The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-08-21

OF them That Is only human nature.
is 1t not?
The Law OF Automatic Promotion.
THE six years of the first terms OF
these two senators expire. Suppose
the state of Washington retires its
senator, and the state of Rhode Island
continues its senator. The state OF
Washington sends new man, who
necessarily cannot step into the shoes
OF its retiring senator, but who must
himself begin at the beginning and
travel the same road that the retiring
senator has travelled But the sena,
tor from Rhode Island keeps right on
--he Is miles ahead of his new col
league from Washington. lie Is not
only ahead OF the western senator ia
experience. in knowledge OF the meth
DDS OF government and In training in
the machinery OF legislation; but he
Is six years ahead OF him in his place
on the senate committees, In which
| latter circumstance resides one tangi-
I BILE source OF the control OF the sen
ate
Pursue the illustration still fur
Their At the end OF the second term
\ OF this imaginary senator from Rhode
4 Island, he is still continued In the
/ senate by his state, and the lmagin-
airy senator from Washington "a again
i retired and again new man is put
] in his place Again the new man from
Washington must begin where the
/ first senator from Washington began
\ twelve years before, whereas the SEN
ator from Rhode Island now, by the
very laws Of least resistance and eff.
cheney, Is not only a member OF the
most important committees. but Is well
advanced toward the chairmanship OF
them.
But what Is the method OF placing
senators on committees in the first
place or at any time? In this method
the long service OF senator counts
| still more heavily In his concrete in
fluence over that body. This, then. Is
the method, each party holds eau
Gus, which every senator belonging
TO that party attends. This caucus
first selects a chairman. BY imme-
mortal custom the Oldest senator In
point OF service becomes chairman OF
the caucus by force OF his seniority,
In theory, the caucus Is supposed 20
select It's chairman by a majority vote
|
Unless this veteran senator, whose
long service makes him the caucus
chairman, IS actually revolutionary or
unbearably autocratic In the discharge
OF his tremendously important func.
tions-which l shall describe In mo-
mentor unless he Is plainly too weak
man for the place or ofensively un.
popular, II Is not practicable TO replace
him with any other senator. AZ any
rate, Il never has been done.
"Thus. II we pursue the illustration
Of the states OF Rhode Island and
Washington, the Rhode Island sena-
tor would be certain In time not only
10 be more experienced and better IN.
formed I'm the work or the senate, not
only we'll toward the head OF impor-
tant senate committees. but what IL
more important from the point OF
view OF the so-callcd control OF the
senate. the Rhode Island senator would
atso be certain to become chairman
Of the caucus II he lived long enough I;
whereas the long succession or chang
ing washington senator's new man
each term-would not only be com
paratiyely uninstructed In methods OF
legislation. but also at the bottom OF
Inc senate committees and with no
chance In the world OF being a power.
ful factor IN the Republican caucus.
and, or course. without the possibility
ef hope ~ ever becoming the caucus
chairman. with what has been descrlb.
ld az the tremendous duties OF that
onlce.
Power Of Caucus Chairman.
"As an illustration suppose the
west or the middle west we've 10 adopt
!. New Engiands wisdom and Keep their
senator's continuously rt Washington
tmsil one on them became caucus chair.