Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-01-20
WAITING FOR NEW HOUSE
BIG REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
WILL FIX THINGS.
Meanwhile Congress Oailiss-State'
hood Discussion Blocks Pure Food
Biil-Methods Of House and Senate
Extra Session Possible.

hood Discussion Blocks Pure Foos
Bili-Methods Of House and Senate
Extra Session Possible.
Especial to The Reformer)
Washington. ID. c.. Jan. i6, 90
Congress Is grinding along toward
Mckinley day and George Washing
ton day. trying hard to do few
things and trying much harder 10
keep from doing "A lot Of other things
which the majority doesn't want done
That is a great secret OF Washing
ton politics. how not to do things.
and the trick Is learned In all Its In
wardness only after long years Of In
side experience and observation. At
the beginning OF every session GER
tain cliques and combinations decide
put through, and to gather all these.
dozens Of them, into one bundle and
decide which are TO be allowed to go
through and which are TO be sat
upon Is the especial province and
duty OF what are known as the
steering committees" of each house.
These are selected from the majority
leaders of each branch. old, tried and
conservative, and whatever slate
they make up for the dlrec-
ton of the business of the
session is pretty sure OF going
through, OF course there are occa-
sional deviations as new conditions
arise, but In the main the original
schedule is closely adhered to. To
keep the relns straight and the way
clear requires high order OF politi-
cal sagacity and adroitness, as there
are always insurgents within and
without the party who have no fear
of nor respect for the established
order Of things, and they lose no OPP
portunity when legislation Is moving
on quietly and sleepily to make a
motion or to demand that certain
measure not on the list be brought
up for consideration which same
would throw switch and ditch the
sacred program agreed upon.
But almost always the leaders have
someone on watch. and at TIE least
sign of INSTRUMENTATION or mutiny
their forces are rallied and the at
tempt is nipped in the bud. For in
stance: The leaders decided at the
beginning of this session that there
should be no tariff legislation, no
political legislation of any kind and
just as little disturbance of existing
conditions all along the line as pos
sibe. All tariff legislation must be
deferred until the new house came
in with its overwhelming republican
majority, when the representatives
fresh from the people would be bet
ter qualified to deal with the sub
ject and all political matters like the
reduction of southern representation
could also be better handled with a
republican majority of over a hun
dred than with the small one of |
thirty odd as at present. So all ques-
lions that might necessitate a big |
and safe republican majority in any
event are put over" At the first |
regular session of the next congress,
with an increased republican major
ity In both branches, lots of things
are threatened to be done. Then all
injustice and inequality are to be
ripped up the back and across the
shoulders. Meanwhile we will
mosey along as quietly as possible
during this short session, not biting
off more than we can perhaps chew
nor undertaking more than we can
carry out.
AS an illustration of the buttinsky
dea In legislation may be men,
Toned the so-called Pure Food bill, |,
submitted to the senate by Senator
Hepburn of Idaho. chairman of the
committee on manufactures and
low anxiously waiting to get before
hat body. The leaders, however, /
lecided that the statehood bill must !
lave right of way, and so pure food :
must wait until the intermnable !
discussion over the admission of the !
erritories is ended. 1t is rather ;
more than suspected that the steer t
ne committee of the senate would '
Ike to spin out the statehood dis =
ussion to the fourth of March and :
nal adjournment and in this way +
reeze it to death. 1t is also slight 4
suspected that the great and nu- 4
lerous manufacturers who feed the y
ountry once in a great while intro
uce a little poisonous or coloring il
latter into their product and are b
lterested in keeping the pure food s
III out in the cold world n
The rules of procedure of the la
ouse and senate are so vastly diff W
rent and consequent results so W
ssimiiar that a few words of eluci- O.
alton may be pertinent In the lie,
ouse the speaker is the absolute. II
ltocratic power in all matters of h;
gislation. To those who are only V
'ed to the parliamentary procedure p,
our house of representatives at CT
ontpelier the proceedings in the 81
ltional house seem like a defiance ea
and travesty on freedom of speech fir
i'd action on the part Of the repre- in
NATIVE, When he says, "Mr. m
'eaker," at Montpelier, he is recog- tn
zed, If in order, and given the ev
or In the national house If a ia
ember wants the floor he has to go tn
the speaker in his private office ge
urs and even days before and ask We
be recognized at certain time I'M
: certain purpose. If the purpose tn
eets with the speakers approval
If he can be cajoled into granting We
FAVOR or If he consents as a Bl
rsonai favor, he recognizes the E.
,mber on the instant agreed upon. Ha
,ording to his program. If the T.
mber happens to be out for mo- KIN
mt or doesn't catch on" in the of
MOL and babel of discord he loses
chance to the next man. If the tin
eaker decides to adjourn the house we
any time he usually recognizes Co
e gentleman from New York" or co,
other state, as the case may be. see
e gentleman from New York" tw,
;n't asked for recognition, and. in fro
I may not be in the chamber. But mil
It makes no difference. The thi
'aker recognizes the gentleman Gel
m New York; and declares that thi
gentleman from New York unc
YES that the house do now ad- bla
m! Will the house adjourn? er
ose in the affirmative will saw ing
. negative no. The ayes have 1t. my
the house stands adjourned"
netimes when the ~gentleman
n New York" happens to be
sent and hear his recognition he