Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-08-10
Looking In on Congress From
the House Gallery
WHAT THE HOUSE is LIKE
By CONGRESSMAN GUY U. HARDY
Copyright. 1922, Western Newspaper Union
WHAT THE HOUSE is LIK
By CONGRESSMAN GUY U. HARDY

those in charge of the time may feel
that they have none at their disposal
or for some reason do not wish to
yield the gentleman time. The gentle
man with a grievance may conclude
that he will block the business of the
house for a time by causing a roll
call. l have seen a member state
frankly on the floor that if he can
not get the time desired he will feel
it his duty to raise the question, of
quorum. Some times the gentleman
in control Of the time will give in and
yield the time desired and sometimes
he will call the other gentleman's bluff,
These incidents do not occur very
often.
Once in a while a little flibuster is
resOrted to by the minority or by an
ObstreperouS member who wants. to
force consideration of some sp6fAl
matter. Then the roll calls come thick
and fast. One day the committee on
rules tried to get a rule adopted, Civ
ing four hours for debate on a GER
tain bill. The minority took a notion
to block the game and it took day
and a half of roll calls to get the
rule passed.
Some bills are passed by the major
ity of those present without a roll call.
But any member can always demand
quorum and if a quorum is not
present a roll call on the bill auto
rum is present, twenty per cent Of
those present can always demand and
secure roll call on any proposition.
Too Much Talking, of Course.
There is much unnecessary talking
in the house. Nobody realizes that so
much as those Who have to be present
and listen to much Of it. The same
thing is true wherever men and women
Ongregate-especiall where they
meet to consider matters of public
concern. AS a reporter l have sat up
past midnight listening to rambling,
unnecessary talk over some trivial
matter at small town council meet
ing where only eight or nine members
had to agree on policy.
Some freedom must be gwen to
those who want to talk. Some oppOr-
tunity must be given for all sides to be
heard, 1t requires consideration and
explanation and talk sometimes to get
many minds to look at the subject in
the same way.
There is too much unnecessary talk
in the house, but l do not see how it
! could be eliminated. Who is to say
what talk may be made and what talk
| shall not be made? Who is so wise
that he may be set up as a censor?
1t is not so bad in the house as in
| the senate. In the senate there is no
| limit on debate. In the house debate
| Is always limited, usually to one or
two hours, occasionally to four hours,
| and perhaps twice in recent years to
II hours on very important measures.
Congress IS often criticised for be-
ing slow in doing business. OF course
| 1t is slow. 1t is made up Of human be-
ings of many minds. They come from
| all parts of a great country stretch
| ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
| The representatives represent peoples
and communities as diversified and as
| far apart in thoughts and interests as
| they are in distance. 1t requires time
for these representatives of these vari-
Gus minds and interests to weigh and
consider and amenu and whip into
shape and finally agree upon proposed
legislation that is to be written for a
hundred and ten millions OF people
and may run for all time. 1t neCes.
sarily taxes time for a majority of
1876 members to be brought to see
! things alike.
This is one of the necessary results
of a republican form of government.
1t Is not so in an autocracy. 1t is not
so in Russia. There you get quick
action. By a decree from the auto
Gratis the lands are cOntiscated. BY a
decree anything can be done quickly.
But by parliamentary procedure it
takes time for just and due consider.
alton.
But after all congress is not so slow
as compared with other governing
bodies in a republic. Consider your
own city council, your own board of
county commissioners, your own state
legislature. Who has not tried for
years and years to get a certain street
light placed, street crossing fixed
up, a city street cut through, a
city park established, the city
streets paved, country road de-
fined or a bridge built or this or
that law amended, changed, repealed
or passed? Let thar individual who
has never seen these long delays in
getting worthy propositions put
through the governing body at home
where every member knows the con.
ditions like book, throw the first
rock at congress.
Requirements for Members.
| The Constitution prnVidpS that q