The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-20
A)NCDUGRESS WORKS
Committee Rooms Usually no
Place for LoaferS.
BUT IN HOURS OF EASE
Mr.. Committeeman Sees a
Mighty Good Time.

Philadelphia, Jan 19-Amos ]. Cummings
writes from Washingto to the Record: The
well springs Of legislation in both the Sem
ate and the House are the committees.
There are over sixty committees in the
House alone. The most important meet
every day until their task is completed
The work is heavy. Early in the term
they secure permission to sit while the
House is in session. Other less important
committees meet once or twice a week,
at specified timed. The unimportant COM
mittees frequently never organize. They
are places of honor, but honor without
labor. There are a dozen or more COM
mittees in the House that never have
bill or resolution referred to them, yet the
rooms are fitted up at the beginning OF
every term, and they have a full station
cry account. subcommittee of the lead
ing committees of both Houses are in ses-
sion whenever opportunity offers. The pub
lie really knows nothing of what occurs
in committee sessions. These sessions are
strictly private. II is not in order TO even
alude on the floor TO anything that has
taken place in committee. Such have been
the rulings Of different Speakers, although
there is nothing in the rules of the House
itself to forbid it.
AS early as 10 o'clock in the morning
prominent members wend their way to the
Capitol. They are due at the various SEES
sions Of the different committees. Rarely,
however, is there a quorum at the time
specified for the meeting. The chairman
is usually punctual in attendance. The
prompt members discuss the news of the
day, gossip and retail "reminiscences until
a quorum is announced. Frequently the
chairman sends out a messenger in search
Of a quorum. Then the business of the day
begins. The chairman refers the business
received from the House TO the different
subcommittee after patient investigation.
make their reports to the full committee.
Parties interested in different bills are
usually given a hearing by either the sub
committee or the full committee whenever
they desire it. In considering appropri-
alton bills, # the committee desires in
formation on the estimates sent from the
Treasury Department. they summon Cabi-
net officers. bereau chiefs or any Govern
ment official who may be conversant with
the facts. EVERYTHING is run ship-shape and
cussions occur. and even personal encoun-
ters The chairman may feel it incumbent
upon himself ito play the role of sergeant
alarms before quiet is restored.
Work on the important committees is
incessant and arduous. Days and even
weeks are sometimes spent in the exam
nation of documents and papersh. In
vestigations ordered by the House are
usually sent to the committee having
charge of the subject. Months are fire.
guently spent in such investigations be-
fore the committee makes its report to
the House. This was the case in the
Fiftieth Congress when an investigation of
Armor plate. speed premiums paid on
the Public Printing Office was ordered.
ships, the Naval Observatory, the Coast
and Geodetic Survey and other matters
have also lead to long and weary investi-
cations.
When the committees aro not IN session
their rooms are frequently the rendez-
vous beset of office seekers and others in
search of political grindstones. At times a
whist party is formed, and cloudlets of
tobacco smoke circle toward the ceiling.
In some of the rooms lunches are served;
indeed, the speaker has a private room
reserved, where he invariably takes lunch
and dictates to his stenographer. The best
stories are always retaied in committee
rooms. The member who seeks an escape
from opportunities in these rooms, how
ever, Is not always successful