The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-06
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRE-.
SENTATION.
Even Political Turnover woald
Only Partly Help.

Only Partly Help.
WASHINGTON. April 1.-The editorial
article and other expressions In THE
SuN concerning taxation without rep
resentation have caused discussion
among members of Congress, but not
OF a kind taxpayers IMMERSED in the
Congressional mind might expect. No
habit Of thought Is 40 quickly i'm
pressed upon the mind Of Q new men,
Der as that which makes him accept
without protest. even II It does not
earn his intellectual adherence. the
rule OF precedence. promotion by
seniority in committee assignments.
A single term may advance q mem
Der n two. possibly ven more
places. on his favorite committee. He
starts at the bottom. a. q majority
member. say serves there two years.
returns to find several ranking places
vacant; a member ranking him may
have preferred the bottom place on
another committee. one or WI or pos.
sibly more places above him may be
vacant because Of deaths or failures
OF reelection: he finds instead of ten
or eleven members ranking him only
eight, possibly sever or six; the chair
manship IL o quite 80 h~opelessly
far above him. lie becomes a rom
vert TO the rule Of promotion by
seniority.
Privately he may admit that II IL
wrong: that II Is not entirely fair
that continuous reelection should be
the only vehicle Of progress toward
the top. Nevertheless no Will night
any reform which will deprive him Of
the progress he has made.
or course this rule. with the Demo-
Gratis In power. inevitably gives the
craftsmanship to the South; with Re-
publicans In power. to the West. re-
ferring now TO the Senate. In the
House IL has already been pointed out
by This correspondence that the only
Northern member to head q committee
Of the first importance Is Representa-
tive Fitzgerald. chairman Of the APP
preparations Committee.
In the Senate the situation Is rela-
lively tho same; not quite. because
Fitzgerald .s Northern born. whereas
the only Senator from q non-Southern
State At the head OF an important
committee liz Chamberlain OF Oregon,
born n educated in Mississippi.
The twelve important Senate com.
mittees n their chairmen are:
Agriculture, core. Oklahoma: Appro.
pris;ion.. Martin. virginia. Banking and
Currency. owen. Oklahoma. Commerce,
ozark. Arkansas: Labor. Smith. Georgia;
Finance equivalent OF the House Way
and Means Committee). simmons. North
Carolina. Foreign Relations. Stone. Mis-.
souri,. immigration, Smith, South Caro-.
Ina. judiciary. culb.rson. Texas: Mill.
.sry Affairs. Chamberlain oregon: Navs'
Affairs. Tillmsn. South Carolina; Post OF
Zee. Bankhead. Alabama.
In the House no minority member ia
chairman OF a committee, but In the
Senate our old friend Courtesy pro-
vides committees OF which minority
members are chairmen in order to
give them a suite Of offices. instead of
a single office. and a liberal patronage
in clerks. secretaries. stenographers
and messengers Thus 1t becomes in
teresting 20 note that Presidential
candidate Borah IL chairman Of In
dian D~epredations Committee: Colt,
Civil Service and Retrenchment
Presidential candidate Cummins. Mis-
sissippi River and Its Tributaries
Gallincer. Conference Of the Minority
Johnson Of South Dakota. Revolution
airy Claims Presidential candidate la
Toilette. Corporations Organized in the
District OF Columbia; Lodge. Private
Land Claims; Penrose. Additional Ac.
commodations for the Library Of Con.
gress. Presidential candidate Sher.
man. Canadian Relations: Presidential
candidate Smith ~ Michigan. Exam.
49,. A. ssz vi.
Service.
~ the two houses the Senate ac-
oepts with the greater serenity the
rue 81 seniority. and the fact that the
rule gives, ms pointed out above. al
but one Of the committees 81 first i'm
portanCe to Southcrners. The minority
is provided with all the luxury oi
housing. all the c~onveniences OF large
stans of clerical aid. Their dignity
10 considered. even II their politica
potency is minimizcd.
" the political complexion OF tho
Senate were 10 he changed tomorrow
the Appropriations Committee would
he presided over by IA Senator from
one of the least populous States In
the Union. Warren Of Wyoming. but
the Finance Committee would 20 e
rcnrose of Pennsylvania. Only one
other Eastern state would have ar
important committee. Lodge Of Massa
thusetts would take the Committee or
Foreign Relations. The other impor.
taut Senate committees would 90 &c
Minnesota. Idaho. Wyoming. Minnie
so,a again and Michigan.
The remedy 10 give the great State,
a fair proportion OF the great com
mit;ees-who can sugges it,