-The
most important thing for q member
of congress to do is to stay here and
wind up the business Of the session"
Then and Now.
On April 4, when congress convened,
w. j. Bryan was there and divided
honors with Champ Clark. It was
Champs day, and he was entitled to
all the glory Of the occasion, but Bry-
an was there and received an ovation.
How many people remembered that
Bryan had been so honored when they
saw the great tribute paid to Chair.
man Underwood the day he denounced
Bryan on the floor Of the house? 1t
did not seem possible that body Of
men that paid such compliment to
leader a few months ago could ap-
plaud scathing denunciation of that
same man. Politics certainly Is the
most uncertain thing known to man.
kind.
Enforcing Blue Laws. &C
Enforcement Of the blue laws by the
Maryland authorities against residents
Of Washington who overflow into that
state shows what a change has oc-
Cured within very few years. The
time Is not so far distant when the
people of Washington visited Maryland
resorts which were wide open on Sun
day. and there were all sorts of pas
times and liquors for any one who
could pay for them.
Now liquor cannot be obtained on
week days, for prohibition has shut
up every place. and. what Is more, the
blue laws preventing work Of any kind
on Sunday are being enforced. 1t is
probable that not only will chauffeurs
be stopped from working, but 1t is pos
sible that the street car men will also
be given day of rest. All Of this Oc
to show that people can make a lot Of
trouble when they really get started
on crusade.
Made Them Squirm.
1t made the southern men squirm
when Senator Lodge offered an amend,
ment to the free list bill putting rice
on the free list. In all the tariff bills
that have been considered the south
erners have always been chided by the
Republicans with standing by a duty
on rice.
At first Vice President Sherman de-
clared the amendment adopted. and
there was real CONSERVATION among
the Democrats. The Louisiana and
Arkansas men and several others were
at once protesting against the adop.
ton of the amendment In tones that
could not be mistaken Rice was
saved on a record vote. the protection
lists Of the north voting with the south
ern men.
Free Canadian Hay.
According to the reports Of the fail.
ure Of the hay crop, It is apparent that
free hay from Canada cannot come to
quickly. Those who have been gather
ing statistics say that even with free
hay from Canada the price will be
higher than ever.
Most Populous District.
That reapportionment under the
last census was needed to equalize rep
resentation IL too plain to need argu-
ment. Take. for instance. the Brook
district. in New York, where Steven B.
Ayres represents 4S256S people. II
shows the great growth of that part of
New York city in the last ten years,
for the size Of the district was not the
result OF a gerrymander.
It has been asserted that 1t makes no
difference how many people there are
In q city district, that a congressman
can represent 100000 as we'll as 1OO.-
900, but Congressman Ayres does not
find this the case. All the district
needs attention, and he finds his time
well occupied In caring for their many
wants. The people Of the Eighteenth
New York. district can write letters
just as well as those living in sparsely