Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-29

humanity, - 01o the man OF Gal1Iee.
The West Climbs into the Saddle.
In the matter Of committee chair
manships. considered important not
only by members Of Congress but by
their constituents at home. the Mid
die states have been particularly
fortunate in the organization of the
House Of Representatives On the
most important "a committees. the
Atlantic states have seven chair
manships, the Pacific states three
and the Middle states II. Moreover,
the floor leader. who has more in
nuence in legislation than the
Speaker himself. is from a Rocky
Mountain state.
Time was when the country. and
particularly the Middle West. had
the impression that Congress was
dominated by the East. But if such
a condition ever existed. it has mani
testify ceased. as an inspection Of the
list of committees will show.
Iowa has four important commit
tee chairmanships. Michigan four.
Pennsylvania three, New York three,
Minnesota two, California two, Kan
sas two. and Illinois, kentucky. Ne
braska. Ohio. Oregon, Washington
and Wisconsin each one.
Although the ways and means
committee is the most important
committee in many respects. yet the
appropriations committee is consid-
! cred by any the more desirable.
. Fordney of Michigan is chairman of
/ ways and means, and Good of Iowa
chairman of appropriations. The
other chairmanships held by repre-
sentatives Of the Hawkeye state are
| agriculture, presided over by Hau-
gen. insular affairs. headed by
! Towner. and rivers and harbors, of
which Kennedy Is chairman. Iowa
could scarcely by better represented
on committees. The o:ner michigan
i chairmanships are as follows: Cen
sus. Charles 4. Nichols: District of
ColrH,bia. Carl E. Mapes: labor.
John NJ. c. Smith.
The three committees headed by
! congressman from New York are
banking and currency. Edmund
Platt, chairman: Indian affairs,
Homer Il. Snyder. chairman: and
roads, Thomas B. Dunn. chairman.
The important committees headed by
representatives from Pennsylvania
! are claims, George W. Edmonds.
chairman; foreign affairs, Stephen G..
Porter, chairman: and naval affairs,
| Thomas S. Butler. chairman. There
is another Pennsylvania congress-
man at the head of committee
which has not been of much inn
portarr n recent years but which
may . of considerable cons--
| quen 1t is the committee on
war g., s. of which Benz. X. Focht
is cir. man.
! Among the other important COM
mittecs are military affairs. Julius
Kahn, Of California. chairman;
territories. Charles F.. Curry of
| Calf. chairman: invalid pensions.
Charles E. Fuller Of Illinois. chair
man: public buildings and grounds.
John W. Langley. Of Kentucky,
chairman: post Offices and post
| roads, Halvor Stevenson Of Mime
sofa, chairman: public lands. Nicho-
las j. Sinnott of Oregon, chairman;
rules, Philip P. Campbell of Kan
sas. chairman; revision of laws. Ed
ward c. Little of Kansas. chairman;
! irrigation of arid lands. Moses p.
Kinkaid of Nebr. chairman. and
education, Simeon d. Tess of Ohio,
| chairman.
The list above mentioned omits
| two of the most important commit
| tees in the House, just at this time.
These two are interstate and foreign
| commerce, of which John Jacob
Esch of Wisconsin is chairman. and
merchant marine and Fisheries. of
which William S. Greene of Massa-
chusetts is chairman. The framing
Of a permanent policy regarding the
railroads and the merchant marine
gives to these two committees a
greater importance than they have
| ever had before.
The Middle West is best repre-
scented in committee chairmanships
! because members from that section
have best pleased their constitu-
ents. thereby securing repeated re-
election. and the consequent train
! ing, experience and prestige.
AS simple. direct and eficacious
method Of reducing the high cost Of