The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-23
MUCH TALK
IN THE SENATE
Time Flies but the Oratory
Is Hard to
Flag
WHILE PARTY
LEADERS CHAFE
Chances Poor for Railroad
Legislation with Lung
Power to the Fore

Washington, Jan. 23--Every two year.
the same status of inactivity and mat
tention to business develops with thu
United States. Alarm cries go up; re
sposible officials hurry to build hot
fire under the honorable legislative body
They do build sufficient fire to make
the long -winded senators take notice
The result is completion of something
near the program contemplated. But the
vigorously measures are usual.
ly lost, for there is insufficient time for
debate and the hour comes along late
in January or in early February when
speech making simply has to stop.
The Democrats have brought to the
front no very capable Senate leaders.
That is one reason for the present con-
fusion, but it is not the only reason. De-
lays there would be If Senate Democrats
had competent leaders. The time when
one man can boss the Senate and have
an organization at hand to do his bid
ding is probably gone forever. 1t de.
parted with the defeat of the late SEN
ator Aldrich, but had he remained in
the Senate he could not have maintained
his primacy. A new sentiment with re-
gard to such leadership condemned it
and swept it away, even as Cannonism
was relegated in the House.
Senator Kern of Indiana; who wears
the mantle OF majority leader, grives
much at the nordinate activities of the
eader-lunged. So do many other Dem
ocrats, who grow exceedingly weary OF
these talking pests, chiefly western Pro-
gressives and three or four western and
southern Democrats. Senator Kern puts
off his mantle March 4, when he retires
TO private life, but none the less feels
responsibility to have Senate business
dispatched
It seems surprising that sensible men
would proceed to ridiculously as does the
Senate Nobody wants an extra ses-
sion of Congress in the spring. but il
certain essential matters of legislation
are not completed there must be one.
the close OF recent biennial periods
there was less urgency than now because
OF assurance that an extra session would
be imperative any way. Thus it was
four years ago when the Democrats had
TO assemble to enact the Underwood tar |
i'll law.
Railroad Legislation Waits.
Opinion at the capitol runs that the I
president will not get the railroad legis-
lation he has asked for in supplement to I
the Adamson law No matter that he
has stated time and again he regards this
as very important indeed There seems
to be no enthusiasm for such action in
the Senate interstate commerce commit
tee. The most determined opposition of
the leaders of organized labor has also
to be reekoned with. This would surely
be reflected in cases of individual sem u
ators, eager either to voice their own
convictions or to gain favor, by talking
with labor constituents. 1,
it will be quite remarkable
If the president gets this provision or
even any of the railroad program, includ-
ing the right to the government to take
over the railroads and operate them in
time OF military necessity.
Similarly it is very doubtful whether
the corrupt practice act, which Senator
Owen of Oklahoma has been champion.
ng, gets through. The great need of a
'tricter law regarding election expenses
IS recognized. Republican opposition to
t has subsidized somewhat, but old guard
senator's are at least antagonistie. Then
mother session of Congress will inter.
eene before another national election
md, after all, there is sufficient time in
which to enact this legislation.
The president is trying very hard to T
ave am agreement reached about the
vater- power bills. He may succeed with
his, but there is still large element
4 doubt about it. The impression is q
bout that the president favors the more d