The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-26
CONGRESS is NEFFI-
GENT AND COSTLY.
SAYS CONG. FULLER
Maiden Representative Resigns From
Committee, Refusing to Be useless"
Would Make Worthless Men,
bers Work.

Washington, Feb. 26.-Refusing to b,
useless" Congressman Alvan T. Fuller
of Maiden, Mass, resigned yesterday aft
ernoon as member of the committee on
expenditures in the interior department
you and know thu this committed
and two-thirds of our committees are
useless" said Mr.. Fuller, who has the
distinction of being the only independent
member of the House, in his letter to
Speaker Clark. Instead of being really
busy. the majority of our congressman
down here are telling stories and practic-
ing up to see who can spit the farthest.
The president is asking our business to
economic and become more efficient,
while we continue to be the most inetfi-
cient and expensive barnacle that ever
attached itself to ship of state"
Mr.. Fuller recommended that the use
less committees be compelled to do some
thing useful and that the voorhees, con-
gressmen be put to work. Il am bust
ness man and accustomed to looking at
these things from commonsense stand
point" he said. II was somewhat fear
full about my qualifications for under
taking the duties of congressman be-
cause of lack of political experience.
find that the duties ! have fallen heir
to as a congressman are of an entirely
different nature than those | anticipat.
ed
when ! meet any of my constituents
they usually greet me with the express
sion, My, but you must be busy down in
Washington Now / would like to be
really busy and | am mighty sure if the
proper spirit animated our present Con
gress that these needless committees
could be changed into real agencies for
the service of the government. Why
could not some of these needless commit
tees that never meet, and that are oc-
cupying valuable room and employing
secretaries and messengers that have no
work to do, be utilized for various useful
purposes, such as inspecting camps, So
Letting labor for shipyards, doing any
one of the hundred and one things that
the government is in need of day."
Quite aside from all other aspects,
there is a dominating element of political
deception in the existing House system.
The people have been taught to believe
that a members standing should be
Judged by his committee appointments.
According to lnat standing, my constit-
uents having no means of knowing the |
truth, might conclude that my member
ship on the committee in question carries |
with it some implication of opportunity
TO advance public interests. As matter
Of fact, it means nothing at all, except
ng that such committees serve to carry |
out that kind of pretence.
"The public should know that Congress
$ over organized with standing commit
ees that do no work. whereas the basis
should be efficiency. In this connection,
t is pertinent to suggest that the pres
mt parliamentary system of the House
'perates to make the average member
title more than fgurehead. There
hould be such reconstruction of the sys-
EN- as to give each member legitimate
nance to represent his constituents and
he larger public interests of the whole
ountry. | make this protest against
onditions as they are, not merely to
make my own position clear, but also
With the hope Congress may soon rid it.