Mexico Missouri message., 1913-12-25
DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE ALL
BILLS STAND ON THEIR OWN
MERITS.
NO MORE RIDERS OR J0KERS
Bill Writing Bureau to Be Created
Which VIII See That Measures
Do Not Say One Thing While
Meaning Another.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

ic majority In congress, and SEEM
ingly the party men are sincere In
their promises that hereafter all bills
shall stand on their own merits as
legislative propositions, and that so
far as human judgment can make 1t
possible, no paragraph OF bill seem
ingly meaning one thing, but really
meaning another shall be allowed to
become a part of the law of the
land.
The day OF riders" on appropria-
tion bill soon will be done, and no
"jokers" hereafter will find a place
in any congressional legislation. II
the dominant party succeeds in es-
tablishing these reforms and keeps
within the strict rule of them, the
opportunities for evil enactments will
lessen and the courts will have much
less to do.
President Wilson, apparently, took
note OF the criticism which came be-
cause of the inclusion in the sundry
civil bill of the provision intended to
save labor unions and farm organiza-
tions from prosecution on charges OF
violating the antitrust laws. He was
compelled either to veto the appropri-
alton bill or to sign 1t with the OBJ
noxious clause included. He signed
1t. The Democratic members of con-
gress apparently also have felt the
criticism of their action in this case.
and the legislative policy which they
are about to adopt to keep other
riders off of appropriation bills, they
seem to believe will make amends for
past misdemeanors.
II the Democrats, when they first
came into power, had adopted the
rule which they are now planning to
put into effect there probably would
have been no chance to violate the
civil service rules in the appointment
of persons who will do work In con-
nection with income tax collections.
II was rider" which enabled the
Democrats to supply a good many of
the faithful with Offices without the
necessity of undergoing examinations
as to their fitness.
Currency Bill Strengthened Out
Not long ago a Chicago man came
to Washington and went to Senator
owen, chairman of the senate COM
mittee on banking and currency. He
had with him copy of the house
currency bill of which he made care
full study. He pointed out nearly 100
cases of ambiguous language. The
errors were corrected, but the chances
are that some of them escaped the att
tention of the analyst.
Nov 1t is the intention OF the Dem
ocrats to create what may be called
a bill writing bureau. 1t will be Gre
ated by an act Of congress and there
fore taken out of the field OF simple
legislative policy. The Democrats
cannot bind subsequent congresses
to promise to keep riders" off the
appropriation bills. but they can make
a bureau which win exist until it is
abolished by an act of congress. This
bureau, despite its name, will not
write for congressman. but 1t will
take bills which have been written
and apply to them the test of in
depreciation. In other words. the bu-
reau will see that the bills while say
ing one thing 40 not mean another.
The elimination OF the rider" and
the Joker will establish two sub
stantial reforms in legislation, and II
the Democrats carry out their plan
they. probably will get good bit OF
credit even though, before the reform
streak showed itself, they had vio-
10 aH
the letter of the rule and the law
which they now intend to put into op-
GRAFTON.
Suffragists Are Urgent.
Congress is still under pres
sure from the women suffragists
mission to the states of an amend.
ment to the constitution giving women
the right to vote. 1t may be that con-
gress again will turn a non-hearing
ear to the appeals OF the women, but
no one In Washington who has observ.
ed the progress of recent events seems
to doubt that eventually the law
makers will provide the necessary
machinery for the submission OF the
question to the people OF the country
Tor decision.
The first suffrage movement began
in the east. For years It was little
more than a joke. The effort to oh.
tain votes for women finally found a
field for activity in the far west and
the seed which was planted on the
Atlantic coast ripened, sprouted into
plant life and bore its fruit in the
west country. The progress OF the
spirit OF the movement was from east
to vest while the progress of achieve
ment has been from west to east.
Recently in Washington the suffra.
gists Of the country held their CON
vention. The attitude of the residents
OF this city aad Of the lawmakers to-
wards the suffragists is entirely differ
ent from what 1t was some years ago.
In fact, only four years ago the ma.
tional suffragists held a meeting here
IN comparatiyely small room, In q