Cheyenne record., 1915-03-11
Washington Letter,
BY Edward Keating,
Congressmau-at-Large
From Colorado.
From Colorado.

A few years ago, when be tting
on the ponies had not been
forbidden by law, the last ay Of
a race meet was called get
away" day.
Than was the day on viii, h the
professional race = track 81 mbler
framed up" his deals to RI b the
public and he generally succeed.
in putting across" one or two
highly profitable transactions.
There is a getaway day in
legislative bodies state legis-
iatures and national Congresses
and political sharpers take ad-
vantage of them to crowd thru
legislation containing much OF
private graft and little of public
benefit. !.
Congress has six ''get-av ay"
Gays instead OF one, for d, ring
the last six days of a sessi, n it
IS always in order to move to
suspend tine rules and in ado ition
the great appropriation bills, cal
lirg for the expenditure of hum
dreGs Of nj lions of dollars and
loaded with mass of undieest.
ed legislation. are gradually for
org their way through House
End Ser ate and Conference Com
n:i;ites.
TRiCKSTERS "ONTHE JOB"
1t is an ideal situation fer the
trickster and he is on the job
| have just emerged ficm my
first experience with Cor gress-
sion&l getaway. For a week
did't get much sleep but l had
an opportunity to observe the
f,sucti.ning Of the biggast and
mcst complex legislative n achine
il tie world at a time, when II
Y as being operated to the limit
its cap acity. l wish the Ameri-
csn people might have had the
sane intimate view of this thing
which concerns them so vitality.
The result would be some sud.
don changes in high places, for
II any of the men who have their
l.. nds on the. throttle of this
riyatice machine are not W orthy
of the trust reposad in them.
That last sentence might, in
ruth, be made much stronger,
bot for the time being. it will
suffice in its present form.
As an illustration of what |
lave in mind, let us consider the
fate of the Postoffice appropria-
ton bill.
The day after Congress adjou"-
ned, you probably rebat Y orr
brt akfast table that the Pos
lice appropriation bill had been
caught in the legislative jam an d
IAN failed to pass and that a re-
s luton had been mushed through
both Houses containing last years
IN ropriaticns.
You did not attach much impor
t&uce to the item. You krew
>ou would continue to receive
YOUR mail as usual and the loss
# an appropriation bill. there
for did nct-seem tai matter.
In the closing days Of the 63' d
Congress an amendment was at
'Gched to one the appropriation
.iii's which is of the utmost inl-
30, tance to the desert land entry
men of the West.
This amendment makes three
important changes in existing
laws covering desert land entries
First it permits the Department
to grant entrymen a three year
extension of time in watch to
submit final proof. This is an
addition to to the extensions al,
ready authorized by law. but it
can only be secured II eases
where the entryman can produce
sufficient evidence TO convince
the Department that he has rea-
sonable hope Of scouting a water
supply.
Second. If the entryman can
not secure a water supply for his
land the new law permits him to
homestead his claim.
Third. Ifh cannot secure a