The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-25
MADE PLAIN ENOUGH.
MANNER OF ORGANIZATION OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.

Vacancies In Comnittees-The Repub-
1ican Being the Dominant Party Must
Assume the Responsibility.
The exact character Of what is known
as "the organization" of the United
States senate is not generally under
stood, and in view Of the close division
Of parties in that body at this time an
explanation of the organization will be
of interest The common understanding
is that, being a continuous body, the
senate is always fully organized and
prepared L., transact any business that
may be brought before it. This is true
only to limited degree. The senate is
supplied with a code Of rules, a presid-
ing officer, clothed with full authority |
to act, and with a secretary, sergeant
farms and full force Of clerical and
other officials necessary to its orderly |
assembly and conduct, but at the begin |
ming of every new congress, SO far as the |
performance Of any important legisla-
tive act is concerned, the senate is al
most as unprepared for business as is
the house of representatives prior to the
election of speaker and other officers.
The membership of the senate is di
vided into three classes, one Of which
enters with every congress. The class
which enters with the Fifty fourth con-
gress consists of 80, to all of whom the
oath Of office must be administered by
the presiding officer before they can be-
come fully qualified to perform any Off
cial act. At the present time, therefore,
the legal membership of the senate is
limited to 5S, and it's first act will Of
necessity be the immediate induction Of
the 80 senators elect, or as many of them
as present themselves. OF these senators
elect l3 are men who were not members
Of the preceding senate. Politically they
stand 10 Republicans, including Du Pont
Of Delaware; 8 Democrats and Popu-
| lists
| Under the rules business must be con
sidered and reported by committee of
the body before it can be acted upon by
the senate. Notwithstanding the fact
that II of the senators elect were mem-
bers of the preceding senate, their for
mer official relations with that body are
as completely cut off as though they had
never existed. According to custom,
they have been considered as continuing
| members, have been carried on the list
| of committees, accorded all the privi-
leges and awarded all the "courtesies"
that attach to full fedged senator.
Yet the ex officio senators among the
senators elect must enter by the same
door and 60 through the same forms to
secure admission and rehabilitation as
their newly chosen associates and will
stand before the bar of the senate upon
the same footing as the latter.
As the ~ ex OfficiO senator's can have
no official connection with the senate
prior to formal induction, it follows
that they now have no legal connection
with it's committees. AS the senate now
stands many of tho committees are
merely skeletons, some of them not hav-
ing sufficient membership to constitute
a quorum. The vacancies can be filled
only after the newly elected members
are duly admitted to the senate. No one
would even suggest that Legislative bust
ness should be proceeded with until the
committees are reorganized. True it is
that prior to the reorganization, business
has been transacted by the senate, but
this has been done by unanimous con
sent and has never involved any con
tested questions.
1t therefore follows that at the very
outset the senate will be confronted
with the question Of organization, anC
that the two great parties will have t(
e determine upon the construction Of thu
: committees before legislation can b.
e proceeded with. The construction Of th'
e committees is not merely perfunctor.
, act, limited to the assignment of th
Il new senators. That work is Of the high
est personal Importance to all the sena
+ tors and is of great concern to the peO
J. pie, for the reason that the character o
Il legislation is determined by these sub
J. ordinate bodies.
Q In the preceding congress the NOR
J, i'm mportant of the senate committees wer
= dominated by the Democrats and fO
? the simple reason that their party wa
), in majority. The numerical strength G
J. that party in the approaching congress
will be less than that Of the Republic
l. ans, and the latter do not number a ma
d jority Of the senate. There has bee
5. considerable talk about permitting tn
l. present reorganization" to continue, bu
that is impracticable except SO far 8
the organization affects the officers {
7. the senate.
r The organization Of the committee
* is vastly more important than the selet
Of tion of officers, and, being essential
,e legislation, cannot be long postponed
ic Reorganization being imperative an
m the Republican being the dominant pa
ty, although lacking three of major
ty, the Republicans will be impelled
10 meet this question and to insist tn:
ID they shall be recognized as the dom
I'd nant party and given control Of the LEAF
in ing committees, notwithstanding IL
10 fact that they are few units below ii
. number that constitutes quorum. 1t
" perhaps true that the Republicans, n
st controlling a majority, would pref
nd not to assume the responsibility for le
ON islation, but they cannot evade,