The Washington herald., 1914-07-20
HOUSE TIMESAS
FAST AS SENATE
Higher Body Uses 30l Days
for Less Work Than
Other Does IN n.
SLOW ON WILSON BILLS
Chronology Shows What a Wonder
fully Deliberative Organization Is
the Upper Branch of Congress.

A determined effort to impose a mild
form Of cloture on the United States
Senate will be made next session II the
plans of Senator John w. Kern, Of In.
diana, Democratic majority leader, are
carried out. Senator Kern will meet sup
port and opposition on both sides of the
chamber, and the chances are that the
opposition will be of so determined q
character that the movement either will
have to be dropped to make way for the
appropriation bills, or President Wilson
will have to call another extra session
for the enactment OF appropriation legis-
lation.
New DeIIberation Record.
Not in recent years has the country
been given so striking an example of the
deliberateness OF the Senate in legisla-
tive matters as in the past two years.
The history Of the socalled administra-
ton measures-tariff. currency, Alaskan
railways, tolls repeal and trust program
shows the condition clearly. Here is a
comparative chronology of the bills in
their progress through the House and
Senate: .
Tarif-Reported to House. April p,
1913; debate commenced, April q; passed
House, May S. time in House, sixteen
days; referred to Senate, May 9; debate
on reference closed and referred to
Finance Committee. May IS; reported to
Senate, July IL; passed Senate. Septem-
Der, 3; time In Senate committee, fifty
five days; time in Senate, sixty-eight
days: total, 12S days.
SIxty-one Days on Currency.
Currency-Introduced in House, August
%; reported with amendments, September
3: debate commenced, September 10;
nlccf.l with
time in committee and House, twenty
days.
Referred to Senate committee. Septeln-
ber IS, reported back, November p;
passed in the Senate, December 10; time
in Senate and committee, sixty-one days.
Alaska bill-Made unfinished business
Il the Senate. December 8: passed the
Senate. January "A, 1914; time as unrin-
shed business, forty-five days.
Debate commenced in House. February
I; PASSED in House. February IS; tine
debated in House, fourteen days.
Panama canal tolls-Reported to
House, March 10; debate commenced
in House, March 90; passed in House,
March 81; time under debate, five days:
total time in House, twenty-one days.
Referred to Senate committee, April
|; reported with amendment, April 80:
and passed, June IL: time un-
Ter debate, forty-two days: total time
n Senate, seventy-two days
Committees EntanEIed,
The trust program has not reached
he Senate in its entirety. although
me Of the three bills now is under a
iesultory debate. Two others are still
up two different committees
u the Senate. In the House all three
bills were reported and passed be-
ween April l3 and June 6. and debate
n the first of them did not begin un-
il May 6. so that in reality the three
Zig measures were passed in thirty |
me days in the House. Two of them |
ave now been in Senate committees !
or forty-four days.
Thus. roughly and not taking into con- |
liberation holidays and Sundays, on the |
our finished bills-tariff. currency. |
Alaska and tolls. the Senate has taken |
Ol days TO accomplish less than the !
fouse, which initiated three of the .
measures. accomplished in seventy-One 4
lays. a difference of go days, or three .
lines as long When the trust program is
included, the record will be even worse.