Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-29
LOOSE LEGISLATION
AS END DRAWS NEAR.
Congress Under Whip and Spur in Close
Of Session Rush. Veteran Cores
pondent Tells How Bur|eigh Put
Grant Case Through.

Washington, d. c., May 2S. (SpeciaD.
-The DAYS are warm and summary and
men in Congress are riding under whip
and SOUR Genuine end -of-the- session
rush il in the aspect of things. But 1t
| is not as near the end of the session as
| locker ON might believe. fer there is
| q mighty sight more to do to bring the
session to an end than usually trans
pres. But it's up and away, tugging
al the straps and trying to leap the
| barriers Just now And, no, it's high
old time with the men who make the
laws FOR the country.
Let us not be carried away. however.
with the magnificence of the spectacle
| for il is well to bear in mind that Con
sress has been loafing for much of the
time during three or four months The
tasks are not as far completed as they
ought to be simply because men played
when they ought to have been industrl-
Gus. and now they are playing poll
ties With adjournment. because the
country is aweary of Congress The
Democrats want to force upon the peo-
Pile out in the states the idea that they
could do their part of the work ali well
enough, or yes. but those Republican
senatorsi
Well. we'll! The Republican senators
arc now humping themselves and try
inc to make the country think that
they are the most Industrious workers
of the world. The Senate is now meet
ing at II O'Clock or about To UNDER
take sessions Al II o'clock in the morn
ing. ana talking about keeping az it till
along into the evening. Early MORN
ing sessions and night sessions are ter
rors to the average legislator 1t is irk
some enough 30 have to sit around
legislative hall or in the cloak rooms
for four or five hours of a day but think
of 10 or Is hours of such work.
Usually early morning sessions and
night sessions. are bad Men get care
less and provisions are adopted that
would not ne adopted il there was mora
care, And those night sessions. All,
they are the delight OF outsiders who
are hanging around to get something
through that has been blocked right
along. Vigilance ceases. Senators land
representatives, say: "Oh well, I'm
tired and can not keep up this opposi-
ton forever and aye. have some
measures of my own to take care of
and If l keep on fighting the other peo
pie may not get what / want myself.
So the end of the session rush means
| loose legislation and it is reprehensible
| There is no good excuse for il this year.
When there is a short session of Com
| gress, which must terminate by the
subsequent March 4, it is inevitable
| that there come n rush and a scramble
| to complete the things that must be
rounded out if there is not to be an eX-
| ira session Of Congress. But that con-
| dition comes legitimately only once in
every two years.
This year there has been ample time
| fol- Congress to take care of its work in
| a seemly fashion and there still is am
pie time. But Senator John Jones and
| Representative William Smith want to
| get back home, That is all the reason
| one can find now for the jumping and
| rearing at the Capitol. They would like
| TO get away before the Republican Ma
| tional convention meets at Chicago.
June is. That is now obviously impos-
sible, although Representative Under
| wood naivey observes that the House
| will be through with it's programme by
June Is so that the Republicans can at
| tend their convention.
/ But the Senate must also assent to
| legislation before Congress can adjourn
| and the Senate is entitled to little
time Apparently the House will con-
clude it's appropriation bills, with a few
other measures thrown in to make the
| record look well in the campaign, by
| June is. And it may be that Congress
Viii adjourn by the end of June. AT
least :hat is the way it looks to the old
fellows around the Capitol. who are
supposed to be pretty wise about such
matters, or 1t least think they are.
BY that time, however, both the Ma
tionaI conventions will have met, NOM
mated their candidates and adjourned
AS the Democratic convention at Balti-
more meets June 25 there is little like
lihood that Congress will do much bus
mess the last week of June, il it has
not adjourned before that time. Balti-
more is only forty miles from Wash
ington, and it is only an hours ride
from the Capitol in this city TO the
convention hall in Baltimore. That
means half or two-thirds of Congress
will be in Baltimore while the Demo
cratic convention is i'm session and il
would be practically impossible to keel
& a quorum of either house at the Capt.
y toll The opportunity for attending Q
National convention would be so con-
venient that nearly all Of Congress
would improve it. Just get a ticket OF
admission to the convention hall ant
: one, living in Washington. can see the
Democratic show without paing mucl
of any extra price. Nothing for hote
bills and only the railroad fare to Bal.
timere and back, which is about $1.5o
n. IT,. Gr..4 Clair, ExnIainaL