Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-22
THE RULE OF THE COMMITTEE

G. c. Matthews, in brief essay in the
Current, suggests but does not elaborate as
he might. the idea that we are in danger of
surrendering incstimablc rights to the COM
mittee in conventions. There is much of
force in the thought. The tendency as
he well says, is toward the employment
of few thinkers without specific instruc-
tons, to define the opinions Of the alleged
majority In convention we send offered
papers oftenest to committee without read
ing or debate, and delegate to a few
the censorship over the right Of men to be
heard. The majority should not surrender
the right to form its own opinion, and an
nounce it. A minority is handicapped by
the report of committee adverse to its
views, and most frequently thereby loses
the right to even be heard in the represent
alive body, and thus its voice may be alb
. solutely buried in the committee grave
The committee is the policy" agency
nearly always. 1t receives whatever is sent
to it, but in the most arbitrary manner dis
poses Of it, irrespective of its worth, since
in most cases, the sole aim of the commit
tee is to fortify its own views, satisfy the sup
posed majority, and so act as to promote
the success Of the party. Or, as Matthews
puts it. under the operation of the COM
mittee custom many cowardly things are
done many treachenes enacted, many good
motives suppressed, many honest desires
ignored
Of course, the chief excuse for the COM
mittee is that it is a time-saver Therein
lies the kernel of the whole matter.
Should conventions. the primal represent
atiye bodies in forms of selfgovernment
ever be pressed for time2 We should so
adjust them that all needed time will be
taken. We should possess ourselves of
patience for the discharge of duty. and
submit to sacrifices of time, to secure great
and good results. The man, rs Matthews
well states it, in most conversations. polit-
zeal or otherwise, who fails to get on a
committee of opinion, becomes insignif-
cant in the body. 1t is replied that the
report of the committee of opinion must
come before the body for consideration.
but the world knows that in practice it
seldom secures the hearing that It's i'm
portance demands. 1t is only when COM
mittee is Squarcly divided that minority
sentiment has "a fair show of being
heard. Certainly there is great deal of
throttling done in violation Of represented
rights by the rule that all resolutions
shall go to the committee without debate
So, too there is great deal of bad work
sent forth by conventions because OF
their impotence. They send, for in
stance, a subject to committee,
which, if that body is conscientious,
demands much time and careful delibera-
ton. But the convention very early be-
comes clamorous for report. 1t is not
uncommon for the main body to
put pains and penalties upon its
committee TO force it to an agree
ment, as if wise action and the
best Judgment ever result under coercion.
Then, again, the committee is too much of
a shield for the cowardly, who shelter
themselves behind its broad back, and es-
cape making records by shifting response
bility upon the committee. Machines"
too, have altogether too much to do with
the committee. 1t is notorious that these
sub-bodies are chosen, in the majority of
cases, not with view to the elucidation Of
truth, and arrival at the wisest thing to be
done, and the honest course to be pursued,
but with an eye single to conserving 4
prejudged purpose and a concerted plan,