New-York tribune., 1908-05-21
4 SENSIBLE REFORM.

Tho Library Committee of the House OF Rep-
resentatives has just presented report auNo
eating radical change III the seating aIl"h50 -
ments in the hall of the House In dolns ~ II
axbihits common sense for the defects of the
rresent plan are obvious and fragrant ana tne
greater advantages Of the plan suggested are III
6isnutahle The House is so firmly welded,
however 10 old abuses i'll internal admlhlStra-
lion that il has hitherto preferred suffering the
discomforts of the present system to appl!lhg
remedies which looked too much Ike modern
ipnoyations The whole scheme of government
in the House is an antiquated inheritance ano
those who profit by its abuses are apPateh.3
fearful of any reform which squlnts at Il shipper
and more rational policy.
Tho library Committee rightly condemns the
incumbrance of desks i'll the hall Of the House
and points out that the excessive size OF tue
cbamber promotes disorder and greatly reduces
legislative efficiency. There can be II" dissent
from such a conclusion. The hall is much too
LARGO 10 serve as an arena for rational and or
derIy discussion only an orator with lungs 81
leather ran make himself heard in the remote
corners and the impossibility of participating III
or even hearing debate drives the occupants vi
the back rows OF seats TO poach on the seats ol
others 10 devote themselves 10 reading OF VIII
ing or 10 seek the seclusion OF the cloakrooms.
4 look at the House at work leaves on lhe Sl'ec-
tator an impression Of hopeless confusion
few members down in front are conducting the
business in hand. Others at the rear are en-
gagged in office work. oblivious Of what is gong
ON. and the great majority are out of Sight al
tho lol,hies or In committee rooms. Occasion
ally when the hall is full, the tumult is so con
tinuous that most of the business seems 10 ne
done in pantomime-
There was some excuse for the desks when fhe
membership of the House OF Representatives. "as
smaller and when office Recommendations t
amy sort were furnished TO a majority of the
members A Representative had 10 write or
SIGN many letters and the hall OF the House
ras his workshop But since Congress has had
t,vo largo office buildings erected east or Cap
itoI Souare connected by tunnels and tramwa!s
,yi1b tbe wings of the Capitol there is no excuse
for any members attending to his correspond
ence in the legislative chamber lie can 90 10
his nriyatc office and still be within easy reach
for roIcalls \ desk in the legislative nan HE'S
ceased TO be a necessity 1t only takes up VAIL
able space and helps 10 expand the noor AREA
Of an auditorium much too vast FOR legitimate
legislative purposes.
1t must be remembered that the House is con
tinualIy adding 10 its membership. Twenty nine
new seats were created by the apportionmeht
act of 1901 Since then seven extra members
have been admitted-four additional from okla-
homa one from Alaska and two from tie fhIlib-
pines Three hundred and ninety seven Repre-
sentatives Delegates and commissioners have
now 10 be accommodated. and it is probable that
the limit Of membership will be raised aftcr
1910 to 430 or more since in the last three ap-
portionments the principle has been observed "f
not reducing the representation OF any sia'e
tbr,uch too marked an increase Of the ratio OF
representation. 1t would add too much 10 the
confusion of legislative procedure TO try to give
43O members desk room in the hall of the House
The desks should he eliminated and the nall
should be reduced one-third or more In size
The House might as we'll face the inevitable and
begin now to plan for a smaller and better hall.