The Washington times., 1910-03-20
REORGANIZATION OF THE
HOUSE RULES NEEDED.


There are several changes which
ought to be made IN the organization
of the House of Representatives, which
even the Norris resolution does not cou-
template.
The naming of committees ought to
be taken out of the control of 1he
Speaker. The House should select its
own committees, through an elective
committee.
The Speaker has been removed from
the Committee on Ru, ;. He should not
be allowed to serve on the Committee
on Committees.
The membership of the House should
be reduced by about half. That will
never be accomplished short of n Con-
stitutional amendment, forced upon
Congress from the outside-through a
convention of the States. But the fact
remains that the House is unwieldy
by reason of its numbers. The very
numbers which make it representative
make it unmanageab'e and compel 1t
to operate under rules that take away
the representative character
Now that substantial beginnings of
parliamentary reform are accomplished
there ought to be a recognition that the
work viii not he nearly finished with
any achievement of this session. Ii is
probably true that the Speaker ought
not 10 be member Of the House; he
should be a moderator, not a dictator
in any sense. But that, as well as the
reduction of the membership, Is an
ideal unlikely Of early realization
It is not belittling the present ac-
complishment TO point out these pos.
sible further betterments. The revo-
lutionary change in the Rules Com.
mittee which the Norris resolution
effects. Is a magnifcert work. It vii
90 far to restore the House 10 tb,
functions assigned to it by the Consti
tuition.
The results will be Disappointing IL
many ways, but there Will he no back
ward step. The experiment of a Gar
ruled house has been tried under both
political parties and has been con
demned by public opinion. It viii never
be tried again. IT the present reforms
are disappointing. let it he kept in MIND
that they must be perfected by dnt
Of farther progress, not abandoned II
disgust.
The whole people should recogniz,
in this great fight for popular rule O
the House. a direct result Of the pres
sure OF national sentiment Looking
back TO the beginnings of the struggle
now come TO its dramatic climax In,
wonder is not that progress has been 81
slow, but that it has been so fast. Th
House organization seemed two year
ago to be entrenched beyond possibility
Of successful assault. Today it is il
process of dissolution.
In these days Of the Speakers crucia
last stand for his prerogatiye a vas
deal is being said in compliment of tn
fighting quality of the sturdy ol,
leader. And it is all deserved; but tn
concession of that much to the Speake
should not detr8ct from recognition O
the peTsistency, the ability, the courag
and self-s8criice which have inspire,
the fight of the insurgent Republican
for emancipation of the House. The,
took their political lives in their hand
when they went out to battle agains
vastly superior forces. They could SCI
no end to the struggle. It seemed mere
Iy to be the opportunity for a patrioti
few to take the spears to their owl
breasts in the hope of breaking the lin
of regularity. But they fought on. in
spired by the firm convection that the7
were doing the right thing, and tha
their personal fate was subordinate {,
the cause.
There viii hardly be serious denia
that the overthrow of Cannonism vii
strengthen the Republican party befor
the country in this years election,
The greatest load the party has had t
carry was the nationwide conviction
that the old domination of the Hous
was brake on the wheel of progress
The fact that the party is able to re
form itself will make the best possibl
demonstration IT could make of ftnes
for continuance in control.