Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-29

easiest way to secure the passage OF
bills in which he is interested for his /
own particular district He must |
know a dozen or fifteen men who, /
being 5lairman of big committees
and therefore hard workers and close |
scrutinizers Of legislation, will either
hep him or hinder him in his projects. |
If you want private pension bill |
passed, or an appropriation for |
bridge over river in your county, or
fer public building in your town,
you will stand fair chance to get II,
provided that your representative has
found out how to speed the measure
on its way. He must know the par
liamentary rules governing such bills.
He must find out to what committee
each measure has been referred. He
must go to see the chairman of that
committee and the members of the
special subcommittee who have
charge of the bill Finally, when it is
reported, he must be on the floor
ready to ask a vote on it or to move
| for its passage by unanimous consent.
! But even this is not all When it is
| sent to the senate, he must follow it,
| securing support for it there from one
or both of the senators representing
his state. To have such a bill finally
enacted into law, a member must ex-
ercise eternal vigilance.
An incident illustrating this occur
red at the beginning of the last con-
gress. A new member had succeeded
in having a bridge bill reported to
the house. This was done in such a
manner thtt he could have called it
up and had it passed by majority
vote; but he labored under the I'M.
preston that it was on the "unani-
nous consent" calendar. And, when
he later called it up under unanimous
consent, the objection of one man
beat it.
I'll never forget that rule again, -
said the new member sadly. These
rules are hardest things to remember
1 ever saw"
Occasionally new congressman are
amusing. Only a month or two age
enc of them arrived in Washington
TO look the field over" as he ex
planned. He informed many older
members that he wanted q place or
the ways and means committee be
cause he knew all about the tariff. i
did not seem to enter his head tha
places on that. powerful COMMITTEES
come TO man as the reward for boil
marked ability and length of service
| He felt absolutely sure that all he hac
to do was to make known his desires
and the place would be given to him
He was disappointed He got tn
committee assignments t.. the olde
: members thought he ough: to have
not the ones he wanted.
: Such instances, however, are mucl
' rarer nowadays than they used to be
New members, although they ma,
come to Washington with the praise
and fiattery of their friends and SUI
porters at home still ringing in theI
ears, and although they may entertain
u q firm conviction that some day the,
will be great constructive statesmen
= adopt that modest bearing which az
D pealS to the leaders and older men
i! bers of the house. The young felo7
II who thinks he can rush to Washing
ton, jump into the thick of The legi.
Il lative fray, and win crown CT glor
for himself during his first session i
i due to get distinct shock. As a mai
e ter Of fact, the best thing he can hop
: for is a chance 20 familiarize himse
Il with the public business while lookin
after the interests of his constituent
d 70 the best of his ability. If he make
Il good on these two propositions, h
g will have his chance later on.
# The town is full of new congress
men-and some of them will not com
D. back two years hence. In the hous
Il as in every other large body Of mel
Il there are some drones, some VIII
ie s.eep on the sofas in the cloakroom
III some who devote more time to enjo
u ment than to hard work If one
j these is your representative, you ca
3 spot him on the instant. You will fiji
II that on many votes he is recorded {
X absent from the house, that ne le
& four or five days or even a week pas
'e withcu. answering your letters, ar
~ that if he introduces bills for the di
d trict he does not follow them up an
n have them enacted into law. Sucn
Sc man, be he a new member or an oil
is not a good representative ar
r. there are mighty few old ones WI
ly can hang on without doing their wor
ee After all is said and done, a ne
ee congressman is Ike a new boy Iii
II boarding school He has to find h
OF place, has to learn the ways az
40 habits Of his fellows. has to study, ar
all has to find that level TO which his i
ee, dustry and brain eu,Itle him. Tt
nd
IS.
10 49, 90 Z