Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1919-04-18
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= \ CANDID OBITUARY :,
!, u II u /. II u y - y u ;: !. II II -
(From Saturday Evening PosD

sonaDly have looked for. 1t enacted
necessary war legislation on the ini-
tiative of the President, under his
direction, and in obedience to pub-
lie sentiment SO Overwhelming that
no Congress could have disregard
ed il. But In the greatest national
Emergency since the Civil War it re-
fused to stir u peg out Of its COM
Portable old ruts. 1t appropriated
billions planlessiy, wasteiully. mere
ly understanding unrevlsS1 eXecu-
tive estimates.
IL levied ten billions of taxes in Il
manner that would have earned a
congress Of high school boys sound
whipping under the old pcdagogic
ldispensation. 1t stuck to committee
organization by seniority and let the
nation pay the penalty
One of the longest OF Congresse5
in session six hundred and thirty
1.-TWO days--it was unable to finish
most necessary business, and finally
expired by time Limitation in mud
die of incompetence and party pol
itics.
Largely the last Congress was Il
hOld-over from the Sixty-fourth,
which was in session for almost as
many days during that momentOus
time when the world conflict in Eu-
rope WAS ever drawing nearer to us.
That Congress idea of meeting the
situation was expressed In the miser-
able and transparent max ashift Of
granting Federal subventiOnS TO the
State militia. With tn" nation at
the very edge of war il expired. like
its successor, in u scandalOus Senate
e .I,t,
need and the nations dignity.
| Looking back upon the two Amer
lean Congresses that have sat
through the greatest and most dan
gerouS conflict of the modern world.
with the fate of America at stake.
we see that no leadership has come
out of them. Their efficiency for
the necessary routine business de-
volving upon them has been uni
formly low. They have more than
once. az in the Senate fiibusters, ex-
hibited Il leyity past belief. The plain
record shows one great branch of
our Government in an advanced
state of decay. and Il great organ of
democratic rule in Il most unseryice-
able condition. Never was public re-
lspect for Congress at Il lower ebb
than now.
II is partly IL matter of organiza-
ton ard method. After the shocking
filibustar on the eve of war in 1912
the Senate tossed sop to outraged
public opinion by adopting vcry
limited cloture rule. That il ADOPT
ed this rule merely as temporary
sop to public opinion and without
serious intention to reform was prov
ed by the closing hours of The Sixty
fifth Congress.
When any senator al the clos. OF
session can veto any legislation by
talking it 10 death Siny senator is Il
mighty man. whose wishes must h,
dei"lentiaily consulted Senator.
colierliveiy Will not easily surrender
nat Slgre"lbie personal privilege
But situation which puts the tim.
oi Congress and the time of the ma
tinn and thc most vital legislation a
ne Irresponsible disposal Of the mer
est haHdlul OF senators. accUrdipi
To their whims aud yanities an,
pilHeS and partisan StratCgieS, H.:
got to end II Congress is 10 becom
an ctIicioat organ of democratj,
RUE. Genuine cloture in the Senate
so that majority can abSolutpl,
control legislation is necessary.
The preliminary mov,u t,,,,.,l
genuine budre, syst,,n, ,,,., 'I"'u "" .
vicI throuah IN frnfTH,, '''"T ',,,,, Wv 'a'
the real obstacle comes down 20 ,
, question of personal nrrsti~n ,f ~,
erybody waiting n fingrr IN nr,,.
pie. .iul il il fer tht, n,ror NV;
! glory of members of both house
) and net for the public good. that IN,
houses stick to the allotment of com
mittee chairmanshius nv ,ani,',.;.1. ,J.d
Thai is IN iuducemnnt tn .nn,';,',''I "ita - ,
CITES to reelnct mcmhers nnd =, II ~, !
; Il plnasanter .ncinI ,,,,,'n,,n'' '" - ~" ~,
. either wing Of tho Caniim !, ,,'.
puts unsuitablc mon IN n',,.,,,' j., ''H'
: decisive nnwor ov.,. ,n',; r,',i', pU|i,'"''S "
, Cloture bndpnt snn;n,;,,. i;'''", ,.
; are three outstanai,n ,,i, '"'.'
which CnrgreSs aarns ,h 'n'nsS %,
ion of itself and tha hnd hniI' hnin op''
the public. three ron.ni,.' i Up,n'on ="
, of choosing brtween rn,r 's,a't uoaS way
+ Inublir r,,,.a, ~, i'"t'''y IN