The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-04-28
Experienced Representatives.

me present uiicKwaru- cotiuIJlou VI -puUIIO
business in Congress is due, in great meas
ure, to the practice of changing representa-
tiyes and sending new and inexperienced men
to Congress. While frequent appeals to the
country is the real foundation of republican
form of government, it by no means follows
that frequent changes of representatives is the
best mode of promoting the public good or
expediting public business. The art or science
of legislation has to be learned in Congress
and is not to be gained anywhere else. There,
members measure each other by processes
unknown elsewhere, and ascertain the length
and breadth and height of each other with an
exactness and accuracy which gives weight
and importance, or disregard and insignih-
canoe, according to the measurement, and
from that decision the people are swift to
learn whether their representative is useful
or useless member of the House. I he repre-
sentative who rises to influence and attains
position as a chairman Of a committee, or is
nromoted to second or third place, attains those
distinctions by virtue of his fitness and never
by personal favoritism. These are the marks
by which the usefulness and efficiency of the
member is to be gagged and known, not only
in the House, but by the people; and those
positions give weight and Influence to the
member in the Departments and with the
Administration.
The influence which the South attained in
Congress prior to the late war, and which
enabled her representatives to exert so much
power in the government, was due IN the
main to the long service of her members.
Becoming familiar with the intricate rules OF
proceedings, and acquainted, by personal
participation, with the history OF preceding
legislation, the representatives from the South
became experienced legislators, and welded
an Influence which enabled them to impress
their views and measures upon legislation.
The length of service in the Senate, pro-
vided by the constitution, is evidence that the
trainers of that instrument attached import
ance TO legislative experience, while the short
term of the Representative was given to en-
able the people to test and try their members,
but not to change the good and efficient for
the inexperienced and untried member.
The present House contains more new and
inex1ePien need members than any former Con-
gress, and but for the older Representatives
the public business would have been further
behind than it is. The next House, which is
to come in with the new Administration,
should retain all the experience possible; for
L4,,.o ,b;s Cororaes nav do with the tariff
and financial matters, there will necessarily
arise many questions and subjects for legisla-
ton to which should be brought the best
thought and knowledge and acquaintance with
preceding legislation that is possible.
The outlook in Maryland gives encourage
ment to the reflection that all her present
Democratic Representatives will be returned
to the 51st Congress, and to that decision
there ought to be no demur or opposition.
They have faithfully and most efficiently
served their constituents, and gained knowl-
edge and experience which should be pre-
served and secured to the succeeding Con-
gress. Mr.. Gibson on the Committee on
Rivers and Harbors; DR.. Shaw as Chairman
of the Committee on Accounts; Mr.. Rayner
on the Committee on Manufactures; MIR.
Rusk on the Committee on Naval Affairs, and
Mr.. Compton on the Committee on the DIS
trict Of Columbia, have each and all given full
satisfaction, without exception. Any change
in the Democratic representation of Maryland
in the House would be step backward, for
which there exists neither reason nor excuse.