The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-08
FROM OTHER PENS
TOO. BIG FOR EFFICIENCY.


When the members of the Methodist
general conference visited Washington
and looked down on the lower house of
congress, they concluded it was too big
for business, and they also made up
their minds that their own conference
had too many members, and immedi-
ately there was proposition to reduce
the number.
The house should be reduced to 200
members and thus save million and
a half dollars a year. and make itself
capable of doing business. The cata-
logue of measures that go over to next
session shows how inefficient the big
body is for making laws. There is only
one argument in favor of the big house,
and that is that since much legislation
is a bad thing, inefficiency is a good
thing.
But there is another point. If the
position of a congressman is an honor
able one, it is made so by the one who
occupies the place. If, however, the
body is so large that he loses his iden-
tity and is merged in the mass as a
mere thing, the position is not worthy
of any man of positive character or
moral force When a people elect a
congressman, it is supposed the individ-
uality of the man is somewhat that
commends him, but all that is lost in
the house, unless the man is possessed
of superior skill and mental vigor, which
is not the general rule. So when a
man loses his identity in the house the
real reason for sending him there no
longer applies. 1t is not expected that
every man should be a leader or a
dominating force, but that everyone
should be able to SAY his say" and
represent something or other, without
shifting about at somebody's heels, is a
condition that attaches to the very idea
of elf-government.-Oh State Jour-
nal.
THE PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY.
The statutory limitation upon the
length of the regular session of the
Philippine assembly compelled it's adj
journment late last week. but the gov
ernor general was moved to reconvene
it Immediately in an extra session in
order to secure legislation that he de-
sired. Governor General Smith urges
measures to encourage agriculture. a
fact that ought to impress our own
congress in Washington as a bit of
mockery in view of its utter failure to
encourage Philippine agriculture by
lowering the American tariff on Phil
ippine sugar and tobacco. The situa-
ton as whole is nothing short of
a mockery, for the United States will
neither open it's own market to the
Filipinos nor let them make terms to
suit their own commercial needs in 9TH
er markets. Governor General Smith
also urges the Filipino assembly to pass
a bankruptcy bill; and no doubt one is
needed, for the hankrupts in the islands
must be increasing rapidly in number.
The low price of hemp this year means
a crop that will sell for only about one
half what the hemp crops brought in
the previous two years Under these
conditions there is some justification for
the action of the assembly in passing
a bill reducing by one-third the salar-
les of all the government officials and
clerks. The report now is that the
Philippine commission will not agree to
this reduction in the cases of the pres
ent incumbents. although they may
accept a bill putting the reduction in
salaries into effect against the unfortu-
nate successors of the present incum-
bents-Springf1eld Republican