The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-16
BY Sheldon S. Cline.

Washington, Dec. 16-Thare are
veteran leaders in congress who be-
lieve the membership of both the SEN
ate and house should be cut in two.
The theory is that better results
would be obtained with smaller bod
les. AS the membership of the senate
is fixed by one of the fundamental
principles of the constitution, to re-
duce the number of senators is out
of the question. 1t could be done only
by reducing the number of states,
and that is as impossible, almost, as
to stop the moon in it's monthly jour
neys around the earth. On the con-
trary, the senate is bound to increase
| it's membership. 1t is only question
of time when Arizona and New Mex
leo will be states, and there will be
| Sc senators. Some day Alaska may be
a state, and the number of senators
| will be increased to 50. 1t is unlike
| ly, unless Cuba should be annexed,
that any of the insular possessions
| will attain the dignity of statehood,
so SO senators may be looked upon as
| the final number.
House Will Grow.
A congressional enactment, how
ever. is all that would be necessary
to reduce the size of the house. The
house now has 391 members, and each
ten years in the past has seen an in
crease, aside from the increase re-
sulting from the admission of new
states. II the practice of years is fol-
| lowed, the house membership is GER
| tain to go over 400 after the census
of 1910. Under the constitutional ap-
portionment of represe ntation, there
were 65 members of the house. The
first census was taken in 1890. and
making it the basis of a new appor-
uonment, the number of representa-
tives was increased to 106. The cen
sus of 1900 increased the number to
142, that Of 1910 to 1856. that of 1920
to 213, that of 1880 to 242. Members
Of congress decided even then that
the house was too large and that
something must be done to check its
growth. So, when it came to making
the apportionment under the census
OF 1910, the number of members was
reduced to 232. Since then. however,
growth has been unchecked. The CEN
sus of 1850 increased the number to
237, that of 1860 to 243. that of 1870
to 293, that of 1880 to 1872, that of 1890
to 357 and that of 1900 to 391, a part
Of the increase in each decade, Of
course, being due to the admission of
new states.
Large Number Lose Prestige.
| There is a well-settled opinion that
the membership of the house never
ought to go over 200. The loss of
much of the former prestige and in
fluence of the house is attributed to
it's increased membership. In SO large
a body cohesiveness is lost and there
tons which has enabled the senate to
enhance SO greatly it's power. Not
only has the senate trampled upon
the house, but for years it has been
the victim of executive encroachment.
The individual member of the house
Is of scarcely more consequence at
the capital than is the average $1,000
a-year departmental clerk.
The argument in favor of reducing
the size Of the house is weakened
somewhat by the fact that the British
house Of commons, while much lar
ger body than even the American
house of representatives. has grown
steadily in prestige in power, having
been able to resist all attempts at en-.
croachment from both the House OF
Lords and from the Throne. But con.
ditions in Great Britain are radically
different, just as the system of gov
eminent in Great Britain is different
from our own. In Great Britain the
house Of commons is itself the govern.
ment, it creates the ministry and the
ministry is responsible to it alone
The king is but a nominal sovereign
and the House of Lords hesitates long
before it refuses to approve a meas
ure Of the commons.
When this government was founded
it was int nded to differ from the
parliamentary system, but still in the
beginning the people looked to the
ihouse of representatives as the great
conserver of their rights. That it is
not so today is due to two principal
reasons. One is that the executive
has been more often in touch with
the popular will and the other is that
the senate has at all times stood to