Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-08

~ 80 u SiuS uidi idCl THAT tfIIS Is UOl
the first time that the argument of an
unwieldy character, overgrown size.
and disorderly body has been address,
ed to the House. For many a year it
has been the fashion to denounce the
House of Representatives as one of the
most disorderly bodies in the world,
and as being incapable of properly
transacting business. The suggestion
is made that no man is heard no man
can take part in debate and receive
the attention of the members on ac-
count of the size of this great body.
AS long ago as 1S42-GO years ago
with a House of 240 members in size,
III less than the present size, the same
conditions were supposed to exist. /
quote briefly from a speech made by
Mr. Wise in discussing an apportion-
ment bill, in which he says that:
Never since he had held a seat in this
House had it been SO inefficient body
as it was at this moment. The deter
ioration has been constant, as well in
the dispatch of business as in the man
ner and the matter of its debate, Ow
ing, as he believed, to it's overgrown
size"
WI. JOitllooil sdiu the s-CuAtC Hdt ot'eo
| matiZed the House as a bear garden
and contended, for that reason that its
| number must be reduced. Mr.. Pickens,
in making an answer to some sugges-
tons of the gentleman from Massachu
sets, Mr.. Adams, said that instead Of
| meeting here for consultation and
legitimate discussion, if the House was
increased in size. it would be a body
thrown into confusion. and from its
very numbers it would be imbecle for
all the purposes laid down in the con-
stitution.
He further said that:
He knew not what the reasons were
which had influenced the other body.
but for himself he was influenced by
fear that this House, if a large body
would degenerate into a mob and break
down the barriers laid down in the con-
stitution.'
Now, the gentleman from Illinois
does not draw anything like so har-
rowing a picture of the condition of
this House as was drawn by these
great statesmen 60 years ago Yet this
House still lives: it still exists as
deliberative body; and there never was
tIUlt Niltll II CcuId DuSi-
ness with greater dispatch than it can
this very minute under the rules that
now govern it. We here have simply
an illustration of the fact that these
difficulties and changes are not only
largely exaggerated but to a great de-
gree imaginary.
Let me go a little further and read
another quotation.
Mr.. Browne submitted that:
There was no necessity for this
House to be told that they were not
to be enlarged because they were
disorderly. inefficient body, that they
were growing into disrepute with the
public. and to lecture them as if they
| were a set of school boys coming here
| to learn the first rudiments of political
| science
These We're the reasons urged
against increasing the size of the
House when it had only 240 members.
What would those gentlemen say if
they could sit here in this House, with
n membership of $751; deliberately act
| ing as representatives of the people,
and legislating. as suggested by the
gentleman from Illinois.
In 1892. 20 years ago. Mr.. Herbert
stated as a reason why that the House
should not be increased. that I'VE all
know that gentlemen now sit here for
a whole Congress and do not know all
of their fellow members even by sight
Mr. Springer thought that an in
crease of over 293 would make ii nee
essary to remove the desks and make
other arrangements for seating the
members.
And members of the House We're re-
ferred to in 1882, 20 years ago. by a dis
tinguished member of the Senate, as
sitting here as "a dumb, uninfiuential
herd"
Mr.. Morrill, said in the Senate:
II appeal to the knowledge of senators
who We're in the House 90 years ago.
when order was maintained there and
the Speaker sat in his chair
1t seems that after 1912 there was n
period 20 years later when order was
maintained here notwithstanding the
size of the House had been increa sed
and Notwithstanding terrible forebod
ings of the statesmen of that genera
! ton. But, continues Mr.. Morrill, Ohls is
20 years ago.:
NOW the speaker mas TO stand up
all the time and speak in a stentorian
voice and constantly be rapping on his
desk to maintain order in a little circle
round about the Chair; and it is a feet
that very few members are able to par
ticipate understandingly in the trans
saction of business
That is a description of this House
20 years ago, when it had 1926 members.
And now the chairman of this commit
tee is not able, with his knowledge of
this House and its deliberations, to
draw anything like so drastic picture
of the conditions which he thinks may
affiict us if the membership is increas-
ed; and certainly the extreme condi-
tions thus described do not exist today
with larger membership.
The gentleman says that men are
sent here to legislate. l agree with him.
But, ask, why is it that members of
this House have no information in de-
tail about the river and harbor appro-
pria ton bill except such items as hap
pen to concern their districts, their
special harbor. or their special brook
that is to be improved under that great
bill? Why is it that none of them I'M
derstood the provisions or knew the
terms of the bill apprOpriating $145,-
600, 900 that passed this house in II min
utes during this session?