Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-25
Victor Murdock Says Insur-
gents Have Work to Do.
WOULD MAKE RESULT SAFE
Wants Committee Appointments
Taken From Speaker.
RESTORE TO HOUSE ITS RIGHTS
Declares That in Such an Event Con-
gress Would Regain Public Conf
dence-Issues Signed Statement

Special DISPATCH to The Star
WICHITA, Kan, September 2.-Victor
Murdock. insurgent republican. member
of Congress from the eighth Kansas dis
trict has issued the following statement
under his signature:
LAS the first plank in the platform of
the House insurgents stands the demand
that the appointment of committees in
taken away from all future Speakers,
whoever they are, or to whatever party
they belong.
Cannonism May Return.
Cannon and Cannonism have been
popularity condemned. Cannon cannot
"come back" But Cannonism may re-
turn. In another day, when insurgency
has passed. another Speaker, forgetful of
representative government and coveteous
of personal power, can rear again a
machine which in self-preservation will
obstruct legislation. delay progressive
measures, deny righteous and Informed
popular demand, and once again poison
the springs of democracy. But no Speak
er of the future can do that IL the Amer
lean people will see to it that the changes
in the system inaugurated by the insur-
gents are completed by restoring to the
House the right to name the committees
itself
Instead of placing an inducement be-
fore Speaker to build a personal ma
chine, give the House an opportunity to
perfect measures so Congress may be re-
sponsive to popular demand for progress
slve measures. again enjoy public conf
dence and bring to all it's activities the
best talent and information of it's entire
membership.
Delinquencies in House.
There were three grave delinquencies
in the House under Cannonism.
First. The House obstructed righteous
popular desire and damned back the
natural onward current Of national prog
ress.
Second The Congress had to submit
helplessly to the invasion of the legislat-
tive domain by the executive department
because Congress had so lost public con-
idence that its protests We're ineffective.
Third. congressman individually lost
sense of. responsibility and major legis-
lation became the product not Of Con-
gress, working with Information. convic-
tion and purpose. but of a small group of
leaders, who grew gross and sometimes
cruel in the exercise of personal power.
Work Yet to Be Done.
''Al three of these delinquencies in
the House have been cured in a meas
ure by the activities of the insurgents.
There is now one day in every week
in which a committee, having reported
bill, may have opportunity to have
the measure considered-calendar We'd
nesday. 1t is no longer necessary to
the congressman to trail, hat in hand.
to the Speaker to pray the right to
ask unanimous consent. The unanimous
consent calendar obviates that. The
minority is no longer shut off from Of
fering an alternative measure to
majority bill-the new motion to re-
commit grants that right These are
minor changes in the House procedure.
The major changes, changes which
alter the system, are two-frst, the
election of the Speaker from the COM
mittee on rules, and, second, the new
ly granted right to a majority of the
House to drag a bill out of committee
pigeonhole.
Now, these two latter changes in
the rules weaken the power of the
Speaker and strengthen the member
ship. But the process will not be com,
plete unless these changes are followed
by the paramount change-taking from
the Speaker the appointment Of COM
mittees If this is accomplished, and
it will be if the American people de-
mand pledges from candidates for Con-
gress, opportunity will be given Con-
gress to correct wholly the methods
through which Congress has lost pub
lie confidence"