The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-07

washington, IL. T., may IA law
10 prevent legislation, to reduce
somewhat the ever-growing stack
of Statutes under which We are be-
ing buried, has been introduced by
chusetts.
Mr.. Tinkham's bill aims to abol-
ish the rider. A rider, in legisla-
tive pariance, is a bit OF legisla-
ton tackled onto an appropriation
bill, although it has no real rela-
lion to it. BY this means many
laws are passed which in all prob
ability would never be passed
otherwise. 1t enables a few men
on one committee to put through
minor law without debate. and to
stifle protest by the plea that the
appropriation bill must be passed.
The appropriation bills provide
funds to keep the government func-
tioning. If the army or navy ap-
preparation bills did not pass in
time to authorize expenditure Of
money when a fiscal year began,
all sorts Of trouble would result
The appropriation bill, therefore,
is sure of enactment. 1t is the ex-
press train that runs on a track to
a definite destination.
But a bill which provides that
sailors should wear a different
kind of hat is purely a legislative
measure and might have hard
time to obtain a hearing. So the
congressman with minor bill of
this sort goes to the rules commit
tee. There is rule against riders
en- an appropriation express, but
the rules committee made the rule
and can override it when convent
cnt. The congressman explains the
strong points of his bill to this
committee. and very often it agrees
TO allow the rider to tag on the
nearest appropriation measure.
How Riders Ride.
Generally the rider is so short
that it is scarcely noticed in the
long detailing of so many clerks at
$1,000 a year, SO many battleships
at $30,000,000 a year. and so on
for numerous pages. However,
sometimes the rider is discovered
where it has been casually hidden.
Then it is dragged forth into the
limelight and denounced by some
congressman who objects to hav-
ing things put over on the dignified
and responsible lawmaking body of
the United States.
"1F fhjC yy1n0 rs
attention it would be brought to
| our notice through the customary
channels, and not thrust upon us
in this insidious manner" shouts
the irate lawmaker.
But another rises to remind him
that the time is short and the ap-
preparation bill must be rushed.
And the defender of congressional
dignity subsidies.
Mr.. Tinkham carefully collected
data showing that in the Gath and
G5th congresses and the first ses-
sion OF the 66th there were n rid
ers put On appropriation bills. The
| list includes such inconsruities as
an anti-lobby provision grated on
he deficiency appropriation bill:
an alien enemy property measure
on another deficiency bill: cotton
futures act and wartime prohibit
ton on agricultural appropriation
bills. Some Of these items are
vaguely related in subject matter
TO the appropriation bill Some
make 10 pretense OF any connec-
ton. Either way, none of them
have anything to do with finance.
Even when rider is COMPARE
lively harmless, it often delays the
appropriation with which it is con-
nected, because some legislators
nave been known to protest firmly
against the intruding paragraph.
Then, too. il the president finds
the obnoxious rider and vetoes the
measure, the whole bill must go
back and be passed over his veto.
or else it must be redrafted with
out the Objectionable features. All