Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-08
Saturday. February 8, 1918.
aPestiferous Minorities.'

..mal,ine" He makes point that the
larger the House in membership the
less individual responsibility seems 10
be felt. He says:
,Tis verilv the busy Congressional
season. the height and CLIMAX Vi Joy
when industry should be paramount
Rut there is a decided contrast De
tween things as they should be anu as
they are. There are sand anu
monkey wrenches and other obstrue-
lions in the machinery. Many an al
ternoon. of late, the Senate chamber
has been a scene of vacant desks,
with no person stirring. over at the
South end of the Capitol, the hall is
filed with excited and gestlculatihs
law givers but to no purpose Bhsi-
ness has been halted by filibusterlng-
Democrats are chiefly responsible Ior
the status in the Senate and Republic
cans for the status in the House IL
is the time of implacable and pestifer--
Gus minorities. H%
These things be, although February
is rapidly going and the SD Congress.
must absolutely come to an end on
noon of March 4. Only some ~ odd
legislative days remain and only
small part of the Imperative business
of Congress has been transacted
Possibly il is not a matter for serious
lament but il is none the less depior-
able. For> Congress, in some fashion,
will do the work it has to do. The
baking legislators, after hating ac-
tivities for awhile, must sooner or
later jump in and help pull the load
over the hill. Ordinarily Congress
works only afternoons. Very soon 1t
will be working nights. And before
February is far gone, 1t probably Will
be working forenoons. afternoons and
nights. That is bad, for when there
is a rush crude work is inevitable.
Measures are not properly considered.
Somebody then gets hurt without war
rant, or somebody gets an improper
advantage.
just now no day is passing without
a tempest. The man who can not
have his way is wraeking his brain for
a method of procedure that will make
a maximum of trouble The Senate
won't work because, virtually, it has
no work it can do. 1t could confirm
those nominations. which are now
rapidly nearing the number of 1000.
But the Democrats won't play, unless
the Republicans will do exactly as the
Democrats want them to and SO 1t is
thought preferable not to play at all.
The House has dallied so much that
the Senate has no appropriation bills
10 work on. Consequently rather than
go into secret session and devote an
afternoon to formal debate (by Demo-
cratic senators) over the confirmation
OF an army officers promotion (some-
thing that ordinarily is disposed of in
less than minute) the Senate ad-
journs.
The complicated rules of the House
always make 1t possible for an in
genious opponent if supported By a
handful of men, to impede and OBJ
struct. That is what Representative
Mann, the minority leader is doing
now. he is trying to break down the
Democratic management there and is
certainly meeting with some measure
or success. For after Mr.. Mann had
peen operating few days, forcing roll
cats and keeping the House in a fur
mon, Speaker Clark wrote letter Ia
democratic members, beseechinp them
" pc IN their places and help trans;lcl 7
the pubic business While he wrote
IN ali kindHness' as the Speaker ex :
pressed 1t. he nevertheless presented
the situation in it's stern aspects Tba
democrats had a majority of tba
House, he wrote and the eonntrv no >
q right TO expect them to ti;sposa ~
me business in hand. And yet mat
iers mad come To such pass there
was uanger the work could not be done
uurlng the present session.
Time and again of recent DAYS the
aoors or the House are locked and tbf
oeis ring their warning that cali
- ~ progress. One of the readiest
Weapons OF an opposition is the .point
Oh no quorum" If members are No,
"lthin esrslot of the House they car
not get there in time for the presidine
onicef 10 count them and acco,linel,
iheTe must De roll call, which con,
sumes three-quarters of an hour
Inc plain facts are that proceeding,
are undressing and members wji
not stay upon the floor. They go ava,
10 Their Offices in the House of5c.
ouiioin9 to chat or to attend to cor.
respondenee. Some are absent af.
tending the numerous investigation,
ana some are out of town. The large
the House is made in membership In,
less interest the individual represen
tative seems to have in attending Sos.
slohs ana helping along with business
Ihen everyone knows the in1portan
work is ahead at the extra session
Who cares about the routine of appro
priation bills and small measures nm,
on the calendar
The responsibility. however. res.
ankle upon Republicans and Demo
Gratis. for the Senate still has its ma
per majority of Republicans. But If
little more upon the Democrats be
cause there Is no question about thei
control in the House. Furthernor
the Constitution gives the House tn
brst chance at the appropriation bills
which constitute the necessary legis
lation of the session The Senate ca
not act thereon till after the Hous
has acted. II happens that the Sen
ate has been disposng of all the ar
preparation measures as fast as tn
House sent these over
The CALENDAR 1apc ia r.ra..tnu IA .