The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-04-21
IS CONGRESS SLOW?
LAWMAKERS SEEM TO BE KEEP.
ING LEIsURELY PACE SET
IN PAST.
HOW LOWER HOUSE DAWDLES
Hearings In the Naval Committee Have
Consumed Much Time-unilmited
Senate Debate Generally Considered
Greatest Cause Of Delay.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


has denied with something like indig-
nation that the house OF representa-
tives is "dawdling" along with legis-
lation. Some time ago another men,
Der OF congress, a Democrat, but one
holding membership in the upper
branch, said publicly that congress
was far behind in it's work II Is
this statement, which was sent broad.
cast through the country, which per-
haps is responsible for the. letters
which congressman of all parties are
said to be receiving asking why they
do not speed up"
To an outsider who can separate
himself from the politics in the case
1t seems that congress is Just about
keeping the pace which was set for it
In the past. When the Republicans
were in power they were charged with
dawdling, and now that the other
party has control the same charge Is
laid at it's door. The truth is that
congressman, being like ether folk,
are moved by all kinds of elements
either to linger over their work or
In some specific cases to push 1t per-
haps too rapidly.
1t Is somewhat interesting to learn,
however. that most of the criticism
or the slowness Of congress which has
come from the country. not only re-
Gently but for many years past. d.
rects itself to the house OF repre-
sentatives. 1t is true enough that
the house does go remarkably slow
on legislation occasionally. but TAX
ing II as rule the representatives are
racers on the legislative track as COM
pared to the tortoise-paced senators.
The reason is very simple When
the majority in the house makes up
its mind to put a bit of legislation
through 1t adopts a rule limiting de-
bate and fixing the hour for a vote
in the upper house senatorial courtesy
and q belief, or at any rate an al
legged belief, in the beauty of free and
long discussions keeps the senators
from establishing rule to shut of
discussion. They can talk for a whole
session on one bill II they want.
l. Gou8 nCdTiu8o oU
Probably a considerable part of the
complaint which has been made con-
cerning laggardly action in the house
OF representatives this year is due to
the long-drawn-out hearings In the
naval committee on the subject Of
naval preparedness. Weeks and weeks
have been spent in hearings. It is
said that all kinds of inconseQuential
matters have been discussed In the
committee, and that II the real OBJ
1ect OF the hearings alone had been
given consideration the bill might
have been reported to the house long
ago.
Ever since congress was congress
the party in power has prepared in
advance Of each session 2 program of
the greater legislation which II was
intended to sanction. The house Of
representatives has little or no diff.
Guilty In putting through the measures
which the majority party leaders have
determined upon as part Of the pro-
gram. When one of these measures
gets into the house it goes through
rapidly. The trouble, as has been said
before, comes In the senate where
free discussion and no rule to bring
It to a close enable the opponents Of
any measure to talk against II at
great length.
In the house In one way there Is
such thing as dawdling. 1t has
marked pretty nearly every session
for the years that one correspondent
at least has been in this city. It is
a peculiar kind Of dawdling. It's mani
festation is to be found In the at.
tempts Of the majority leaders. OF of
cliques in the house which may be
composed of members Of both parties,
10 prevent the passage OF some spe-
cies OF legislation which has not been
sanctioned in advance by the party
leaders, but for which there seems to
be an insistent demand from many
people throughout the country.
Lesson In Dodd's Ride.
Army officers in Washington main
tain that the ride OF Colonel Dodd and
his troopers proves one prepared
AtoS pOihNs IL may D6 Tue lttl@
ing OF the officers on this mat
ter and some things which officials OF
the government say concerning It will
have its effect on proposed future leg
islation when the whole subject OF
preparation for military defense is un-
der consideration
, a sixty-four-year-old cavalry colonel
with 400 troopers made ffty-hve miles
through the night in seventeen hours
and at the rides end fought for ave
hours against a numerically superior
force OF men hardened to service In
the field. The American regulars won
a marked victory.
The contention OF military men here
from the first has been that real pre-
paredness consists in having a mobile
army strong enough TO strike at an
enemy on the instant Of his appear
snce. II n urged that regulars so far
ss stamina is concerned always are pre-
pared. The argument therefore IL that
preparedness need not concern itself
with the personnel OF q regular army
"A IL ~.