Pueblo chieftain., 1921-02-08
SENATE STRIVING FOR old
Time RECOGNITION IN EYES
OF VOTERS OF THE COUNTRY
Much Of Prestige and Leadership Left Them During
Past Fifteen Years, Yet Old Disposition
to Procrastinate Remains

take advantage of its impersonaity
and anonymity, its proneness to pro
crastination in tho plain sight OF the
public, its tendency to dispose OF popu-
lar measures not by decision but by in
action, are illustrated by the course OIL
Il typical bill in the present session.
When the session began there were
two projects which had some degree oil
popular pressure behind them one was
the relief of business by revival OF the
War Finance corporation, the other
was immigration. The popular de-
mand for restriction of immigration
met with prompt and effective response
on the part of the house. In that body
the immigration restriction measure
was introduced on the opening day,
December 6. was debated on the 9th
and 10th. was amended on the llth and
passed on the 18th. all within exactly
one week.
The vote on the bill showed how pop
uiar the measure was; how little ana
how specialized the opposition was.
Less than one out OF ten of the mem
bership of the house opposed it. The
next day the bill went to the senate.
And in the senate it still remains more
than eight weeks later. The day 1t ar
rived in the senate one senator evident
ly had some concern about imputationS
of bad faith to his fellows. Senator
King of Utah said:
II have seen the statement in num-
Der OF newspapers that in all probable
ity nothing further would be done with
this legislation. l do not know where
this information came from Con-
ceding accuracy generally to the press,
/ am inclined to think that in this mat
ter an error has been fallen into. L
desire to say there is no disposition to
delay the passage OF legislation at this
session dealing with immigration. !
believe that some legislation should be
enacted before VIC adjourn. i sincerely
hope tho committee will Immediately
consider the question"
But the committee did not ''imrnedi-
atcly consider the question" For ex-
actiy three weeks the committee did
nothing. on January they began to
hold hearings. on occasional days, ten
days in all. strung over a period OF
three weeks. the committee, or frag-
ments OF the committee, listened TO
witnesses. Practically all the witnesses
wore interested in promoting immisra-
ton and defeating she bill. There were
two government officials who spoke as
experts on immigration statistics and
one or two others who werc disinter-
cstcd. An almost equally small num-
bcr of volunteer witnesses spoke in Ia
Nor of the bill.
The great bulk OF the hearings con-
ElStGu OF testimony lEpEH SpttA%ii liAtA-
ests, either racial or business, who op-
posed the bill strenuously. No thought
fuI American, equipped with knowledge
OF the background, can read the steno-
graphic report OF those hearings with
out being deeply and sombrely con-
cerncd.
However. this is not the place for an
analysis of the testimony. nor for dis
cussiug the merits of the bill. What
Is here attempted to make clear is the
inaction Of the senate contrasted with
the speed and effectiveness that are not
found impossible by the lower house.
with a membership more than four
times as large. I have said the house
debated the bill. amended it and passed
1t, all within seven days. The senate
has had 1t more than eight weeks and
has not yet even debated IT.
The bill is still in that state of sus-
pended animation described as being
"in the committee. Even II the bill
should come out now, 1t is so late IN