The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-03-31
C0NGRESSONAL
HABIT IS VERY
EASILY ACQUIRED
Once Elected Most Of Them
Seek to Come
Back.
SENIORITY BIG POWER
Single States Have Domin.
ated the Whole Country
Through 1t.

AZ 49, 1912 b. We
tcopyright 1920, by TIE Washington
STAR
SPECIAL pipateh 70 The West vtrrtnt,a.)
WASHINGTON. March 31.-Ap-
z proaches now the season when the
uppermost thought in the ai3d Of 43s
inembers of the national House OF
Representatives and one-third OF the
membership Of the Senate. is tile uues-
ton of denomination and reelection.
Some OF them need concern them
selves only with sec,fring the nomi-
nation, again the "Solid South ano
in certain republican and democratic
strongholds in other states, where
the vote is overwhelmingly one way.
In such instances. however, the con-
test for the nomination, carrying with
u as II does the equivalent of sure
election, is usually 80 spirited as to
five the aspirant for office all the
fight he wants and in reality as much
as the other fellow experiences whu
has to struggle for both the nomina-
ton and election.
Experience has shown that it is the
propensity Of men serving one term
IN the Senate and House TO seek re-
election This is a readily under.
stood and natural desire. They want
TO be endorsed, to be indicated. To
lose denomination carries with It a
sense of having been turned down
by ones constituency and no man
likes that. So, even in instances OF
men being disillusioned with con.
gress, finding it after pflctiSl cxoa-
Renee unsuitable to their tastes, and
unremnnerative to many of them, they
seek another term for their own per-
sonal satisfaction.
Then, experience has shown, after
awhile many of tsSm get the Com
gressional habit" They stay or be-
cause their constituents want them
10 stay and because they become hab.
ituated to the work and like It. Other:
stick to il because .fey find they have
stayed so long they can not easily
fall into other lint3 Of ehdeavor or
usefnlnesa There have been MANY
pathetic instances of the latter kind
where men remained in Congress do
ing theywork of their country we'll and
shaving for their constituents, only
to some day awaken to the fact thai
they have advanced in years; that
they have lost touch with their law
practice, or their business; that a
new generation OF voters have come
along with whom they are not ac-
quainted and then up hobs some am
bilious young fellow who thinks he
would like try at the Congress
job and so, out goes the veteran.
But many states have learned te
profit by the practice OF keeping their
able men in Congress. This was the
cnte more especially before the prin,>
aries came into vogue. 1t was found
and tits still true, that by keeping
their tried and competent men in
Congress-, they attained position by
seniority oil service where they were
Of great benefit to their states and
their districts.
II Is recalled that at ora tire.
through following this custom. the
state OF Maine actually dominated
both the House and the Ssna!e Of the
/ United States. Thomas r. Eeed was
/ Speaker Of the House, and that was
/ the time when preemirently the
1 speakership controlled the -
Maine had Diugley as chairu&22. =
. WAYS aEd Means committee, to writ.
lne tariff bill; Boutellc was chairman
Of Naval Affairs to build up the navy.
Miliiksn was chairman O! Public
suhalngs and Grounds, to appropriate
for public buildings.
IN the. Senate, Senator Frye was
president pro tenn; Hale was chair.
man of Naval Affairs and ono OF thn
masterfm leaders and bo:h senator
had places on every commanding
committee.
Iowa was another state which fol-
Owed the seniority rule to advantage
ioSa he'd lepres2atstlph On a.ary In
portant committee In boia branches
of Congress, Senetor Allison, chair
man Of Appropriations was tho most
influeatial man in the Senate. They
had been kept in office By their con-
stituents until they had worked IN
to their positions OF power.
The solid South furnished tho north
a striking example OF Il value Of
keeping competent men IN Congress
when the democratic party came back
into power with President Wilson.
they had been out OF power in the
House and Senate as a party a long
lime, except that during the interval
he southern states had continued
lending the same men, practically,
back to- Congress. Too be sure, thew
gere in the minority on committees,
mt. which turned out to be highly
Important, while the northern states
lad been displacing their democratic
epres entatiyes and senators, the
outhern states had held theirs on
o that when the wheel revolved and
he minority became the majority, lc
nd behold, the southern states were
epresented at the head OF all the i'm.
ortant committees by the mere ruiz
seniority.
So, it came about that S"the south
as III the saddle" indeed. and al
pcugh the northern states, which has
elped 10 turn the republicans out and
AXE Il possible for the democratic
arty to control the House and Sen.
e, clamored for "fair divide" OF
7mmittee honors, it was not to be.
he men who had been IN Congress
~ = A..