South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-13
ANDERSON ATTACK
ON SYSTEM" NOT
PARTISAN AFFAIR
BY gibson GARDNER.

WASHINGTON, sept. 13.-Tne I'M
portant thing about rep. Sydney An
derson's spectacular resignation from
the house Ways and Means committee
is it's sincerity Anderson. the fight
ing young progressive republican. who
wrested the first Minnesota district
from James A. Tawney, has resigned
from the Ways and Means committee
OF the house because he would not
longer be guilty of fraud upon his
constituency and the public.
None who heard the impassioned
speech which accompanied his resig-
nation could conclude that his action
had anything Of partisanship in it.
His attack was upon the caucus sys-
TEN as a system-not upon it's man
oRemcnt by the democrats. He show
ed concluSively that the system itself
is but a continuation of the thing
which was called Cannonism and
which the country has believed was
killed forever. Anderson explained
this when he said: The caucus sys-
TEN is new only in form. In effect it
has been in use for many years. The
questions which il presents are not
political / disclaim any partisan pur-
pose in discussing them at this time.
Under this system" ne continued,
"one hundred and forty-one congress
sional districts are wholly unrepre-
sented. Nine states Idaho. Nevada,
North Dakota, Oregon. South Dakota,
Utah. Vermont, Washington and Wy
oming are totally deprived of any par
ticipatiOn in the making of legislation
vitally affecting their interests, for
these states send no democrats TO the
house and consequently are not rep
resented in the legislative annex
where legislation is really made.
Eighteen other states are partially
unrepresented.
Caucus Controls House.
"No one would claim that a mans
right 10 a trial by jury was preserved
If the jury impaneled were already
bound TO return a verdict against him.
Yet this is the exact situation In the
house. IT may be claimed that no ac-
tion of a caucus can bind the vote or
a member on the floor OF the house.
Doubtless this is theoretically true.
but every man who has felt the sting
of the party lash and the prick OF the
organization spur knows that actually
IL is not true.
THE use of the caucus system may
be justified by some on the ground
of its good purpose and of its occa-
sional good results. L will not deny
that some good things have been done
even under the caucus system. The
bills passed by that unofficial body
have contained things for which
would be glad TO vote. Yet the same
reasoning which now attempts TO JUS
tify a caucus would justify despot-
ism. / cannot believe in despotiSm
because I know that despots have
done some good in the world. Nor
does the right of representation seem
less precious because il is denied by
this benevolent beast, the caucus
The minnesota congressman then
showed how the caucus holds the
70
holding company does in nigh finance.
The holding company" said he,
enables a few men TO control the
policy of great corporations by the
investment Of a small amount or cap
itaI. The caucus enables few men 10
control the policy of legislation by the
exercise of a limited amount OF power.
A fnancier who wishes 10 control a
great corporation organizes a SECOND
corporation or holding power To hold
tho controlling interest in the stock or
the first He then controls MAJOR
ity of the stock on the holding COM
panw. Thus he reduces the amount
of capital necessary TO control the
nolicy OF the corporation from one
half Of the aggregate capital OF the
corporation to one-fourth-or less
II the stock is widely distributed I'm
der this benevolent scheme the minor
itv stock holder has no real voice In
determining the policy OF the corpora
ton The real control is not vested
in a majority OF the capital OF the
CORPORATION but in a minority owned
bv those who control a majority of the
stock Of the holding company. II is
all verv simple and very effective"
Bind Whole Membership.
Carving out the analogy. Anderson
said: THE few men who desire to
control the policy OF legislation in the
house. organize the members or the
majority party into a holding com
pany. the caucus. Under a rule, writ
ten or unwritten, a majority vote of
the holding company-the caucus
binds the whole membership OF the
caucus TO vote as unit in the house.
Thus a minority OF the membership
OF the house controls the legislative
policy OF the whole house in the ac-
tual making of the legislation. and
renders ineffective the service, indus
try and ability OF the minority. 1t is
all very simple and very effective"
After showing that members from
fourteen southern states hold every
important chairmanship OF committee
eNcept one in the house, and discuss |
ing the power OF a chairman 10 pre-
vent or defeat legislation. Anderson
demonstrated by figures that one hun
dred democrats whose sectional or |
other interests were the same could |
absolutely control legislation in the
house. He said that II a business con- |
cern exhibited the same reluctance 10
blish new and modern methods
OF the conduct Of business as the house |
of representatives does, it would be !
forced out OF business in no time.
DO the people OF the country Won |
der why the great economic problems
involved in the adjustment of the re- /
lations between labor and capital !
production and consumption. the en- |
iargement OF the scope Of our insti- |
tutions. remain unsolved and the de- /
mand OF the people for popular gov
ernment remain ungranted?" he ask |
ed. Some day the people will come 1
to understand that the methods OF /
legislation must themselves be REFORM [
ed before they can yield REFORM