The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-04

lete. The power of those mamho--
has been concentrated in the sDaako,
and the chairmen of a few comm,
tees, while the senate has gone M or
ercising its individual and collective
power, until it Overshadows the honso
on all matters of legislation. Fven
appropriation bills can practically or
iginate in the senate. The house may
be given an opportunity to 60 througb
the forms OF originating such legjsq.
lion, but 1t has be come a matter Of
common knowledge that the final
word is spoken in the senate.
But, as before announced. Unc1o
Joe Cannon proposes to use his Dover
as speaker to restore the balance Of
power. An indication of Uncle Ioa'c
purpose in this direction is given in
his recent remarks on the subiect of
financial legislation. He intimata5
that the rubber currency bill of Sen.
atOr Aldrich's concoction NAV have
to run the gauntlet in the house. He
was interviewed again to the effect
that a half dozen senators in confer.
ence at Hot Springs, Virginia. in Nav
were not sufficient to perfect financial
legislation to be passed by the whole
congress next December. Again he
was sought by the reporter in Dan.
vile. ana opined, in his dry, signif-
cant way. that there were certain con.
stitutiOnal forms which it was naces-
sary tC observe before any bill became
a law. and that the Aldrich financial
bill was no exception TO the rule.
All Of which is decidedly ominous
for any financial egislation-any. at
least bearing the Aldrich trade mark.
Aldrich has always been at the very
head and front Of the senatorial en-.
croachment against which Cannon has
fought In so far as the mater is per.
sOnal, it is directed againsi AldriCh
But it is a principle more than a per,
sOnal matter with Cannon.
Assumption of Senators.
It is bad enough when congress is
IN session for two or three senators
to go off INFO a corner and legisate
for the country, but to begin it in MAY,
and to announce from Hot Springs
Va, that they have got the thing all
n satisfactory shape-tO do this BE-
fore the house of representatives has
been organized. before the committee
on appropriations has been named, or
the committee on currency been
thought of, before the speaker, even.
has been chosen-this seems to Mr.
Cannon to be carrying senatorial as
sumption bit too far. He has not
said much yet. He cannot, very well.
AS yet he is not even speaker. 1t is
pretty certain that he will be- but ne
has no official capacity to warrant any
utterance. He can hardly do more
than he is doing at present-to hint
Western sentiment Will endorse
Cannon in his stand against the SEN
ate. The particular coterie in the sen
ate who have absorbed the power are
| from the east. Cannon will be elected
speaker By the votes of the members
from the west and middle west. But
the question is not a sectional or e.
| Ographical one. There are scores OF
members of the house. from all parts
! of the country, who have chafed IN
| der increasing arrogance OF the sen
ate. and "a the helpless inslgnlhcance
70 which they have been relegaled'
! They will be with Cannon to the III
is, in any game such as ne cont3m'
plates. =,
The clash may come on financial
'agislation; that biz is most likely 10
feel the brunt of il; but it may come
in some other way. 1t is sure 10
come. and when it does, it should DC
pretty fight. Cannon is no qul'Iet
and as speaker he will have strengNg
in his arms.