The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-18
FRIDAY, JANUARY Is, 1927.
WHY THE DELAY?

Mr.. Green's inquiry in the house OF representa-
tives yesterday to when the committees would
be announced was entirely pertinent and proper,
AS the Providence representative pointed out, the
house has been in session for nearly three weeks
and business is accumuatng on the speakers table.
yet with the exception OF the on rules the COM
position of none of the committees has been made
known.
Such delay is without precedent and the public
Is at loss to account for it. Heretofore the COM
mittees have been appointed promptly the adop-
tion of the rules and business has proceeded in
orderly and expeditions manner AT the present
session program of procrastination is being fol-
lowed that is holding up business and frittering
away the time of the legislature.
What is the explanation Of it Can it be that
Speaker Burchard hasn't had time to become
sufficiently acquainted with the qualifications of
the members to enable him to make udicious Sc
lection? Probably not Indeed, it is more likely
the speaker is having little nothing to do with
the making UP of the committees.
Republican speakers seldom, if ever have more
than a nominal and perfunctory part in naming the
men who constitute the committees of the house of
representatives. They permitted to announce
them, of course, but the actual choice is usually
made by the boss.
No doubt the boss will select the committees OF
the present house. and the reason for the delay in
announcing them is to be found i'll the fact that
ne is so deeply absorbed in the game of double
dealing he is engaged in playing in connection with
the senatorial contest that he has not found time to
apportion committee appointments among his faith
fu servitors
1t is not the least of the scandals resulting from
boss rule at the state house that even in the matter
of selecting committees the will of the boss is
supreme No man may secure place on any one
OF the important committees unless he is persona
grata to the boss which is equivalent to saying that
he have given convincing proof of his absolute
subservience to the boss
1t is by filling the committees with his hench-
men the boss secures the absolute control over
legislation he exercises with such sinister effect
upon the interests of the people. He is thus en-
abled to have throttled iii secret measures designed
to benefit the people and to avoid publicity con-
corning them of which he stands SO much i'll dread.
The special legislation committees of the
senate and the house were created at his command,
and they are invariably made up of men upon whom
he can depend to do his bidding without question
or murmur. The record of the special committee
OF the house for 1906 fully sustans this assertion.
Though several propositions for amendments
TO the constitution and many measures affecting the
interests of labor were referred to IT the great
majority of them never reported, but were
consigned to the pigeon hole graveyard by the
orders of the boss.
Speaker Burchard has said that the committee
Is sieve for the sitting of measures so that the
sesirable may be separated from the undesirable.
He would have been the mark had he de-
clared the committee to be the body established by
the boss to strange worthy legislation and promote
the passage of bills which constitute the boss stock
in trade in his miserable and scandalous merchan-
dising.
Rhode Islanders are getting and
clearer view OF conditions they exist the state
capitol, and such instances as the delay of public
business until the boss gets ready to name the
house committees, and his insolent pre-emption of
the sheriffs office for his debasing and degrading
manipulation and trafficking must impress upon
them the absolute necessity of finishing next
November the work begun so we'll at the polls last
November-the election of general assembly that
will do its full duty by thrustng the boss and his
miserable and mischievous practices out of the
state house which they have 50 long defed and be-
fouled.