Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-12-05
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proportional pdTI OIL the committee.
Really the thing that gives the speaker
such tremendous power is the fact that
he appoints the committees. So long
as he can do that. he will dominate the
scene, and no change of rules will do
much toward restoring the power of
the Individual member which falls
short of taking away from the speaker
that prerogative. The occasion of the
election of new speaker is fitting
occasion to discuss change in the
rules.
There ought to be rule to the effect
that during each session every member
shall have at least one hour to do what
he pleases with. If he DESIRES he may
place any bill on any calendar upon its
passage, or, il he prefers, he may con-
sumo his hour in speechmaking. but
the hour shall be absolutely ut his dis
posal, which gives even the humblest
somewhat of a chance to have the will
Of his constituents made known and
enacted into law.
Individually have no right to COM
plain of any lack Of recognition, and |
am not writing SO much for my own
benefit as for the benefit of others who
do not enjoy such facilities of reaching
the public as these letters afford.
A Most Radical Suggestion.
My esteemed contemporary, the st.
Louis Republic. is in such utter despair
by reason of municipal. rottenness that
as remedy 1t suggests the abolish
ment of the house Of delegates. That is
certainly heroic treatment for most
serious disease. but is it necessary?
That municipal reform is one of the
crying needs of the age goes without
saying, but that A doing away with
representative government is necessary
to Its attainment do not for one mo-
ment believe. IL necessary in city, it
is necessary in state: IL necessary in
state, it Is necessary in nation. To i'd
NIT such proposition is to confess that
our whole theory of representative gov
ernment is fat failure, which is mad
Missile. Suppose that instead Of abol.
ishing the house of delegates the Re
public should stir pg the 'better Gle.
ment" to discharge its duty to the pub
lie. Then what? The result would be
that the hoodlum would be in Othello's
condition, for his Occupation would be
gone" individually have never had
any sympathy with the cry that the
hoodlums run the large cities, because
there is not large city or a small ppe
within the broad confines of the repub
lie in which the lloodlums constitute the
majority. That they do run many large
cities and some small ones is true, but
they are enabled to do SO because those
who nrrogate to themselves the high
resounding and flattering title of "the
better element" abdicate their political
functions In favor Of the hoodlums
who attend strictly to business. and Of
the two classes-that is to say, the hood
lums and those who deem themselves
TOO good to discharge their political du-
ties-the hoodiums are the better citi-
zens. To participate in public affairs
l y not on;y a high privilege, but q 'sof
elap duty: : :,
The Shaw Button and the Shaw Policy.
A report, apparently authentic, comes
from Iowa that 1.-The Shaw vice presi-
Dental button has appeared" Nothing
unreasonable about that except as H.
Illustrating how the secretary of the
treasury has outgrown all his Iowa
contemporaries. He was still couu.
try banker. little known outside his
town and county. when the names Of
Henderson. Hepburn, Dolliver and 9TH
er Hawkeye worthless not only filled
but choked the trump of fame. But
S4aW's grSwing reputation is the mar
vel Of the day. AS Aaron's rod swal-
lowed all the little rods SO does Shaw's
fame swallow the fame of all the rest.
Another news item about the secre-
tary shows how he recently rushed q
large sum of government money from
San Francisco to New York to relieve
the strained money market" OF course,
Of course, and TINT ACTION probably en-
hances the value Of bis vice presidea.
tial button.
Not only did Mr.. Secretary Shaw
rush a large sum clear across the con-
tinent to help out the New York gang,
but lie has done many other things for
a
d few Of them,
The secretary stimulated circulation by
urging banks to increase their circulating
medium. taking advantage more fully OF
the provisions Of the law in this connec-
ton and the privileges It gave them. He
anticipated government intereat, PUP.
chased the 80 OF 1904. anticipated interest
for the fiscal year subject to slight 70.
bate: increased deposits to banks having
free bonds. increased deposits to banks
which could borrow bonds. increased de-
posits to banks willing to take out further
circulation. released reserve held against
government deposits. accepted municipal
and state bonds as security for public
monoy under certain conditions. purchased
long "a, anticipated November interest
creased deposits. 'a"H ss:..s
Those things ought to convert the
Shaw button into valuable political
asset when 1t comes to showdown on
the vice presidential question. If they
do not, then 1t must be clear that New
York financiers. as well MS republics,
lre ungrateful They ought to help
Leslie NJ. on the principle that one
good turn deserves hholth9er
An Example Of Purity and Light.
That the Democrats elected a major
ity of the Colorado legislature on Joint
ballot is beyond all question. and elect
/ ed 1t principally for the purpose Of re-,
electing Hon, Henry NJ. Teller to the
senate of the United Suites. The fur
Their fact that the Republicans elected
the state ticket merely emphasizes