The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-12-21
THE LAME DUCK CONGRESS.

THE LAME DUCK
The widespread approval evoked by
the proposed constitutional change by
which a newly elected congress would
assemble Immediately, indicates that
the anomaly of the present system has
com to be generally recognized. Ger
tainly it is a very poor government
device when legislation for a nation of
100 million people is left for four
months in the hands of a congress
which those people have repudiated,
a contemporary says.
Hardly less away from the spirit
OF representative institutions is he
arrangement whereby the popular
mandate as expressed at an election
does not get acted on until Ii months
have elapsed.
It is apparent that under that ar
rangement a e. that assemblies
so long after it's election can have
little knowledge of what its mandate
really is. 1t may be as far out of
touch with it's constituents as a on
gress that, under the present plan,
comes back after being defeated and
resumes it's 1abOrs.
We refer to such a defeated con-
gress as a lame duck congress-, but
what kind of a duck is a congress
hat meets a year after it's election
with no idea of what it is h
try wants? The best it can know is
what the country wanted a cal ago.
Obviously it is time congress and
the country got a little closer to-
gether. Popular mandates should be
acted on at once. A defeated con-
Eress should retire Immediately. and
the one elected to take its place should
begin functioning without delay.
- Ia "a
SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
We met a young fellow on the
streets of Colfax the other day, who
has solved the problem of Christmas
money so nicely that we ant resist
telling our readers about it. He
works a few miles from town and
1t isn't possible for him to get to the
bank every week. So early last Janu-
airy he hit upon the idea of asking
his employer to hold out two dollars
of his wage each week, until he asked
for it. The employer did so, glad
of h opportunity to use the money
himself. A couple of weeks 6 the
young man asked for his Jack pay,
and received it in a lump sum-. Not
only that, but his employer, recogniz-
ing the fact hat he had had the
use of the money, added interest to
it at the rate of 4 per cent. If a
young man in the rural district, away
from a bank, can do this, how much
easier is it for those who live in
town to slip a dollar or two a week
into a sinking fund " hat will meet
all their requirements at the holiday
time. 1t is certainly worth consider
ing, and~can be tried out by every
man who wants to learn the first easy
lesson in saving.-Colfax Commoner.
"a "a "a
It is difficult to tell just how far
the progressive bloc in congress will
get. AS a matter of fact it depends
very much on what the leaders have
In mind. If their policy is one of
complete antagonism to everything adj
vocated by the present administration,
and an effort to advance the political
Of some member, or members
of the bloc, the movement will MOI
last. If, on the other hand, reason
able progressive legislation is urged,
and also reasonable cooperation with
the administration shown, the move
ment is likely to gain in popularity.
The people are not opposed to pro-
gressive legislation that is built on a
solid foundation, but the majority do
oppose any legislation that smacks of
or that reason tells them
cannot serve the purpose which its
advocates claim for it. There are
many theories thai sound good, but
public would naturally expect Senator
and his followers to advo-
some of these things. The move
nents of the bloc will be watched with
interest.
The go~vernor-elect of oregon wants
o go the commission form of govern
nent, which is now in effect in
everal states, including Idaho, n
'etter. He would abolish all boards
nd commissions in his state, and sub
titute for them as,single controllingsE
GARD of five men and, 1t is presumed, !