Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-11
MORE INVESTIGATIONS.

MORE INVESTIGATION.
A large number of the public journals
If the country lay considerable stress on
the number of Investigations ordered by
the last Congress, as tending to show
progress in purifying the public service
from the evils that have brought it into
disrepute, while ,others have inforced in
long columns of arguments and Stats
tics. that the real cause of the disrespect
bestowed upon the last session, is almost
wholly due to the series of investigations
ordered by Congress, and carried through
Nv ponderous committees, sitting as
.ide-show, apparently to distract public
attention from what was taking place in
the two Houses. Probably a happy
medium between these two extreme
views, is the best positions tor the
country on this mixed subject of inves
legations by public committees. We
cannot make ourselves believe that the
state of the country, or of public morals,
is such that we need an expenditure of
considerable time or money in exposing
evils to be corrected through the inquis-
,torial power of committee; neither
is It policy to repress all Investigations
for the future, but rather to use a sound
discretion, and only order them when a
considerable number of either house re-
quire it.
Il is proposed by some members of
Congress to have a permanent commit
tee OF investigation, as one of the stand
irr committees of each house of Con-
rress. whose duty it shall be to consider
all cases referred to it, by the standing
committee to which the subject may re-
late instead Of allowing any member to
move a special committee of inquiry
whenever he feels that q Craftsmanship
of a committee of investigation on some
sensational subject would be gratifyingto
his ambition. We think we know lots
If members who envy Poland his noto-
riety. gained as chairman of the Credit
Nobiler investigating committee, and if
.ao present plan of investigations is re-
tanned. we shall expect to see a rush
pretty soon to procure committees to see
who has soiled his hands and his soul,
with the salary steal, or when the con-
yeniences of travel in Cuba are little
modified, a committee Of the two branch
es Of the Legislature can doubtless be
'9und who would delight in taking testi-
NM ~ for a few weeks at Santiago de
C,ho 10 reference to the massacre of
,ho Virrtuius prisoners.
It seems 20 us that the honorable gen.
men who are selected to lake the laws
Of this great nation, do not quits need d
standing committee upon disci >'me.
Such bodies may do for churches ant,
promiscuous gatherings that are only too
clad to gather into their folds from all
classes; but the Congress of the United
States being composed of men selected
for their wisdom and virtue, to repre-
sent the people in Congress, being forced
TO the appointment of such standing
committee, is a sad commentary upon the
morals and habits of public men, that
we hope they will not feel called upon
TO adopt. There have undoubtedly been
a few men of blemished reputation, and
a character not entirely above suspicion,
that have got into Congress, but we trnst
that they are exceptions, and that the
people will find out those mistakes and
correct them without the necessity of an
expensive public investigation.
We suppose that Congress, like large
manufacturing establishments, needs a
4.repazr shop" and that cases may arise
OCCASIONALLY that demand an investiga-
tien. and when such do arise, Congress
eho,lld be in a situation that they can
appoint a special committee of its men,
bers, best qualified for the particular
case under consideration. The investi-
cation should be special in all instances,
and above all, should be limited in num-
hers and amount. The time has passed
when gentlemen in Congress, or out OF
il. should seek to build up their own rep,
utation by bringing others down to then
own level, and we hope that the temper
the times is so we'll understood tina
,nuo vtigating committees will be seldom
hao., Vt, and that when they are hear'
fr o' ,ha 'r work will be so manifest!
o 1,,, nv ~, Vic good that the people VII
~, W. , ,,o I pun 'ety of it plainly.