The Washington herald., 1913-07-19
congress SETS
,NONEW RECORD
History Does Not Show It Is
Working Harder Than
Customary.
BUSY UNDER MIR. TAFT
Legislative Body Has Beea IN Sea-
isn Nearly Hall Of Tine IN
Last ia Years.
BUSY UNDER MIR. TAFT

Congress is In session all the time. We
never get q chance to do anything else;
never a chance for vacation. All, for
the good old days when Congress ad-
journed early and.
This is familiar talk in Washington. I,
Is frequent plant. especially OF secre-
taries, and il not infreQuent among men,
bers themselves.
The impression arises. perhaps, from
the record performance of Congress dur
ing the Taft administration. when II was
in session 935 days during the entire four
years. During the first Roosevelt admin
istration Congress spent relatively little
time on the job. During the second
Roosevelt administration 1t was in ses-
sion only 5s7 days, and during the previ-
Gus four years only So days. Congress
came within 200 days Of putting in as
much time during the Taft administration
as during the entire eight years preceding
his assumption Of Office.
While this contrast may give rise to
the complaint among Congressman and
their employees that they are working too
hard and too long. the history of Con-
gress as a whole does not indicate that
1t is setting a new record or working
more days in the year than has been the
practice since the foundation Of the gov
eminent.
Nearly Half 81 Time.
OF the 124 years between March 4, 17s9.
and March 4. 1913, Congress has spent
fifty-six years, three months. and fifteen
days in actual session. This is, on an
average. very nearly half of the time.
During the Roosevelt regime Congress
spent barely more than a third Of the
time in session. Consequently in these
strenuous days Congress. instead Of work.
ir<x h,r - har uyarkipo
less.
During washington's first administra-
ton. when the government was in the
making, and the foundation was being
laid for the huge legislative structure
that has since risen, there was one spe-
cial session of Congress and the men,
bers spent SIS days altogether in session
out of the 1.i60 days which comprised
the first administration.
During Lincoln's first administration.
when the United States was involved in
its most serious conflict. Congress spent
only 565 days In session.
Including special sessions and regular
sessions. Congress has worked an average
of 146 days to the session. II :his av-
erage is to be maintained during the pre-
sent special session Congress will Lot
adjourn before September /. Win a
tariff bill to complete and currency legis-
lation hanging on the horizon ike an
ominous cloud. Congress bids fair TO ex-
coed this average. however.
Busy Under Taft.
Although Congress put in more time at
legislation during the Taft administra-
ton than ever before. 1t did not set a
new record for the length of any enc
term. A record was hung up nearly n
half century ago which promises TO stand
for years to come. From December ],
1867. to November 10. 1858. when the re-
construction Of the Southern States. Gnd
the rehabilitation of commerce In the
statesmen. Congress was held in session
for 345 days. 1t was only twenty days
short of an entire year.
In 1887 a 32l-day session was held. In
1859, when the regular long session was
on the calendar. Congress again tried
to make a record. remaining in session
3o4 days. Beginning December 3. 1s49.
Congress remained at work 800 days.
These four sessions are the only ones
which have exceeded 800 days in length.
the present session Of the
national law-making body, even IL it
continues at work until the day before
the next regular session in December.
cannot break into the class Of lengthy |
sessions.
Received Smaller Pay.
Prior to the Roosevelt occupancy of
the White House, Congress worked al |
most exactly half of the time during |
the four preceding administrations. The |
sessions held when Harrison was Presi- |
dent, prior to the reelection of Grover \
Cleveland. amounted in all to 737 days. |
The first Cleveland administration en- |,
braced 1i2 days of Congress and the sec /
ond ~ days. Congress was in session |
~ days during the first term of Presi- |
dent Mckinley. In those days Con-
yressmen received $500 a year for their
work. They now receive $500 a year.
This ought to help some, despite the
nigh cost Of living.
Moreover; the fashion of Congressmen |
sticking in their pockets a part of their
Allowance for clerk hire is fast disap-
bearing, and more clerks are now re-
.eiving the full allowance than were so
favored less than a generation ago. The
practice of carrying on heavy corre-
'pondence with constituents has forced
/ greater liberality on the part of Con-
,ressmen. Formerly, clerk hire, which
he lower House provides for its men,
,ers to be disbursed by themselves per-
'onally, was a form of petty graft. In
viping 1t out the clerks are receiving
.nough to compensate them for their
imagined wrongs because Congress is
It work all the time nowadays"