The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-07
FOUR NEW COMMITTEES
Speaker Howe Favors Their crea-
ton TO Expedite Business.

NN~AA ~ -
Speaker Howe's suggestion in his
speech of acceptance regarding
change in the system of doing legis-
lative work has caused much inquiry
among the members and others inter
ested in the matter.
To a reporter for the Journal Mr..
Howe said last evening that 1t would
be entirely improper for him to die
tate or attempt to dictate to the com
mittee on rules. but pressed for an
expression of his views he said his
first suggestion would be the creation
of four new committees.
One OF these a committee on minor
courts, might relieve the judiciary
committee of much of the work that
now devOlyes upon it and oyerloads
it,
A committee on conservation Of
State resources has its work suffi-
GENTLY explained by its title. A COM
mittee on agricultural teaching and
normal schools would take up some
needed work, while a committee on
internal affairs would handle mat
tiers relating to such subjects az
the Public Service Commission and
the primary law, as such commits
sion does in New York
The Speaker would also favor
committee or a department to aid
members in the drafting of bills,
members come here with some mat
ter they desire action upon, but be-
ing unfamiliar with the form and
method of procedure they are delay
ed in preparing these measures.
Such a committee would be a great
aid and its work would tend to expe-
dite business. 1t might, perhaps,
with propriety be made a sub-com-
mittee of the committee on revision
of bills What aid of this sort is now
given the members is by the attor-
ney generals Office or by the already
overworked committee on revision.
Another suggestion is for the re-
lief of the appropriations committee
which is always overworked The
Speaker would have bills carrying
appropriations referred TO the COM
mittee properly having charge OF the
subject matter of the bill and let
them pass upon its merits, 80 that
the appropriations committee would
only consider the amount OF the ap-
preparation.
In short, It is the idea OF Speaker
Howe that the work should be divid-
ed so that every member shall have
a place on some committee where he
can render real active service and
thus relieve the congestion OF work
that under the present system always
exists in the more important com.
mittees.
He also believes, II would be well
for the House to meet at II o'clock
instead OF 10, thus enabling the COM
mittees to meet in the morning as
well as in the evening.
The Speaker expects to announce
his committees when the House re-
assemblies next week. He has been
unable yet to give the matter any
consideration and could give no init
nation who would be given the i'm
portant places
It is current gossip, however, that
II. G. Peck OF Burlington will head
I the judiciary committee and that
Harry B. Amey of Island Pond will be
= chairman Of the ways and means or
appropriations committee. 1t is con-
sidered probable that he will head
one OF these and Fletcher. OF Caven-
dish the other Justus Dart Of
Springfield having once been superin-
tendent OF education had been con-
sidered the probable chairman OF the
committee on education, but there
are other promising, able and young
er men who may have to be consid-
Montpelier Journal