The Washington herald., 1914-10-26
ACTS ARE YET UNTRIED
Program Worked Out With
out Sectional, Factional or
Personal Prejudice.
LONGEST SESSION In HISTORY
Ran Continuously for 300 Days and
Totals Up $50 for
Actual Work.
Dy JOSEPH p. AMIN.

When gavels in the House and Senate
announced Saturday the adjournment sine
die of the second session, Sixty-third
Congress, the most notable part Of a
notable Congress passed into history. For
though three months Of hard work yet
remains to the Sixty-third Congress. the
work for which It always will stand out
had been completed, and the work Of
constructive nature which II will under
take between December and March, had
been definitely outlined.
There is little doubt but that the Sixty
third Congress will pass into history as
Wilson's first Congress" Analysis will
show that II was the imperfect instru-
ment through which President Wilson
and his legislative and executive ad-
viSors accomplished a Herculean con-
structive task.
With the Democratic Congress, the
tremendous accomplishments cannot be
explained by the adage. "A new broom
sweeps clean" New or old, the broom
would have accomplished little but for
the direction Of the man in the White
House and his few able heutenants in
Congress, and in his Cabinet.
Followed the President"
That members Of Congress themselves
realize this is evidenced by the general
refrain of their campaign pleas for re-
election. Their strongest argument is
that they followed the President, and
that their return to Congress will stand
as an Endorsement of his policies. This
is true, taking the Democratic members
Of the House and Senate as a whole,
isolated instances to the contrary not
withstsnding.
As far as the merits OF much of the
legislation Is concerned, little can be said
at this stage, except this one strong fact
that it represents in its entirety, a.fear-
less, conscientious facing by President
Wilson and his administration of the
virtually important problems which con-
fronted the victorious party in 1913, and
the legislation enacted has been worked
out carefully, intelligently and without
sectional, factional or personal prejudice.
Whether the tariff law of 1913 is ecOnom-
icaIly in attune with the requirements Of
this country, cannot be determined while
the war in Europe coptinues to force alb
normal conditions on this country.
Whether the currency law will meet the
Iong-neglected requirements OF our mon
etary system, cannot be determined until
il shall have. been in complete operation
for some time. Whether the Alaskan
legislation was wise and well constructed.
cannot be determined Immediately.
Whether the Clayton antitrust and the
trade commission bills are effective weap-
ons for the curbing of big business and
the re-establishment Of competition, is a
question the voters cannot pass upon at
the elections next month.
Aided by Republican Votes.
For II the proponents Of this legisla-
tive program cannot prove that it IL good !
neither can the opponents of the White |
House policy prove the legislation bad
that is, not TO the satisfaction of the |
general electorate. And as far as tax |
ing a strong partisan stand against the |
Democratic legislative record, Repub- !
licans have been stultifled by the fact |
that in virtually every instance where |
there was a tough fight over a party |
measure Republican votes have helped |
enact the Democratic measure. The plea !
all the Republicans have to fall back |
on-that they voted for these measures !
because the good outweighed the bad may |
well be adopted by the voters as justin |
cation for returning to Congress the men |
who stood by these measures.
The SiXty-third Congress. when II ends |
March 4. next, will hold the record for |
the greatest number of legislative days !
OF any Congress in the history Of the |
United States. The session which ended !
ran continuously for more than
300 days, the longest continuous session
extra and regular-rolled up a total Of |
more than $50 actual working days.
That this application has been procured !
only through the insIstence and domIna-
ton Of the White House will have no
effect upon the average voter in the Con-
gressional elections.