Another way to delay business is to keep continually asking for roll-calls to see if a quorum is present. Calling the names of 435 members takes a lot of time. Some years ago a bill was introduced to provide for the installation of electric apparatus by means of which every member could register “Yes”, “No”, or “Present” by merely pressing a button at his seat. On the wall there were to be electric bulbs set opposite each congressman’s name. Pressing the button would indicate the congressman’s answer to a roll call by flashing a red or white or blue light on the wall. Congress did not adopt the plan. Footnote 119: See pp. 463-465. Footnote 120: On the question whether members of the American cabinet should sit in Congress, see p. 302. Footnote 121: During the past year or two a group of congressmen, both senators and representatives, from the agricultural states has been voting solidly and without regard to party affiliations on many important measures. This group is known as the “agricultural bloc”. Its avowed aim is to see that the interests of the farmers are properly safeguarded in all legislation. For a brief discussion of this topic from a different angle, see p. 350. Footnote 122: JAMES BRYCE, _American Commonwealth_, Vol. I, Ch. VII. Footnote 123: When the constitution was finally drawn and made public many features of it were strongly criticized, but nowhere was there any objection to this method of electing the President. Everyone seemed to feel that this method of choice by an electoral college was an admirable one. Yet curiously enough it turned out to be one of the poorest things that the convention did. It has completely failed to work out as the convention intended. Direct popular election, which the constitution endeavors to avoid, is exactly what we have. The convention, moreover, placed no limit upon the number of terms which a President might have. But Washington set the example by declining a third consecutive term and no President since his time has ever served three terms. From time to time it has been suggested that the President’s term should be lengthened to six years and that he should then be made ineligible for re-election, just as, in some of our larger cities, the mayor is ineligible to succeed himself. This suggestion, however, has never found much favor. Footnote 124: