The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-20
SENATE ALWAYS
IN EXISTENCE
Two-thirds of Membership Hold over
While Entire House Goes OUT
of Office Every TWO
Years.
rRv Smith ID. Fry. ]

WASHINGTON, May 20. - hins
nayid is credited with having SAID:
Il have said in my haste tha1 an
men are liars" The old giant kllier
need not have been in haste TO zen
that one He might have taken LIS
time about it. so,,..
There are many thousands OF laui'
finders who like 10 be known as CRIT
ics The word critic has solter
sound But critics are usually iauit
finders One of them says that an
infant class in politics Is "a goou
thing because the people are SO As-
norant" 7. l..
That is not safe criticism. IL Is
baseless fault-finding. The people
are SO intensely occupied IN tlghIlhs
for food. for shoes and clothing, 1ol
school books and incidentals that
they have no time for the STUDY u
notifies. And yet, every man, wom-
man. boy and girl ought to kno" con
stitutional law, for such hnoWledse
only will produce and MAINTAIN cni
stitutional liberty.
This is an even year OF the calen-
dar. and we are obliged 10 cnose
senators, representatives, presiuei'
and vice president, and numerous
minor public servants. Therefore, we
nus, ;ust take the time for our in
FAINT class in politics, for there are
only few simple lessons, and tney
are absolutely necessary for intehf
gent government
We know that the congress con-
sists of a senate and house OF repre-
sentatiyes and that the representa-
tiyes are elected every two years,
that next November We are TO eiec'
AS representative for the Sixty.
seventh congress; that the term OF
that congress will begin at noon on
March 4, 1921, and will continue Two
wears. But, mark this: we DO not
elect senators on next election day
Do you know why?
Well the wise makers OF the con,
stitution provided that only one-thiro
Of the senators shall go out OF Office
with every congress, every TWO years.
All of the 435 representatives go out
of office every two years. marx you
all of them. Emphasize the word all.
Only one-third of the senators thus
finish their terms every two years.
WHY? Because thus two-thlrds OF tue
senate is always in office, ready to
A business as the constitution
states. Consequently the senate ~
known to constitutional lawyers as
"a continuing body" Under that
wise provision there can never be a
successful autocrat in this repupllc'
Mark. this now: The senate Is the
real bulwark OF the liberties OF our
repubIic. Three autocrats in the
white house, in our brief history
have dominated the house OF repre-
sentatives, without punishment, al
though each one of them deserved
moose or an electric chair But nc
{ president has ever yet eoerceo tnc
United States senate. It Is a matter
of not very ancient history that one
of the autocratic men in the o1ilct
of president would have actually Sole
out this country to Great britain
with the approval of the unthlnklns
people, but for the United States
senate.
Thank God for the United States
senate! They who would MAKE
changes in the senate as reckiessl1
as they would change a constable OF
county sheriff surely need the re
naming brief lessons for the lntan
class in politics. This is the same
story. 1t will soon be concluded, out
lust now, is ito be continued ID GU
next"