The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-10-04

who Shall he Speaker Of the Next
House Of Representatives.
The "Missouri Patriot" in re-
cent article on this subject, says:
The West especially requiers and
demands legislation Of vital import
ance to her business prosperity.
And to secure what she demands
she should have just share of pow
er in the organization of the House
and Senate. Without it every in
tercst that she values is doomed to
failure. The committees practically
control legislation, and those who
control the committees will, as here
tofore, dictate the legislation of the
country. The section that is neg
lected in the organization is always
neglected in the work of the session.
New England maintains her undue
power in Congress by adroitly Sc
curing control of the committees.
In the last House Massachusetts
held the chairmanships of six com
mittees-three of them being lead
ing ones-while Missouri, a larger
and more popular State, was given
the craftsmanship of one nominal
committee that had no occasion to
make a report during the term.
Iowa had but one, Illinois and In
diana but two each, and so on.
Massachusetts, alone held more pbw-
er in controlling legislation than all
of the four great States we have
named combined. And this is but
a specimen Of the means by which
Western Interests have been over
slaughed and defeated. Financial
measures insisted upon almost unan
imously by Wester men as import
ant to the interests of their section
could not even be got before the
last House for discussion because a
committee in the interest of New
England and New York capitalists
dictated otherwise. The represent
atives of the Southern States found
themselves unable to secure hear
ing for great interests which they
were charged to represent becauss
it was not in the programme of the
organization. Instead of receiving
justice from impartial hands West
ern men have been compelled tt
beg for small favors of unfriendl,
and hostile committees; too often
unsuccessfully.
During the last two Congresses
the committees have been shaped
as we have before shown. Mr.
Blaine, as Speaker appointed thos'
committees as he preferred to hav'
them. They have been grievousl,
unfortunate for Western inter
ests; and there is not the lcas
ground to hope that Mr.. Balm
would not, if again elected, repea
for the third time the same inius
tice. On the contrary it is mos
certain that he would.
#
And in view of the great interest
which the people of the West AM
South are SO deeply interested il
promoting, any Western or Soutt
ern representative who insists upo
representing those interests b
first surrendering the organizatio
of the House to New England a
has been done heretofore will b
false to his immediate constituent
and to his section.
It need not be said that we hay
no men competent to serve 6
Speaker. That is simply nonsens,
Hon. John A. Kasson of Iowa, {
Judge Orth, of Indiana, are eithe
of them competent to fill the p
sition with ability. Both of thel
are men of long Legislative exp,
rience and possess the highe'
order of executive capacity. Eith'
of them would do honor to the p
sition, and both are enthusiast
friends of the great interests of Il
West, which are at this time pari
mount in every Western mind.
would be a great mistake to pass
such men as these, and go to Ne
England for a candidate; and '
hope that before the meeting
, Congress there will be such an e
: preston from the people as W
compel the representatives fro
the West to support some one who
sympathies and interests are in ha
mony with theirs.