, 1911-03-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Senator's Warren and Clark at Head OF Important Senate Commit
tees at Opening Of 62nd Congress Wyoming will be More
Powerful Than Ever in This Congress-

Washington-With the opening of the sixty second congress on
April 4th, the Wyoming delegation will have made some very import
ant advances in the matter of committee memberships. and will &C
cupy positions of great prestige. The sixty-Grst session witnessed
the Wyoming delegation in a very unique posiion-being the only
in The union with every member holding a II important Craftsmanship.
1t enabled wyoming to line up among the most powerful states in the
union in prestige, and led to its delegation being charged with having
more power in congress than the great state of New York with its
thirty seven representatives and two senators.
Seniority and committee membership is everything in congress,
the latter largely dependent upon the former, and the greater the
committee the more the power The real work of congress is done
in committeeman upon the aoor-and while ability counts fr ii lot,
it must be coupled with seniority to secure real results. Wyoming
car trutbfnIv boast of n deIeu.tion possessin, both of these essentials
and its we'll known ability to accomplish things is the result.
AT the opening of the next congress Sanator Warren, who has go
long held the craftsmanship of the Military committee, advances to
the Craftsmanship of the powerful Appropriations committee-second
only to that of Finance. By many the Appropriations chairman
snip is regarded IS the most powerful of the two, and in any event
it is next to the highest committee in the senate. Senator Warren
thus succeeds Senator Hale AS chairman Of the second most powerful
committee of the senate-and his increased power means greater
ability to serve bis state and nation. In addition to this chair
manship the Wyoming senator will hold his membership on such
important committee IS Agriculture and Forestry, Irrigation and Re-
clamation, Public Buildings, Public Expenditures-alI of vital i'm
portance to Wyoming-as well as his place on the Rules committee,
one of the powerful factors in arranging the senate's program.
Senator Clark is 10 admirably suited to his present craftsmanship
- Judiciarv and it's dutiesa re 81 CLOSELY associated with his ife-work,
there is little possibility of his wanting to change fol- any other berth.
He is the first western man to be honored with this position. and from
an honorary point af view it is the highest recognition the senate can
accord a member of the legal profession. Upon this committee de-
wolves the construction of every constitutional point involved in con,
tempated legislation, as well as the capability of every presidential
appointee. Senator Clark's other more important committee mem
hsrships-Conservation Public Lands, Foreign Relations and kail-
rOrds-enabe Wyoming to be represented in the conferences OF these
great committees by a fearless champion who is always o. VI loo
and who never hesitates to speak.
As chairman of the house Public Lands committee. Mr.. MondeI
mar been in position to be of invaluable service to the state, and /. ID
unfortunate that the changed position that tho changed complexion OF
the next house must throw this place to another. He will sul re-
tain his membership in this committee as leader OF the minority ana
will haah, t,r pord the interests of the west brot before this commit
lee. In the next congress Mr.. Mundell will become a member of
The Appropriations committee, He could have a place o u ways
and Means if he chose, but would have to give up his place on he
Public Lands committee if he did so, as members OF Ways and Means
cannot hold any other memberships. MIR. Mondeh oele'es MS
duty to his constituency can be best served by remaining on his old
committee and will hold that at any cost.
With Senator Warren as chairman of the senate Appropriations
committee and Representative Mondell a member OF n mouse om'
mittee. of the same name, Wyoming will be well represented on tine
second committee of congress, while the other committee membership
of the delegation, o committees of much Importance to wyoming a"u
the west will accord the state substantial recognition In TN discussion
and determination of almost every vital question before congress.
+. Z. Barrow