The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-19
Prominent Member of House
Advocated One for Capitol
and Enemies Said he Was a
Lazy Worker.
ENTERPRISE MAY BE
A CAUSE OF TROUBLE
Advocation of Subway for the
CapitoI-A Charge Brought
Against Gaines in a Recent
Campaign.
eY RopERlck cLIEEoRp.

BY RoDERIck CLIFFORD.
Washington. Feb. ls.-'-lt does not
always pay for congressman To be-
too active in promoting improvements
around the capitol building" said an
old employe of the house while i'm a
reminiscent mood. The first elevator
placed in the house wing of the capi-
toll" continued he. was the result Of
the efforts of Congressman Robert
klotZ of Pennsylvania. democrat
and a veteran of the Mexican and CT
vii wars. IL was the 4.th congress
when he secured the adoption Of an
! amendment To the sundry civil appro-
| priation hill authorizing the construc-
tion of an elevator for the house. To
| I've placed in the southeast corner ot
| the house wing.
Needs an Elevator.
The house recognized the need OF
| an elevator: il was in line with pro-
sress. and it proved most useful. but
his political enemies circulated the
story all over MIR. klotz's district
that he lacked energy to walk up and
down stairs. with the result that he
was defeated at the next election. be-
ing succeeded by a republican. Louis
f. Atkinson. Mr.. Atkinson served four
years, and recently died at his home
in Pennsylvania.
Leonard B. Cook was appointed the
first elevator conductor and he has
held the position continuously.
One of the charges made against
Congressman John Wesley Gaines OF
Tennessee, and which il is said. help
ed defeat him for denomination. was
| that he voted for the house subway
so that he could walk to the house Of
flee building without getting his feet
, wet"
Drop Henry Action.
II is not probable that the house
Will again this season devote any
time to the Henry resolution to amend
the constitution of the United States
to provide for a change in the date OF
the Inauguration from March 4 to the
last Thursday in April. thereby ex-
tend the term of President Taft and
Vice President Sherman. or course
the Henry resolution would also ex-
tend to the term of representatives
and senators in the next congress.
which would also be effected by the
amendment. There is a concensus of
opinion among members that there
should be change in the date OF
the meeting of the new congress. but
to bring this about the law makers
seem unable to agree on a plan.
Ii was shown in the debate on the
Henry resolution that there is little
possibility of solving the problem a.
this session or in the near future.
Members who have looked into the
subject say that the congress elected
by the people in November should
not wait thirteen months before
meeting as is now the law. unless
called in extra session by the presi-
dent. but ought to meet within
month or two after the election. when
the issues decided upon by the people
can be acted upon. As il is now the
congress that may he repudiafed By
the people i'm November have four
months in which to legislate and do
the very things against which the peo-
pie have protested. Representative
Henry of Texas is still hopeful that
the present congress will take some
decided action on the subject
Statement Of Murdoek.
The rules of the house will never
be amended until amended right"
said Representative Victor Murdock
of Kansas. one of the leading insurg-
ents of the house We believeI
mean the insurgents-that a number
: of the regulars who have reluctantly
admitted that We are right In our
contention that the house should be
the master. not the speaker. AZ has
cogniZe the force of party organiza-
tion and that the party in control
must answer to the people. but ! also
recognize that the majority OF the
house should have the right to say
what legislation it will consider. not
the speaker. who performs that func-
ltion under the existing rules.
The appointment Of committees"
believe can be satisfactorily and more
equitably performed by a committee
on committees. elected by party eau
Gus. than by the present rule. Such
action would add to the independence
of the individual member. and yet not
destroy party organization But above
all other things / would have \ rnle
that required the speaker To submit
In the house a motion. made by any
Imember, to discharge committee
from the further consideration Of any
bill that had been under considera-
ton, by a committee for a reasonable
length of time without reporting the
Il