The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-01-25

session cf congress this spring foi
the revision Of the rules Of both
houses of congress.
The fight in the house will prob
ably be confined to a revision OF
the rules. In the senate the reform
will look to the complete revising
Of the committee and establishinl
a new system Of distributing com
mittee assignments
The insurgents in the senate pro
pose when the senatorial confcrenc,
meets for the purpose Of taking ac
tion toward the reorganization o
the committee list. to drop in a boml
in the form Of resolution which
will reNolutionize things II it take.
root and is adopted II will pro.
vide, probably that no senator may
he member of both the finance
ami appropriations committees: that
no republican senator may be a
member Of more than one committee
which handles one ot the great an
preparation bills. This would include
appropriations. military. naval. Judi
ciary. agriculture, commerce. Indian
affairs and pensions.
That no republican senator may
be a member of more than two of
the second class committees. of
which a list will be specified nv
name being carefully prepared with
reference to their Importance and
the work they will have to do.
That no republican senator may
be a member of more than three
of the third rank committees. which
the resolution will also specify.
This measure, should it be adopt.
ed, will have the effect of making
about forty-five vacancies I'm the i'm.
portant committees of the senate.
These would have 10 be filled by
appointments TO the senators who
are now without important assign
ments. The veterans at the top would
have to be denoted to places on the
unimportant committees. like revolu-
tionary claims. while the lesses In.
minaries would step into their places
of power on the big committees.
\ measure like the one proposed.
should IT be adopted. would have a
startling effect on the distribution
Of power, influence and work i'm the
senate. At present the little group of
veterans who have traditionally con.
trolled the business of making com.
mittees, and have regularly given
themselves most of the power and
hard work, run the senate by reason
Of running the committees, exactly
as the speakers cabinet is composed
of the men TO whom he gives the
great chairmanships.
Although the system now in vogue
has been disapprov-d for some time.
concerted action has never been Ia.
ken in view 10 a reform OF the
rules and methods of procedure. The
insurgents, however. are now becom.
Ing organized and getting more pow
erful. and have working force OF
eighteen senators who will he in
the body after March T. next. who
will stand together. In favor of n
general reform. They do not mean To
be deferred or sidetracked In their
purposes, as they have heretofore.
but will stick together" as one of
the group puts it,
There are a considerable number
Of members who are regarded as
pretty certain to Join the force of the
insurgents; among them will proba.
bly, be Ia Toilette. Smith of Michi.
gan, Brawn, l}urkett, Cummins, Bo.
rah. Bourne, Warner, Dixon Flint.
Gamble and Beveridge. The incom.
ing men calculated 10 join the move
ment are Crawford of South Dakota
Bristow of Kansas. Jones of Wash
ington, Burton of Ohio, and Marshall
OF North Dakota.
The reform party entertain the
hopes Of bringing TO their cause sen
ators representing the states where
the reform movement has become
powerful, and having colleagues who
are strong at home because of their
rank as representatives OF the new
movement, are looked upon as certain
To feel strong pressure of public
sentiment from hteir constituencies