Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1921-01-29
TWO YEARS. WORK
FOR LAWMAKERS
CONGRESSMAN ARE LIKELY TO
BE KEPT IN WASHINGTON FOB
THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
EXTRA SESSION IN MARCH
Some OF the Legislation Planned for
Present Session Probably Will Be
Postponed-Tariff Revision viii o.
cupy Many Months.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

CuPJ MANY months.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Washington, - Congress probably
Will sit almost miutyrruptcdly for
two years. This will be appalling or
pleasing 10 the American public ac-
cording 10 the varying views of The
individuals making up that public.
When one speaks of continuous ~e~-
! SlonS Of congress the word "cunlinu-
/ Gus Is not 10 be taken literally. The
/ present congress dies 9n March +.
and therefore there will be Il break
/ until he new congress il called to-
/ svihrr EUl The break is not likely
/ 10 be wide one. The chauceS are
/ that the SiXty-seyenth congress- viii be
/ called III cNtraordiuar! session not
/ later than the third week IN March.
[ II Will sit almost unQucstiouubIy unit.
/ late in the fail. The second session
( Of the SiAty-Scycuth congress, which
/ Is the first regular session, will begin
heAt December and nasmuch as the
session beginning that month generally
Is known as the long session because
March + does not bring il to an end.
jhe chances are that ii will run
/ through until late in the fall of 1872.
Why is it considered probable that
/ congress will sit virtually uninterrupt-
eddy for such length of time? The
answer is easy. The program of legis-
latiOn which has been laid down by
the leaders of the party which is about
to come into power takes pages to con
tain il. The Republican leaders say
they intend to undo much that the
Democrats have done and to du many
things on their party's own account.
SO IL seems that the legislation, or at
tempted legislation, as wars after
math is to take up as much time and
as much debate as the war legislation
itself
Some Things May Be Postponed
At this short session of congress it
was proposed in addition to the pas
sage of the appropriation bills TO take
| up partial tariff revision, the plans for
disarmament, measures to limit immi-
grafton, legislation affecting the SOL
diers of the late war aud several other
bills, but 1t seems probable today that
some of the things upon which imme
diate action is asked will be post
poned for consideration until the next
President calls congress together In ex-
traordinary session In March.
The Republicans will have COM
handing majorities In both house aud
senate after March 4, and the White
House will be occupied by Republi-
can president. With all governmental
powers in its hands, however, the Re
publican party will not be able to enact
all the legislation that 1t desires with
out a fight 1t can win in any fight
probably which ii undertakes unless 1t
shall split into factions, one of which
il is conceivable might join the Demo
Gratis in an attempt to defeat certain
bills.
OF course even to intimate that
there will be factions in the Republi-
can party is TO take something for
granted, because it is known that one
of the chief desires and efforts of the
PreSident-elect is to keep the ranks
harmonious. Factions, however, have
come into being in the past. and hu
man nature remains about the same
year in and year out, and 50 it may be
that factions will spring into being
again, although the Republican lead
will to
all the members of the party In line.
At the present session of congress
the so-called farmers tariff bill has
been given consideration. The house
passed it easily, but 1t is having trou-
bic in the senate. 1t may be, however,
March unless President Wilson shall
intervene with his veto.
Tariff VIII Consume Much Time.
The comprehensive tariff legislation
which the majority in congress intends
to undertake Will occupy the attention
of the members for many months of
the extraordinary session. 1t takes
long while to put comprehensive tariff
hearings in both house and senate are
long drawn out. They last sometimes
for months and after they are ended
and the bill is formulated, there al
ways come long, drawn-out debates.
in the house of representatives, of
course by the adoption of a rule limit
ing debate, a tariff measure can be put
through in comparatively short time,
but the rock of elaboration" is to he
met with in the senate where unless
the new rule allowing cloture is in
voked the debate will run on almost
certainly for some months.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
senate now has a rule which. if put
into operation. will limit debate, the
regulation is so wOrded that 1t is diff
cult to put it into effect. and more
over the senators do not like to invoke
the rule.
Ambassadors Must Be Wealthy.