The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-02-22
.Nsv Method Of Control Of
House DlsIksd,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.

"
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN. "
Washington, Feb. 21.- [Special,l =
viii the Democrats retrace their steps
In the matter Of control and organlza-
ton Of the house Of representatives to
the extent Of giving the speaker power
to name the committees? The two
years Of experiment under the other
plan have proved Unsatisfactory In some
respects.
1t has transferred the power from
the speaker to the chairman Of the
committee ON ways and means. and he
has distributed the responsibility among
thirteen other members Of the commit
tee. The chairman has the actual pow
er, though the responsibility is very
much divided. %
Chairfnen OF committees, more partIc-
uIarly the head Of the ways and means
committee, are very much engaged In
congressional work and cannot be on
hand to watch over and direct the
house as does the speaker when he has
full control. Then. In the matter or
committee selection seniority prevails.
A good speaker will oyerturn the SEN
Iorlty rule and name the best men for
chalrmen.
Tho Real Reform.
What the members of the house were
cropping for when they overturned Can
non and tried to reform the rules was
10 get power into their own hands.
They were tired OF having bills which
majority wanted considered smoth'
cred In committee. They were tired of
having to go to the speaker for every
thing they wanted. But they have
made little progress.
Bills are still held in committee, and
consideration Of many bills are pre-
vented by parliamentary tactics. What
should have hon done was to simply
provide that when a majority signed
q petition asking for the consideration
of any bill the house should ut once
take It up and dispose of 1t. That
would have answered the most insistent
demand. ,s,S
The Mounting Millions.
1t now looks as If the appropriations
for the present session Or for the next
year If some of the appropriations go
over to the extra session, will be many
more millions greater than ever be-
fore. "ThIs congress will provide for
the expenditure of the $lO0.000,O00
which is expected to be derived from
the income tax" said Chairman Fit2-
gerald, who was lecturlng the house
upon the mounting millions in tic ap'
preparation bills, and other expeni:i-
lures.
81 want to say" he added. shat I'M
less the Democratic side Of the house
wakes up to a sense of Its responsible
fly the appropriations will not only be
grossly extravagant, but they Will
amount to 90 much that talk of a re-
7Ision Of the tarIff downward will be
almost a hollow mockery'"
Truce For Spells.
For a time there waged hot fight
between the conservative and progress
sive factions Of the Democratic party
In the senate over the control OF the
senate in the next congress. Then 1t
stopped: I'VE have become united
remarked Hoke Smith. the lender OF
the progressives. "ln preventing the
confirmation of the appointments which
have been sent to the senate by l'res-
Ident Taft 1t is probable that the
Democrats will be able to prevent all
combinations at this session.
Law and Enforcement.
Former Speaker GanlOa opposed the
Kenyon Webb antt.liquor. bill and as
serted that IL public sentiment In pro-
hIbition communities wanted to pre-
vent liquor selling it would stop. Lack
OF enforcement, he declared, was the
sole cause for the proposed legislation
Inc pEOuIUIllUu SLuISo "HAS 800
get the general government to enforce
their prohibition laws.
He went back to the days when he
was prosecuting, attorney and SAID
many people shouted for prohibition
but when it came to getting them to
testify or to serve on jurleS they baIk
ed. II have seen men Of good stand
ing commit perjury touching the sup
preston of the liquor traffic" he de-
clared.
knute,s knowledge.
Senators soon learn II they are new
and the older senator's have long been
aware, that when Knute Nelson dips
into anything he knows what he is
talking about. 1t matters not what
may be the subject If the Minnesota
senator undertakes to say anything on
the subject It may be taken for grant
ed that he has learned everything pos
slble there was TO learn on the SUB,
Iaht -ss9f