Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-28
WANTS NEW SYSTEM
FOR WORK OF SENATE
Washington legislator Proposes Plan
to Limit Size of Com
mtttecs.
TWO RESOLUTIONS OFFERED
Would Also Curtail Number of EN-
ployes-Proposition Provides That
Any Member May Serve on Only
"First-C Glass" Boards.

piOyes-I'rOpoSition Provides That
Any Member May Serve on Only
First Class" Boards.
WASHINGTON, December 27.-Reor-
ganization OF the working system Of
the Senate Is proposed In a plan SUBJ
OF Washington.
Senator Jones has introduced two
resolutions. Ono would limit the num-
Der OF standing committees of the Sem
ate, dividing them into committees OF
the first class and committees of tho
second class, limiting the number OF
committee assignments which q single
Senator may have. and reducing the
size Of the committees. Tho other res
olution specifies the number of en-
ployes which each Senator and each
committee may have and fixes their
salaries.
The work Of the Senate Is largely
done In the committee rooms, where
legislative problems are threshed out.
When the committee findings are re-
ported to the Senate they are usually
accepted by that body. Any change.
therefore. in the committee arrange
ment would have great effect upon the
working organization Of the Senate.
The Jones resolutions are before the
Jones has promised to do all in his
Senate Rules Committee. Senator
power to get them considered during
the present session.
The first measure introduced by SEN
ator Jones provides for nine commit
tees OF tho first class and sixteen COM
mittees OF the second class. A Senator
may be appointed to only one OF the
n 6ru Al 90
more than two committees of the Sec
ond class.
Committees of the first class are des-
ignated as follows: Appropriations,
Commerce. District of Columbia. FL
nance Foreign Relations, Interstate
Currency and Public Lands.
Committees OF the second class are:
Agricultural and Forestry. Rules, Cen
sus, Civil Service, Claims. Education and
Labor. Insular Affairs. immigration,
Military Affairs. Naval Affairs, PEN
sions. Post-Oflces and Post-Roads
Printing. Engrossed and Enrolled Bills.
Public Buildings and Grounds, and a
committee to audit and control the
contingent expenses of the Senate.
Under the present system OF stand
ing committees there are no less than
Many are inactive, never meeting and
never having any business before
them for consideration
Under the Jones resolution the mem
bership Of the first-class committees
would be limited to eleven. and Of the
second-class committees to sixteen.
Tho membership of committees as
now organized runs as high as eiRh-
teen, and many important committees
have seventeen members. Frequently
a single Senator has assignments to
four or five important committees. The
appointments to committees arc made
by the Committee on Committees as
steering committee
Would Curb Older Senator's.
Senator Jones contends that the pres
ent system of committees makes 1t I'm
possible for the Senators to attend to
the work of the Senate properly. or
even to the work of all the committees
to which they are assigned. He has
pointed out that when a number OF the
committees are at work on bills or
holding HEARINGS 1t Is almost impos-
sible to keep quorum in the Senate
chamber for consideration of business
before that body. He has contended,
tor to give all the attention which
should be given to the various impor-
tant measures which may como stimuli
taneously before several committees of
which he Is a member.
Undoubtedly. 1t Is said, the adoption
"a Tic ooiieS pan would tcnd TO break
up the vast influence which coterfe
OF older Senator'S now exerts In the
Senate through membership in many
committees of Importance.
The second resolution introduced by
Senator Jones deals with the number
or employees, and their pay, that may
be assigned to each committee and to
Senator'S. 1t makes the following bro
visions: That, commencing with the
beginning OF the Sixty fourth Con.
gress, each chairman of a first-class
committee shall have a secretary, who
shall receive an annual salary of ST.
$50. and who shall also act as clerl.
or his committees: an assistant secre-
tary, who shall receive an annual sal
airy or $4,000, and who shall also act
as assistant clerk to his committee
and, during the sessions of the Senate,
stenographer. to be- paid Mt the rate
OF Sl.44o per annum, and u messenger,
TO be paid at the rate of $1,000 per
annum; each chairman of n second
class committee shall have a secretary.
VINO shall receive an annual salary Of
$500, and who shall act as clerk Of his
committee; an assistant secretary, who
shall receive an annual salary of ST.
sOo' ana who shall also act as assistant
clerk OF his committee. and, during
the sessions of the Senate, stenoe
rapher, to be paid at the rate OF ST.
44o per annum, and messenger, to be
paid at the rate of $1,000 per annum.
and each Senator not tho chairman of
committee shall have O secretary.
who shall receive an annual salary Of
S2,2h0; an assistant secretary, who shall
receive an annual salary of $1,000, and
during the sessions of the Senate. n
stenographer. who shall be paid Mt the
rate or $1,440 per annum. and any adj
oitlonal assistance that may be neces-
sary in connection with committee or
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