Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-12-28
WANE OF HOUSE POWER
Sacrifice of It's Position and
Prestige.
LEADERS RESENT CRITICISM
Caucus Rule and supPressing of In
dividuaIisns-House MembershipT Too
Large The Last Increase Unwise.
Anthony MichaIek's Case.

Washington. Dec. ~. -lSpecial. l.
Criticism OF the house of representa-
tives is more sever from year To year
as the sacrifice of its position and pres
tige becomes apparent. 1t is strange.
too, that This criticism of the house is
resented more earnestly by the men
who are responsible for the conditions
than by the less important members. /
heard one of the leaders of the house
vigorously denouncing certain persons
for giving precedence to new senators
from small states over cd representa-
tives from large states. He also as
serted that the constitution intended to
make the house of representatives a co
ordinate branch of the government.
II position of the house is due TO it's
method Of legislation. 1t reaches things
with its special rule" by which near
ly all debate and every chance for
amendment is u off, and there is lit
tie opportunity for the Individual mem
Der to express his opinion and no OPP
portunity to vote for an amendment
which he fayors.
Two Gases In Point.
In the last congress the Esch-Town.
send railway rate bill was pushed
through without a single amendment
being voted upon. In this congress the
statehood bill goes through the same
way. 1t is true that the party caucus
was invoked in both cases. but the rate
Dill was In no sense a party measure.
and yet 1t was put through as such.
Before the bill came before the house
everybody knew what was to be done.
Without possibility for amendment or
effective discussion of the provisions of
the bill, the debate was perfunctory.
Stringent rules, by which all individ-
ualism Is suppressed, together with eau
Gus domination, are what reduces the
power of the house. The Republicans
are not alone to blame for this state of
affairs. Caucus rule is strict with the
Democrats. Two members who did not
support a caucu decision were remov-
ed from an important committee by the
Democratic leader. Some years z a
Democratic house approved the ''spe-
cial rule" idea, first evoked by Speaker
Reed.
House Membership Too Large.
Two sessions Of congress with the
house membership at 1856, with five
delegates and one commissioner. have
shown conclusively hat the last in
crease was unwise. There are too
many members, too much confusion on
the floor and naturally too much con-
among the few leaders. The
the house the less individualism.
Every addition minimizcs each unit.
The new members are not given
the opportunity they might have on
and the older members
must be satisfied with less than they
previously given. Nine members
from a state cannot accomplish any
more for the state than seven or eight
members, provided the smaller mum
Der is equal In comparison to other
1t was the demand for larger
from nearly all Of the
states, coupled with the desire to pre-
rent any reduction in the number from
states that had shown no in
.rease In population. that caused the
Increase In the membership Of the
louse to its present unwdeldy proper
ions.
Shot to Pieces"
"Our committee has been 'sfsst to
'ieces,' and we have only six cut Of
leven members left" wassa remark Of
Warren when asked why the
ON military affairs had not
leld a meeting. The five vacancies on
he committee were due To the retire
of Senator Hawley at the end Of |
is term, the voluntary withdrawal OF
Proctor since this, present ses-
began, the retirement from the
enate Of Senator Quarles, the retire
of Senator CockreI and the death
( Senator Bate. This COMMITTEES. with
exceptions, has been composed OF
who served In the civil war either
the Union or Confederate side.
His Old Haunts.
Pension Commissioners Warner is fire.
see on the door OF the house
nd in the c~loakTooms. A man who
gas a member OF the house for a long
ime, as was Commissioned Warner.
Ikes to mingle with his old friends and
ee the machinery in motion. Il have
old the boys" said the commissioner,
neaning the members with whom ne Is
n close relations, ITO let me know
ANYTHING Hvelv ia eoingt on. 40 /