Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-10-21

believes that the house OF representatives,
50 far as its seating capacity Is concerned.
should be changed. He has had this im-
preston for years but It has become ac-
centuated owing 10 its growing member
ship, Oklahoma adding FIVE members to the
1856 members now constituting the lower
branch OF congress. II is Mr.. Boutelles inn
preston that better results could be OBJ
tanned in the way OF legislation if the
members we're brought closer together and
that the lcsks in the house be exchanged
for benches
Speaking of his hobby. II such it be- Mr.
Boutelle said when il was suggested to
him that the benches in the house would
look like copy OF the British House of
Commons:
80 far as ! know we are the only great
nation in which the popular deliberative
body Is so arranged as to permit of debate
and the transaction Of ordinary business
at the same time. The two do not work
well together and now that the new house
oftce nuilding Is nearly completed II Is
tine that something should be done to i'm
prove the congested condition Of the house.
MY plan is practically the same as that
which was recommended by Speaker Reed
ten years ago. when the house was not so
large as now. ! have revived It, and from
what hear from Mr.. Watson of Indiana,
Mr.. Mccall OF Massachusetts, and other
colleagues ] have hopes that the changes
suggested VIII be carried into realization.
I have ascertained from Mr.. Woods, the
superintendent Of the capitol, who has had
charge Of the construction of the new
buildings for the house and senate, that
the change would cost about S25O.OOO and
could easily be accomplished during a re-
| cess of congress. To enlarge the present
audience chamber, which will be neces-
sary IL new states are to be admitted. as
has been proposed, by taking out the mem
bers lobby on the east side and placing
the speakers desk aga ~ the extreme
south wall. would, in my / ion. only ac-
centuate the present diicufry OF hearing
and the general unsatisfactory condition at
present existing. People have written me
from all over the country favoring the
bench plan, probably on the theory that
they would hear discussions instead of be-
ing compelled TO watch half dozen men
interested in a subject while a hundred
other members were attending to cores
other members were attending to corre-
/ spondence. reading papers or telling stories
| National Committee Meeting.
Colonel Henry, of Indiana, the chairman
of the republican national committee. is ex-
pected to arrive in Washington Sunday,
and in all probability the call for the meet
ing of the republican national committee
will be issued early next week. AS has
been customary. upon the eve Of presiden-
tial elections the committee will be con-
vened in this city during the first or second
week in December, coincident with the
NNVNaw saN
naticaai committee of the republican party
will be called to meet in Washington on the
7th or 18th of December to decide upon
place and a time for holding the national
republican convention of 1905 Within a
week from that time the democratic ma
tionnl committee will hold its meeting the
desire of the democrats being to take ad-
vantage OF conditions as they may present
themselves through republican action.
u Is fair TO assume that politics wsli be
gin TO buzz when the president arrives
from his bear killing in the canebrakes of
Louisiana and settles down to the practical
running of the government. BY the time
he arrives at the White House every cab
met officer will be in Washington with the
single exception of Secretary Taft. Cabi-
net meetings will be resumed and the busy
hum of the governments machinery will
be heard in the land.
Missouri Must BE Improved
Mr., f. H, Newell director of the United
States reclamation service, has Just re-
turned to Washington from an inspection
trip which began about the first Of May.
He has visited many OF the reclamation
projects of the west, and has accompanied
Secretary Garfield on his trip TO nine Of the
most important OF the projects
with the Inland Waterways commission, OF
which he is a member and with this COM
mission has inspected the condition OF nav
igation ON the great lakes and on the Mis-
sissippi river and it's tributaries. The most
instructive part OF this trip was that from
Kansas City down the Missouri river. in
which Consideration was had Of the present
condition OF transportation on the Missouri
river and the possibilities OF its improve
ment It is apparent that any general and
permanent Improvement Of the lower Mis-
slssipp river can be had only after the
Missouri river has been permanently i'm
, proved and caving banks protected by re-
, vetment. The amount OF sand and clay
washed into the Mississippi river above ST
Louis is enormous and serves to clog the
overloaded stream. 1t is estimated that
each year volume OF earth represented
by one square mile 400 feet in depth {,
thrown into the Mississippi river.
II is a saying among the inhabitant.
along the Missouri that the river has {
! first mortgage on all Of the land between
the bluffs. AS this is the richest land II
the country and Includes a strip from tw,
to ten miles in width. the value Of thli
mortgage runs into the millions. The rive
I annually foreeloses on several Thousand
acres of land, and it is estimated that tn,
, value Of the land destroyed would pay foi
! the cost OF reverting the banks along tn,
entire length of the river where Gavin,
occurs
STANDARD OIL CASE ARsllMEN7