Evening star., 1909-02-25
Burkett Asks Senate to Revise
Apportionment Plan.
FIGURES ON DISTRIBUTION
Show That Few Republicans Are
Given All Important Duties.
WEST POORLY REPRESENTED
Nebraskan Senator Wants Seniority
of Service and Personal Prefer
ence to Be Considered.

Senator Burkett of Nebraska took oc-
casion this afternoon to remind republi-
can leaders of the Senate that the fight
Of the republican insurgents for repre-
sentation on the important committees is
still waged.
He introduced a resolution providing
for a new rule for the organization Of
committees of the next Congress, which
will convene in special session shortly
after March 4.
presenting some interesting figures in
regard to the present membership Of the
important committee when he was
taken Off his feet by objections on the
part of Senators Kean Of New Jersey
and Penrose Of Pennsylvania.
Precedence and Preference.
Mr.. Burkett's resolution is as follows:
I'm committee assignments chairmen
shall be appointed agreeably to their
wishes. In accordance with their seniority
Of service on the committee.
Seniority OF service and the personal
wishes of senator's in committee assign
ment shall be recognized as far as prac-
ticable. but no senator shall be appointed
to membership on both the finance and
appropriation committees, nor shall any
senator be appointed to more than two
committees carrying appropriation bills,
nor more than two of the following COM
mittees: Appropriations. commerce,
finance, foreign relations, interstate conf
merce, judiciary and rules"
Burkett Cites Figures.
Mr.. Burkett asked the indulgence of the
Senate to say few words upon his reso-
luton before it was referred To the COM
mittee on rules. He called attention to
the fact that the Senate will reorganize
for three sessions, covering two years,
after March and in that period probah Y
would have to deal with more important
legislation than has been before 1t In
decade, including the new tarif bill and
the proposed currency legislation.
The practice of the Senate, he asserted,
was to congest business. not only in few
committees but in the hands of tndi-
viduals. He said he did not wish to blame
ton to the fact that such a condition Of
affairs exists
He then read from a table he had pre-
pared, giving the following information in
regard to committee organization:
On the seven most important committees.
namely, appropriations. commerce. finance.
foreign relations, interstate commerce,
judiciary and rules, there are eighty-nine
places. They belong to forty-six states
and ninety-two senators, but are held by
thirty-seven states and fifty-three senators.
Significance of Apportionment.
Sixteen states hold fifty-five places. The
other thirty states hold thirtyfour places.
Twenty-eight senator's hold sixty-three
places. The other sixty-eight senators
hold twenty-siX places.
Republicans hold fifty-fve Of these
places, and thirty three republicans hold
80 h. Rx,0 TTxx.4s .atrr b
licans have no recognition on any of these
important committees.
Democrats hold thirty-four of these
places. Eleven democrats have no rep
resentation on these committees at all.
On these seven important committees
twenty-three places only are held in all
the states west of the Mississippi river.
and the other siXty-six are held by east
ern senator's. Six senators each holds
three OF more of these committee assign
ments.
He then took up what he called the
second class committees, on which there
are 166 places, and which include agri-
culture. military and naval affairs. Dis
trict Of Columbia. etc. Twenty-Five SEN
ators hold eight-four Of these places
while sixteen hold none.
On the thirteen most important commit
tees. enumerated in the rule which he
presented he SAID there were 165 places,
OF which 26 out of the 81 senators hold
50 places.
Burkett Forced to Halt.
Mr.. Burkett was about to read a list
of the thirty-seven committees upon
which he said the great body of the sena-
tors 'are put to sleep
AT this point, however, Senator kean
mentioned by Mr.. Burkett as one who
holds important assignments, asked if Mr..
Burkett was proceeding by unanimous
consent. Learning that he was, Mr.. Kean
said he must object, since Mr.. Burkett
was dealing in personalities.
Mr.. Burkett replied that he had no
intention of dealing in personalities. Sen
ator Penrose renewed the objection.
Mr.. Burkett then took his seat. after
he had announced that he would con-
tinue his remarks at some future time.