Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-04-07
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VALUE OF EXPERIENCE IN CON-
GREss.
Webster Ballinger, the WASHINGTON
correspondent of the Grand Forks
Herald, in recent letter says:
There are few northern and west
ern constituencies that realize the i'm
portance of keeping their representa-
tives in congress for a number Of con-
secutive terms. This is largely be-
cause the Office of member of congress
is looked upon as very honorable
sinecure, which gives a man an oppor-
tunity to become acquainted with the
foremost citizens of the, nation, and
in the event he is inclined to travel
abroad, standing among royalty and
potentates. This is a mistake; there
is no harder worked men in the Unit
ed States than the average member
Of congress who attends faithfully to
the duties of his Office. No man can
hope to rise to prominence in the
house who is not a hard student and
is not attentive to his work. But the
average constituent seems to forget
that prominence in the house goes by
seniority Of service. It requires a
membership of at least four years in
that body before man. is able to
secure assignment on the prominent
committees and recognition on the
floor Of the house, where he can be of
any particular service to his constitu-
ents. The greater portion of the work
of the house of representatives is done
In the committees. The reasons of
this are too obvious for discussion.
In a body composed of 1896 members
, 1t is an impossibility to give every
member of the house an opportunity
to be heard upon the measures COM
ing up for discussion. The opportu-
nifty Is therefore given him in the
committee, and the best thoughts ad.
vanced by all the members before the
committees are then presented by the
members of the committee having
charge Of the bill, in their speeches
on the floor of the house. Thus a man
who is able to secure good commit
tee assignment is always sure of an
opportunity to be heard on the floor
OF the house, and is thus of vast as
slstance to the state in legislation
coming before his committee.
Representatives Spalding and Mar
shall are now just beginning to occu-
py enviable positions in the house.
During their four years. service in
that body they have risen step by
step until they today occupy places
on all of the important committees
of the house which have Jurisdiction
over measures Of legislation from
North Dakota and the great north
west. These committees include the
committee on irrigation, public lands,
Indian affairs, territories, labor, bank
ing and currency, and private land
claims. The scramble for assignment
to the committees on Indian affairs.
public lands and irrigation has been
very great during the last four years,
and If either member of the North
Dakota delegation should be refused a
denomination by his constituents this
year, it would be years before his
successor could hope to get back on
! the committees on which both Con-
gressmen Marshall and Spalding are
now serving. ill.,: 4 Js.<>s
u am not attempting to advocate
the denomination Of either man, but
I am attempting to point ont to the
people Of the state, through the me-
dunn Of the Herald, the advantages
that will come to them by maintaining
their present representatives in con
greSS. Both congressman marshall
and spalding are men Of far more
than ordinary ability, and their abil.
tiles have been recognized by the
leaders Of the house. Coupled with
their natural ability 10 the further
fact that both men are we'll known to
be men Of probity and honor. This
is Indispensable to the success Of q
man ri the house. II It ID known BY
B his fellow congressman that he vii
( not support measures II committees
and on the hoor q the house that are
not meritorious. his advocacy y my