The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-02-10
The Controlling Brains In Congress.

TIE Controlling Brains In Congress
Perhaps the most striking feature II
the Development of the American SyS
TEN Of popular government is the ris,
to almost cZar-like power Of the S,
called "oljCnrchy" of the house of req
reSentatives. headed by the speaker
and composed of the members OF tho
three great committeeS-ruleS. wayf
and means and apprOpria tiou&-whic
practically control the legislative de-
R0rtment Of the government
With the growth in the number of
representatives from Sixty-fve in the
First congress TO SO in TIE Fifty
eighth and the vast increase in the
matters with which they have to deal,
legislation in the open house has BE-
come impossible The real work OF
congress is done in the committee
room, and first in Importance among
the forty-eight standing committees Of
the house Is that On rules, Of which the
speaker is chairman and which abso-
lute!y regulates the parliamentary pro
cedure Of the house. Its will is law,
its veto final upon everything and
anything. After this comes the commit
tee on ways and means. whose chair
manship carries with it the majority
leadership On the floor Of the house,
To this committee must 80 every bill
affecting the revenues Of the United
States, to be amended and reported f9i
passage or to be consigned to a pain.
less death. 1t is the holy of holes. the
Delphlan tripod of the tariff. Not
jot or title Of that system can be
changed without it's consent. Scarcely
less powerful is the committee on ap-
preparations, which furnishes tie gov
eminent with the sinews Of war and
peace.
OF the other committees many are
important, notably that on rivers and
harbors, which controls expenditures
on public works; the committees on
naval and military affairs, on post
omces and post roads; but, with the DOS
slDle exception of rivers and harbors
they cannot claim to be within the
charmed circle of the speakers cabi |
net" Within that circle are all the
law and the prophets To be admitted
into it is the highest ambition OF eyery
congressman-a worthy ambition, for It
Is an arlStocracy Of brains. Long wears
OF unremitting labor or superIative
ability only can win place therein.
Inc ariStocracy of the house has been
compared to the British cabinet the
virtual executive Of the United King
dom, self constituted committee or
the leaders of the majority party in the
mouse of commons. While the two are
alike in the power they WELD. the
speakers cabinet differs from that
OF the British premier in that It makes
provision for minority membership
The dominant party cannot close the
door OF hope upon its political on
ponentS. Every committee has in #
from two to seven members Of the on
position, and minority seat is no less
honorable and eagerly coveted than the
place at the speakers right hand. The
ranking minority member of the com
ml'tee on rules is ex ofiicio leader of his
party on the floor, and when he leads q ,
large minority his position is little less
powerful than the speakership itself
onliNe the British cabinet, too, the
speakers cabinet" can survive an adj :
verse vote. The going over TO tho .
Of a handful of majority men, !
oers on some particular measure doos
not necessitate the resignation Of tho
majority leaders, as it does in the .
nouSe Oh commons. Every congress :
aoh serves out his term of two voaro
HleSs he dies, is incapacitated pbvs =
caily or mentally or resigns. ONLY the
eSul' OF the regularly appointed GEN .
raj election can, in ordinary circum.
tances' take the rod of empire from
he speakers hands. :