Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-03-08
TWELVE SENATORS F|uBUSTER TO
defeat Will OF LARGE MAJORITY

| than any other the government has
known within the whole history of it's
international relations the congress has
been unable to act either to safeguard
the country or to vindicate the elemen-
tary rights of its citizens. More than
500 of the $50 members of the two
houses were ready and anxious to act /:
the house of representatives had acted
by an overwhelming majority; but the
senate was unable to act because of a
little group of eleven senators had
determined that it should not.
The senate has no rules by which
debate can be limited or brought t
an end, no rules by which dilatorv
tactics of any kind can be prevented.
A single member can stand in the way
of action if he have but the physical
endurance. The result in this case is
complete paralysis alike of the leg
lslatlve and of the executive branches
OF the government.
Other Measures Affected Also.
'This inability of the senate to act
has rendered some of the most nee
essary legislation of the session i'm
possible, at time when the need for
it was most pressing and most evident.
The bill which would have permitted
such combinations of capital and of
organization in the export and inn ort
trade of the country as the circum-
stances of international competition
have made imperative-a bill which the
business judgment of the whole coun-
try approved and demanded-has failed.
1.-The opposition of one or more SEN
ators has made it impossible to increase
the membership of the interstate com
merce commission or to give it the
altered organization necessary for it's
efficiency. The conservation bill,
which should have released for imme-
date use the mineral resources which
are still locked up in the public lands,
now that their release is more impera-
lively necessary than ever, and the bill
which would have made the unused
water power of the country Immediately
available for industry have both failed,
though they have been under consider
alton throughout the sessions of two
congresses and have been twice passed
by the house of representatives.
"The appropriations for the army
have failed, along with the appropria-
tions for the civil establishment of the
government, the appropriations for the
military academy at West Point, and
the general deficiency bill. 1t has
proved impossible to extend the powers
of the shipping board to meet the
special needs of the new situation into
which our commerce has been forced or
to increase the gold reserve of our
national banking system to meet the
unusual circumstances of the existing
financial situation.
Must Change Rules.
A4 4 J.
call the sixtyfifth congress in extra
ordinary session. The paralysis of the
senate would remain. The purpose and
the spirit of action are not lacking now.
The congress is more definitely united
IN thought ai4u purpose at this moment,
| venture to say, than it has been with
in the memory of any man now in its
membership. There is not only the most
united patriotic purpose but the obpects
members have in view are perfectly
clear and definite. But the senate can
not act unless its leaders can obtain
unanimous consent. Its majority is
powerless, helpless. In the midst of
crisis OF extraordinary peril, when only
definite and decided action can make
the nation safe or shield it from war
itself, by the aggression of others.
action is impossible.
The Impression Abroad.
Although as a matter of fact the
nation and the representatives of the
nation stand back of the executive with
unprecedented unanimity and spirit, the
impression made abroad will, of course,
be that it is not so and that other
governments may act as they please
without fear that this government can
a IN n ef oil La
The situation is incredible.
Little Group of Wilfull Men.
The senate of the United States is
the only legislative body in the world
that cannot act when its majority is
ready for action. A little group of
wilful men, representing no opinion but
government of the United States help
less and contemplate.
The remedy9 There is but one
remedy. The only remedy is that the
rules of the senate Is hall to be so altered
that it can act The country can be
relied upon to draw the moral. / be-
lieve that the senate can be relied on
to supply the means of action and save
the country from disaster.'
No Power at Present
At the same time the president au-
thorized the further statement that
what rendered the situation even more
grave than it had been supposed that
1T was, was the discovery that, willie
the president, under the general con-
stltutional powers, could do much of
what he had asked the congress to en-
power him to do, it had been found
that there were certain old statutes as
Nrnf oil la1 .aA
able practical obstacles and may null
lify his power.
Quote Old Statute.
The old law referred to by the presi-
dent was adopted by congress in 1919
and referred to the resistance of
American merchantmen against the at
tacks of privateers and pirates but ex-
cluded from vessels which might be so
OF 90 oG