Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
Some Things You Want to Know
The American Congress-Law-Maki by COMMITTEES

While congress ~ostensibly legislates in
open senate and house, it virtually alb
dlcates all power to it's committees. II
may sit by and see that they do their
work well, and II may ratify what they
do. in order that the constitutional con-
ditions Of Law making may be complied
with. but nonetheless the laws that
govern the American people are largely
committee-made. A proposition which
seeks to become law knocks at the door
of the congress through an Individual mem
Der, as a rule. In the house the member
simply writes out his proposition and places
It in a basket on the speakers table. That
basket is called the hopper and appro-
priately so, because from thence the propo-
sition goes into the mill that grinds out
new legislation. In the senate, where
things are done with a little more dignity,
a bill is introduced by a members rising.
A senator rises, obtains the recognition
of the chair, and formally introduces the
bin
The next step is to refer Il to a commit
tee. As a rule public bills are referred to
the appropriate committees by the speaker
OF the house and the president Of the SEN
ate, acting within the scope of the rules.
bAA AANAE II q RAONAnAbA ~ NA1 VASE VI AAAC
house, that where the house chooses to do
so II can refer a bill to any committee
it may desire. II so happens that in many
cases the mere reference OF a bill to the
committee is tantamount to placing II
in a pigeon-hole forever, since the majority
OF the committee is against the measure.
Another committee might be favorable in
it's attitude toward the Measure. So the
house may elect to send il to the COM
mittee which is not packed against II, al
though IL would, In the natural course,
20 to the other committee. Here then,
Is the first strategic point in legislation.
1t Is used only in rare Instance, but when
It is there is a hard-fought battle.
After a committee gets a measure Il
has control OF its destiny. II the majority
Of the committee votes against report
ing Il, it dies. The greater number are
plgeon-holed by the committee chairman
and are never considered at all, even in
committee. Perhaps forty-nlne out of every
fifty public bills introduced die forever
In committee rooms. The committees are
often backgrounds Of great political
struggles. A notable instance was the fight
on the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill in the
finance committee OF the senate. II was
plain 10 the leaders OF the majority that
they would not get their forces into line
on a given proposition at the outset. So
they served notice on the democratic mem.
beers that the republicans had a little mu.
tiny in their wi ranks and did not intend
to fight It out with the democrats untI
they had Strengthened out their own diff
ferences. Then. by the application Of the
majority rule principle, the majority forced
an agreement. But no democrats were
admitted until is was settled. Then this
democrats were Invited In and given thelI
choice Of accepting or rejecting the ma
jority bill. THU many parts Of the bill
which could not have mustered a majority
Of the full committee at any time. wer'
incorporated into the bill as favOrably re-
ported to the senate.
II Is not often that material changes ar
made in bills as reported by the commit
tees. A notable Instance Of adherence 4
committee recommendations was hat o
the senate finance COMMITTEES on the tariff
bill. Although every member OF the senatl
well knew that not over half OF the con
tested points In the hin rave passed tn
finance COMMITTEES II the majority OF tina
committee had not eaueused and bOunI
themselves b. q hard and fast agreement
the senate lived up to It's reputation o
standing BY the findings and recommends
lions Of lie committees sOmstmes, :