Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-29
., o.. CHAPTER ".
What It Costs to Run Congress-.

Five large buildings in Washington
provide working space for the great
legislative department Of the govern
ment OF the United States; the branch
which makes all the federal laws-all
except those made by the United States
Supreme Court. The Capitol. the most
magnificent building In Washington and
one of the most majestic capitol build
ings In the world. is the most important
Of the five. Begun September. 1875.
and finished, as 1t stands today, in 1859,
it represents q total cash expenditure
of $25,0OO,OOo.
The Senate Office building, In which
all the offices Of the senator's are To-
Gated, is another. 1t was built In 1908
at cost Of $3,500,0o0. The House
office building, In which all the offices
Of the members OF the House Of Repre-
1908. and also cost $3.50O.0o0. The
Library Of Congress, completed in 1897
at cost Of 100000 is the fourth.
The other fs large red brick building
given over exclusively to the printing
Office.
The legislative department OF the
United States government Is the first
one mentioned In the American Consti-
tuition. After long and stormy debate.
the constitutional convention OF 1887
adopted the bicameral system providing
for two legislative houses. the Senate.
state In the Union, and the House OF
Representative, to consist Of a varying
number, depending on the population Of
each state. The Constitution required
! a senator to be at least thirty years of
| age and a representative to be at least
twenty-five. l
How Congress Has Grown.
When the first session Of the first
Congress met in New York city, April
6. 1889, there we're sixty-five represen-
| tatives and twenty-six senator's from
thirteen states. This was a workable
organization-it was not too large, nor
was It too small But 1t was repre-
sentative.
Since then. the number Of states has
increased from thirteen to forty-eight !;
the number Of senator's from twenty-six
to ninety-siX.
929 900 in 1890. to los. 100000 in 1920.
and the members Of the House of Rep.
| resentatives have likewise grown In
| number from the original eixty-f1ve to
435 members.
The very growth OF the membership
, efficiency. Both houses of Congress to-
day-certainly the House of Represen-
tatives-have much too large a member
ship to do effective work.
The Constitution. with regard to the
great legislative department of the
government of the United States, makes
two important provisions:
CD The Congress shall assemble at
least once in every year, and
(2) The senators and representatives
Gh IN -
services. to be ascertained by law. and
paid out Of the Treasury of the United
States
Remember, the government of the
United States Ii government Of dele
gated powers. I: has only the power
States These states gave Certain spe.
cific powers to it. These powers were
enumerated In the Constitution so that
no misunderstanding would ever arise.
as shown in the United States Consti-
tuition:
What Congress Can DO.
!. To lay and collect taxes, duties,
| imposts and excuses; to pay the debts
and provide for the common defense
and general welfare Of the United
States: but all duties, imposts and
excuses shall be uniform throughout
the United States.
2. To borrow money on the credit
, of the United States.
3. To regulate commerce with for
, eisn nations, and among the several
states. and with the Indian tribes.
naturalization and uniform laws on
the subject of bankruptcies through
out the United States.
| 5. To coin money. regulate the
fharanf n ~ N4t
and fix the standard Of weights and
measures.
6. To provide for the punishment
Of counterfeiting the securities and
current coin Of the United States.
Isl =; TO establish post Offices and
s. To grant patents and copyrights
in order that science and the arts
may be stimulated.
9. To constitute tribunals inferior
to the Supreme Court.
10. To define and punish piracies
and felonies committed on the high
seas, and offenses against the law Of
nations.
II. To declare war. grant laws of
marque and reprisal, and make rules
concerning captures on land and sea.
Time Limit ON Army Budget.
IL. To raise and support armies.
but no appropriation OF money to that
use shall be for a longer term than
two years.
10. To provide and maintain a
navy.
IA. To make rules for the govern.
ment and regulation Of the land and
is. To provide for calling forth the
| militia to execute the laws of the
Union. suppress Instructions and re-
1s. TO provide for organizing,
arming and disciplining the militia,
and for governing them.
II. To exercise exclusive jurisdic-
ton over the District Of Columbia;
zines, dry docks and other needful
Is. TO make all laws necessary
and proper for carrying them into
execution. ~
The Work and the Cost.
These are all the powers given to
Congress. There are Just eighteen of
them. They are clean cut and plain.
The last one, No. Is, looks necessary,
but 1t has become the open door
not originally given BY the states.
have passed into national control, for
the eighteenth has been very liber-
ally Interpreted by the United States
I Since april 9. 1889. Congress has
held 1877 separate sessions. This is
an average Of little more than once
a year. The first two sessions were
held In New York city; The next
were held in Philadelphia. Since that
time-for: the last 124 years-Con-
gress has met in Washington.
Congress has great powers given
| to 1T. The Supreme Court greatly en-
larged them by favorable interpreta-
ton. Today Congress is the most i'm
portant political body in America.
Nine Of our Presidents--John Adams,
JefYrson, Van Buren,. Tyler, Fillmore,
johnson, Arthur. Roosevelt and Cool
idge-as Vice Presidents, have pre-