The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1911-01-13
Representatives viii Lessen
Their Individual Power.
FEW men TO CONTROL BODY.
Importance of the Senate Will Be In
creased by Larger House-consress
Will Move Slowly In Parcels Post
Lesislation-EIkins' Death compli-
Gates Committee Situation.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.
Washington, Jan. II. - Special. i
The house Of representatives is going
to increase its membership. 1t has
done so after every census and will
probably continue the same policy.
1t is true that the increase In member
ship decreases the power of the indi-
vidual member and makes more pow
erful the compact organization which
controls the house. 1t matters not
whether the speaker or a committee
on committees appoints the commit
tees or whether the speaker heads the
| powerful committee on rules, there Is
| bound to be an organization of men
with brains and long experience who
will for the most part control the
house. The larger the membership the
easier it is to keep control in a few
hands. And as the power Of the in
dividual member decreases the power
of the senate increases. This is the
natural law Of two bodies of co-ordi-
nate power, one large and one small in
number.
The reasons for increasing the house
membership may be summed up in the
selfish motives of representatives of
states which do not want to have their
present representation decreased and
in the more defensible plea that the
larger the membership the more rep
resentative the body will be.
Moving With DeIiberation-
off
is moving with elaboration in the df-
rection of parcels post legislation.
Chairman Weeks says that congress
must go very slow in the matter of
loading the mails with merchandise.
'If we should throw open the mails,
as some of the members want us to
do" he said, 1T would necessitate the
building of postal warehouses in most
of the cities and towns to accommo-
date the merchandise that would be
shipped. We are not going into fur
Their extension of postal facilities with
out knowing just what we are about"
Interesting Committee Situation.
The death of Senator Elkins brings
about an interesting committee situa-
ton. He was chairman of interstate
commerce, the committee that handles
all railroad legislation. Next to him
is Senator Cullom, who was once chair
man and gave 1t up to become chair
man of foreign relations, a committee
of higher rank.
Next to Cullom In order are Senator
Aldrich, Senator Kean and Senator
Clapp. Both Aldrich and Kean are to
retire, which will make Clapp chair
man unless Cullom should decide to go
back to his old place. But even IL he
did he would not last long. and Clapp
would come into the craftsmanship.
Now, there is very decided element
in the senate which does not want
Clapp chairman of this important COM
mittee. He is one of the insurgent
senators, a progressive OF the most
pronounced type, who fought the tariff
bill and many provisions I'm the last
railroad bill. In Minnesota the regu-
lars talked of defeating him for re-
La Toilette.
BY rule of seniority, however, he
will become chairman unless Aldrich
should be returned to the senate de-
spite his withdrawal or Cullom should
take the strange course OF stepping
into the breach. But the senate in the
next congress viii have so many pro-
gressives that II win not make much
difference how they are, placed.
Working With Wiley.
For many days Senator Hepburn has
been working with Dr. Wiley in the
of his cold storage report,
which has been promised so long that
people are anxious to read IL. The sup
position is that this report will be n
more important document than that OF
The special committee which investf-
gated the high cost Of living.
Hepburn was largely responsible for
he pure food law, and IT is believed
hat his report is to be made the basis
II legislation for the control Of goods
n cold storage which can be subject
o interstate commerce regulations
What Is a Periodieal7
II you want TO start something
Iround the postoffice department these
lays put forth the inquiry, What is n
Ever since the suggestion
vas made that periodicals should have
heir postal rates increased, especially
n the advertising matter, the question
S 10 what shall be deemed a periodical
) one Of great moment
Members OF congress want a dedui-
lon before they legislate. and men who
andle postal matters have been trying
D solve the problem The supreme
curt once defined the word. but gave
such a broad scope that II included
apers as wei as magazines. And 50
be question remains unanswered.
Poor Before the Rich
When justices Of the supreme court
Ike the oath Of Office they promise
, administer justice TO the poor and
ch alike No other oath taken nv
overnment officers Is quite Ike this.
-hich has been handed down from the
srly days Of the republic.