The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-09
One on the Speaker.

And so they have winged their Uncle
Joe" at last. and the House itself will
assume the duty of naming its commit
tee TO investigate the Ballinger-Pinchot
controversy, instead Of leaving the choice
TO the Speakers discretion.
In ali the circumstances. we should say
that this is entirely proper. We have
long commended that the majority Of the
House Is the master Of the House, and
entitled 10 direct its affairs in its own
way Whether it elects to do that through
one MANTLE Speaker-through a few
men. or en- masse, in the final analysis
amounts 10 the same thing The ma
jority may choose its own methods of
procedure. and no man may righteously
say it nay.
From a purely party point Of view,
there would appear to be an element Of
danger in a majority control that de-
ponds for its efficiency on a combination
OF the opposition and disSenters from the
ranks of the regulars. With this phase
OF the question, however, the general
public has no supreme concern Pri-
maTily. all the people ask Of Congress
is satisfactory results, just laws, equita-
bic findings In the Ballinger-Pi
business, all the people desire, actually,
IS that the truth may be established;
they care precious little whether that
truth comes through a committee selected
by Mr. Cannon or by the entire House
Of Representative, just so it comes.
The fact that the House voted to divest
the Speaker Of authority TO name this
investigating committee shows that the
House can diYest him of every iota of
authority. If 1t chooses. 1t can reduce him
from alleged Czarship TO the most abject
vassalagei which is why We have pleaded
30 persistently heretofore that this thing
called "Cannonism" IS nothing. has been
nothing, and can be nothing more than
concentrated majority control exercised
IN a manner prescribed by that majority.
Whatever comes OF the investigation. il
cannot now be said-if the House sugges-
tion prevails-that the Speaker packed
the jury" or framed up a WhiteWash. -
A pro-Ballinger verdict would have
brought forth that contention, in all prob
ability; an anu-Ballinger verdict proba-
bly, would have been held by some pa
triots TO convict the Speaker Of down
right lunacy in the premises. Therefore
the leaving Of the Speaker out OF it,
whether justly or unjustly. will most
likely serve TO clarity the atmosphere
20 an extent. and what We want In the
Ballinger-Pinchot dispute. II we can get
st, is a verdict that is not only the truth
but may not be attacked in any quarter
We think It is going 10 be interesting
TO observe the selection of this commit
tee and to consider the selectees. We DO
not want a committee f. ON the House a.
q whole that will be open to adverse
criticism, any more than we might have
wanted such a committee from an isolated
l Uncle joe If that committee Is to b,
9 creation OF Democrats and insurgen
Republicans. let Us hope our good friends
the Democrats. will seek to obtain NJ
undue partisan advantage anywher,
along the line. Let them rise to tht
demands Of pure and undefled patriot
ism, as surely the insurgents must do
and proclaim a committee that may no
be in any apparent degree of righteous
ness the victim OF carping critics, muck
rakers, highwaymen, politicians. or I'm
desirable citizens Of any name or mature
whatsoever. or, in other words perhap
not so elegant, We are moved to hop
that the Democrats will not be guilty o
assisting in even An alleged effort t
swap a Ballinser devil for a Pincho
witch.
Just what the Republican elephant I
going 10 think OF all this is, as W
say hereinbefore, Of course, anothe
story.