Salt Lake Tribune | 1913-09-01 | Page 6 | Abuse of Leave to Print

ABUSE OF LEAVE TO PRINT. It is very curious, in view of tho various abuses which are porpotratcd under tho oustom of the "leave to print" in tho Congressional Record, that that leave to print has not been abolished. A recent inslanco of this abuso was that perpetrated by Representatives Repre-sentatives A. J. Sabath, from ono of tho Chicago districts. In tho hurly-burl' of the procoduro of tho House, Representative Repre-sentative Sabath was givou one minuto of time to speak. Ho began his speech, pursued it for tho minuto of timo that was accorded him, and then had leave to print tho rest of it. Thereupon appeared ap-peared in t lie Congressional Record forty-one pages of small type carrying that speech, comprising mdrc than 100,-000 100,-000 words; that is to say, a volume of words aggregating about as much .as six average President's messages. We should think that that is nbour. the limit, and that Cougress might very fairly urge either stopping tho "leave to print" altogether or so matcrially abridgmg ii s to put an end to such an abuse na this perpetrated by Rcpro fianlatir Kaltatli upon Congress anil the public treasury. Tt is also an imposition im-position in itself, since he will undoubtedly undoubt-edly circulato that speech among his constituents as ono which he actually delivered in Congress, when it is a mere communication, which he may or may uot have written himself. In viow of it, tho custom of "leave to print" is one that ought surely to be stopped.