The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-03-25
WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH IT.?

Washington. 1t is said that tn
70 course of the House and the leglsla
ton of the country will now be d
g rected by the representatives of tn
" people, not by an oligarchy wieldin
IT power through a committee on rule;
n But without concentration, how Wi
the representatives of the people
70 agree? The revoIutionists, as the.
N call themselves, see at once that the,
can't get on without a committee OF
rules. Their committee on rules, If /
y is to accomplish anything, Will ylelt
to the direction of superior minds
But perhaps it will have no superior
minds. Then it will do nothing at all
One of Bulwer Lytton's great novels
bears the title, What Will He Do
With IT." It is a story of one who,
though possessing many excellent
traits of character, was doomed by his
disposition to drift aimlessly about
the world with the very best inten-
tons always, yet accomplishing moth
ing. Now and then he obtained what
| for the moment he wanted Question
then always was, What will he do
with it," He did nothing that turned
to permanent advantage, because he
had no definite principles or pur-
poses. So it is now with the "revo-
lutionists" in Congress. They have
can do nothing whatever. First, be-
cause they don't know what ought to
be done. Second, because they cannot
agree on any course of action neces-
sary to the general welfare. Each
"insurgent" has his own narrow idea
or purpose wholly misfit with any
policy adaptable to national ends.
The system they have set side was
the necessary evolution of a very
long experience. To get things done
it is necessary to concentrate power.
The House of Representatives, with
out rigid rules for its guidance, would
twaddle and babble and dispute and
wrangle without end. The repre-
sentative system must insist on and |
accept concentration of power some
where. House rules, now set aside,
were adopted in former times
through necessity of doing business
and of getting results. Both the
great parties have employed them.
There was the same objection in 1890 |
against Gar Reed that there is now
against Gar Cannon. But Speaker
Crisp of Georgia (1891-1895), fol-
lowed Speaker Reed; and Gar Crisp
followed the example of Car Reed
without break of deviation. It had
to be done to expedite the businesses
and get results. But, of course, they
when they got their own Car Crisp,
were fully satisfied. They kept
Speaker Crisp at the head of the COM
nittee on rules and confirmed the
Reed rules throughout for govern
nent of the House. That is, the sys-
,em was necessary for the transaction
If business. So it will be in the next
Congress and the next, and so long as
here shall be Congress. Upstairs,
Who deem themselves statesmen and
prophets, superior to all statesmen
and prophets of old, rise up now and
again against the system or method
necessary to make representative
government effective; but in a little
lime they all pass out. They are
bubbles, only, on the stream.
Men who know nothing of the past
'an have no real knowledge of the
present, and are incapable of forecast
If the future. Such is the position of
he authors of this uproar in Con
sress. In Congress there must be a
leadership. There must be rules. There
must be peremptory methods. In
each and every party few must lead.
The mass must follow. Disorder
Else, chaos else, no responsibility any
where, no definite action. The peo-
pie can rule only through representa-
ives, whose talents enable them to
AXE the lead. Petty men may chafe
Under it, but what then? They have
heir little day and soon will learn
he world can do without them and
never miss them
Through the evolution of politics
pest talents are apt to be concentrated
n the opposition party. 1t is a nat
lral consequence of the efforts of
men in majority party to cast out
n to degrade their ADLER or superior
men and to put themselves in first
places. This process is going on the
Republican party at this time with an
EXCEPTIONAL activity. In so far as it
nay succeed it will tend to diminu-
ion of the strength of the Republi-
an party in the estimation of the {
ountry, and to advancement of the I
pposition party to higher favor. !
tere, in our own state of Oregon.