The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-11-26
THE LEGISLATIVE WAIT

correspondent writes to the New York World, saying: 'It is humiliating to have to confess it, but in many respects we are the most backward democracy on earth today In England Parliament was recently dis solved and a general election called, and within 30 days thereafter the newly elected members will be in their seats and the new government functioning. We have just had an election in which we have repudiated and unseated many members of both the Senate and the House, but the unseated and repudi- ated members will continue to determine leg islation for many months to come. There is not business house in the country where the newly-elected directors do not take their seats at the directors table the moment they are elected and qualified. Is 1t any wonder that legislation lags hopelessly behind our needs and then endeavors to catch step by a sudden drastic advance that upsets and dis arranges everything? Is it any wonder that unrest and dissatisfaction are so prevalent? 4i The situation is worthy of attention. It had it's origin in the difficulties of travel at the time the constitution was written. Plenty of time was allowed for getting in the cleo ton returns and for making known the re- suit; and there was time allowance also for farmers, who were the then legislators by large majority, to get in their years crop and make arrangements for absence from home. Moreover, the distances were great and means of conveyance slow, so that, taking all things together, it was perhaps reasonable to elect in November and give . years time for the elected to enter upon their legislative duties. It may be that there was the further consideration that in the year of grace the prospective legislators would be making careful inquiry among their friends and neighbors and studying the needs of their districts, and possibly drawing up the bills they desired to present to Con- gress. All of these considerations, however, have now lost their argumentative value. The returns of election are known practically the morning after, and certainly within the week; the elected are for the most part quite free to move at days notice; the distances have become small bcause of the improve ment in the means of transportationi and there Is really no reason why the new Con- gress should not begin at once, and the yer dict of the election be crystalized in the needed legislation.
 The writer of the protest quoted above is in all respects right when he says that 1t is incongruous for repudiated Congress to go on legislating, the same as if nothing had happened. The business of the world is not transacted 5, such a manner. The new poli- cies are not laid aside for year, but if they are good, they are availed of at once. Besides this, there is tho unrest the corre- spondent mentions, an unrest caused in great part by the unresponsiveness of Congress to the public's opinion and need; and the consti- tuition encourages and supports this unre- sponsiveness, and prolongs the cause for un- rest. Legislation lags; the help that Con- gress is expected to grant Is withheld and all because an ancient and no longer neces- sary or even desirable form Is reverenced We should get away from the hampering form and bring in the better practice, more in harmony with the principles of democracy, which means a rule for as we'll as by the people.