The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-06-28
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

oy mn W. GOiNN |
Washington, June IS. Especial
From time TO time an effort Is made 10
change the form of the United S.atea
government by presenting a l.ll. Such
an effort was that of Senator Mclean
OF Connecticut In proposing to have
cabinet officers given seats on the iloor
of the senate and house, where they
could be asked questions and give re
plies and enter into the discussion OF
various measures.
One of the first great difficulties with
such a measure Is that 1t would have
TO run the gamut of n long debate be
fore 1t was adopted. The other is that
few cabinet officers would have time
to attend the sessions of congress
both houses-and look after the impor.
tant matters which come up In their
departments.
The Idea 10 All Right.
The idea is all right. 1t Is fashioned
on the manner In which the parliament
of Great Britain and her colonies con
duct legislative business. But Ii should
be remembered that I'm Great Britain
the real power-that which is now rep
resented in the president In this coun-
try -holds a seat In the parliament. 1t
would be incongruous to compel cabi-
net officers appointed by the president
made responsible In congress when the
president himself was not present
Had Fun With II.
The senators had a little fun with
McLean's bill. lie wanted 1t referred
TO the judiciary committee. Oyerman
said 1t changed the rules OF the SEN
ate and should 20 to his committee.
Borah said If 1t passed cabinet officers
ought to be elected, and he suggested
privileges and elections as the proper
place. William Alden Smith suggest.
ed civil service and retrenchment, and
Gallinger said II would no doubt find
its way TO the committee on disposi-
ton of useless papers. Mclean finally
had bis way. aud 1t went to the judi
ciary.
Courtesy In the Senate.
Senatorial courtesy" Is a hackneyed
term. Ii applies to only one thing
when everything il sifted down TO the
wheat 1t means that one senator
would not Interfere with another sen
ator's little scheme, bill, job or con
%venience, providing that his own con
venience was not disturbed. IL is not
senatorial courtesy to object to anoth-
er senator's bin or to In any way put
him 10 any Inconvenience.
But 1t is not considered a lack of
courtesy to get up and leave while a
senator is. talking. 1t Is not lack of
courtesy to permit a senator To talk to
empty seats, nor TO disregard anything
he Is saying.
The senate is a queer but an impor-
tant body.
Walsh Not Disturbed.
The first term of Senator Walsh of
Montana is nearing an end. This time
next year there will be contests In
t~hirty-two states for enate seats, and
the fight. But he Is o disturbed.
The Republicans of Montana divided
sharply In the Roosevelt fight,
and the bitterness engendered has not
disappeared. The most prominent Pro
gressiye liz Joe Dixon, who managed
Roosevelt's campaign. and the most
prominent regulars are men who help
ed to wiring the neck OF Roosevelt dele
gates at Chicago In 1912. 1t has been
suggested hat the woman member
of congress from Montana may run
against Walsh. But the senator Is not
In the least disturbed. He rather ex-
poets to be returned without much
trouble.
Germans Could Not Land.
During a discussion of one OF the
war bills Senator Hoke Smith OF Geor-
gia expressed his opinion about the re
ports that Germany is likely to send
an army here to destroy the country
Il i'm tired of being frightened by
Germans" he said, "or hearing talk
about Germans when | am not fright
ened. am tired of that nightmare
being brought out to scare the women
I'M children. Actually there are good
women In this country who are look.
ing for 100000 Germans to come
over. Why, they could not land. II
they should bring a million Germans
at a time they could not land when
we get a million and a half trained
men to meet them. Ii they had all the
ships in the world they could not bring
more than 100000 at a time"
Needed Food Legislation.
Congressman Byrns of Tennessee al
together approved Of the food legisla
ton that was presented to the house
lie wanted to 60 even further. 81
would like to see" he said, "a bill
brought iii here which would open VI
the cold storage plants of this country