Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-16
OBSERVATIONS
BY Cong. ELMER ]. RYAN


of adjournment of this Congress-
Guesses range from June Is to Au-
gust Is. Recently the Senate post
poned the date of adjournment by
eight days of filibustering on the
Wagner Costigan Anti-Lynchirg bill.
The bill was opposed by southern Sen
ators on the ground that it was an
invasion of states rights.
The bill was next on the Senate
docket and the filibuster prevent
consideration of measures following 1t
on the Senate calendar. The fill
clustering Senators were finally able
to compel an adjournment and there
by avoid consideration of the Anti
Lvnching bill. Senator Josiah w.
Bailey of North Carolina occupied por-
tions of the time during the filibuster
by reading passages from the Bible.
Senator Huey Long avoided voting
or taking part in the consideration of
the bill. 1t was believed that he did
not wish to take a stand either way
for fear that he would lose either the
large negro vote of his state who
favor the bill or the vote of the white
population who oppose it.
A question of the constitutionality
of the Banking Act of 1885 arose on
the floor during the debate on that
bill.
The question arose over the fol-
lowing provision of the bill:
1T shall be the duty of the Federal
Reserve Board to exercise such pow
ers as it possesses in such manner as
to promote conditions conducive to
business stability and to mitigate by
it's influence unstabilizing fluctua-
tions in the general level of produc-
ton. trade, prices, and employment,
so far as may be possible within the
scope of monetary action"
This provision was assailed as, un-
constitutional on the ground that it
involves a delegation of the legisla-
tive power of Congress.
The very fact that this point was
raised and seriously debated is re-
assuring sign in these times when
Congress has in many instances dele
gated its responsibilities to various
, boards and bureaus. From the stand
, point of the constitutional lawyer
, such legislation is dangerous to our
, Democratic form of government.
Although such legislation may have
been justified in the past because OF
l a national emergency it is to be hoped
l that our future action for social and
: economic betterment will be con-
S Quoted within the framework of the
Constitution of the United States.
The GOldsborough Amendment tt
= the Banking act, which was Offered
. as a substitute for the above provision
American Farm Bureau Federation
l. is not subject to the constitutional OBJ
= lection because it prescribes definite
o limitations upon the determination O
: dollar purchasing power and for this
\ reason. the Goldsborough Amendment
o does not involve a delegation to the
Federal Reserve Board of the legisla
o tive discretion of Congress. Thi:
o Amendment was defeated by six votes
A discussion arose in the Senate
over the question of placing telegram!
received by Senators in the Congress
y siOnal Record. Senators who have
) prided themselves upon PERSONAL.
II answering all letters and telegram
II stated that they have recently re
y ceived SO many messages that per
:, sonal answers are impossible and the.
- wished to answer them through tn
Record. Finally. when it became evi
dent that printing the kilograms re
ceived would cost thousands of dol
lars, the request was withdrawn an
& it appears that the kilograms will g
}. unanswered.
II summary of the condition of tn
l budget for the first ten months Of tn
: current fiscal year showed that o.
April 30 the government had spen
S2,76S, 100000 more than the sum G
IL its revenues during that period. TIL
revenues were $3,O9O.OOO.OOO. Thi
was we'll above the revenues receive
during the same period of the Las
- fiscal year which amounted to S2,4S7
10000