Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-06
by FREDERIC J. mAsKIN

I The leaders who really give most OF
their time to national legislation spend
4 great deal more than the government
allows them for clerk hire: and they
are veterans OF many sessions export
! cnce. whose seats are very secure
I There is one young Congressman who
says that nc never misses session
Of the House lie explains that he die
/ tatcs all OF his letters at home cvery
night. All morning he spends in tho
depart ments prosecuting the numerous
claims for which every Congressman is
/ the unwilling advocate. This Leaves
I hiin from noon, when the House con-
Nencs, until evening for attendance TO
the business of the nation. IIe works
about sixteen hours II day There arc
! few others who can do II, and still
! fewer who will So Congress IS lit
orally becoming gathering OF pre-
occupied agents. who limo up we'll
enough on party votes. but by force of
circumstance. give tho country less
and less OF the Independent thought
upon national questions which Is the
/ life Of Legislation.
The Brobof electrical voting ma
chine may work considerable modi-
. iication OF this tendency by compelling
the Congressman TO be close ut hand il
he Is going to vote at all. and by saw
I Ing a month or so OF time for him ont
of every session.
] "'"N' uESSStcu.
Two other changes have been yur.
scStcd as accomplishments OF the cleo
trical device. One Is the abolishmknt
OF the electrical bells which now an
nodncc every vote. and disturb every
body on Capitol Hill. The other is the
restoration of tho desks. which were
replaced not long ago by long benches
much like those in railway waiting
room. IT il argued that II the Con-
gresham has a place in tho legIsla-
tive hall where he can work, he il more
apt To remain there. 1t is certainly
true that the benches now in use offer
the Congressman little In tho way OF
either comfort or opportunity for
work.
one somewhat revolutionary effect OF
tho electrical voter will be the abol-
ton OF the revered nlibustor This
consists In delaying business BY re-
peatedly making the point no quorum
nccessitating the calling OF the roll, and
delaying the business Of the House
forty minutes. Then, before much prog.
ress IL made, the point Is repeated In
tins way. one member can Interfere
with the work OF the House while a
minority may even force compromise
from the majority
notwithstanding that the hlibuster is
terrible waste OF time, It has gen
orally been regarded as one OF the
rights of the minority The hearinr
interesting side lights on the subject.
The chairman Of the COMMITTEES re-
marked that "a man who makes a point
OF order does it out OF some pIouc.
~ man who wants to speak is no,
allowed TO speak, and then he makes
the House pay for 1t, and he can do {,
very readily" he explained That IL
generally the gist OF flibuster I'm
the House. Tho filibuster is like ,hc
little boy at the back lot baseball game
who wants to pitch, and isn't allowed
TO. so he runs off with tho catcber's
mitt.
The Broboff device. II installed, would
consist simply in n big board, or. per
hnps. two of them. much like an eIec-
trical scoreboard. where each Con
gressman's name would appear, with
red bulb and n white one after IT, AZ
each Congressman's elbow would be n
couple OF buttons which could be
pressed only with the aid OF a kew In
his possession. When the vote hod
been announced, he would press hi.
yea or nay button ut any time within
the specified period. lie could also
change his vote any time within tia,
period. The machine would then auto
matically add the vote and show tho
result.