The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-06-09
DON'T CARE FOR THE HOUSE
There Are hat Few Men Of wsaitA
who Care go Eater the Lower
Branch Of Congress-.

The formal announcement which Com
gresham Powers MADE while at home
that be would not be again candidate
Tor congress, although no news to HE
associates and friends here, has occa-
stoned the widest regret In connection
with many similar announcements, says
the Boston Transcript, Il must be taken
as one OF the signs OF the times which
do NOT augur well for the future OF the
house as Legislative body.
The fact must be faced that the body
has ceased to attract the kind of men
that It ought TO have. More than Speak
er Cannon's defiance OF the senate would
be necessary to restore the house to the
place where a seat IN II will be ''worth
while" for the really big men OF the
country Except for the few leaders who
dominate the whole thing there Is very
little for anybody to do The member
ship OF the house is so large and the
acoustic properties in It so bad that
no member commands any attention
when he speaks unless he happens 70 be
a born orator" The salary Is pitiably
small for those who have TO live on II.
Membership still has It's uses as a step
ping-stono for persons who have an eye
on the senate or some other coveted
post. A set Of rich young men are IN
consequence taking up congressional
seats. notably Pennsylvanlans much
as well % DO people IN the cities are buy
ing up the abandoned farms Of New
Hampshire. But for men of good op-
portunities for professional ADVANCE
ment az home there Is little in a con.
gresslonal seat as an end that Is worth
while and they are fast finding IL out
II they do not know Il when they get
here they soon become aware OF the
fact. with the result that changes in the
delegations of the most important states,
which ought to keep men here long
enough to reach places OF prominence.
are becoming painfully frequent.
Judge De Almond. OF Missouri, one
OF the most thoughtful men OF the house
recently remarked 10 the Transcript cor
respondent: Nearly All the work OF.
this session will be In passing appropria.
tion bills. but have you ever thought
how absolutely farclcal Is the place
which the house occupies In this pro-
ceedings? The committee may report
bill having 10 Il So 900 item for Ger.
tain purpose ard II time IL hanging on
the hands Of the house considerable de-
bate may develop In committee Of the
whole over the proposal, to reduce this
stem 10 $1,000 Perhaps the lower 6g.
ure may prevail The bill goes to The
senate. which promptly raises the item
70 $1,000 The revised bill. with scores
ofamendmehts. comes back to the house
Three men so out on a conference COM
mittee TO split difference with the sen.
ATE. They come hack ard perhaps after
Two or three trials of strength the house
votes 10 accept a certain conference re-
port which its thrFe representatives
have worked out What become Of the
old debate between the Sc 900 ard the
N.5e02 Not one man n iht house. ex.
cept pnssihly enc Of the corferees. ard |
much Doubt fha'. will have ne rtmntest
notion of whsi has beer eore WITH this
item. The pireville Araef~i p4ta;ite
society rliast 'as' az well rave resolved
on the question"