The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-15

N n decided that the intareets d
fhair group would be furtkerea,
ne strength Of these orgaain,
lions a the members OF congr1a
IN q which VIII - minorities, q
conr,e. lies IN the hope Of hoane
able % force the Republican n
jority leaders to approve thsir
legislativs programs.
with IL growth Of the groups.
and collateral to It, IL the astonish.
Ing growth In the national capital
OF .class lobbics". 1t Is estimated
that there are about LIS Of these
Hobbies In Warrington CONDUCTING
campaigns for the adoption Of the
measures which the interests they
repreDeat advocate.
CengSees u Revolt
n edition to this pressure ON
ouaQosa, which has had much to
do With The formation of the blocs
In congress, there has been . reac-
lion O the part Of sincere MEM
befs Of tho senate and house against
the old methods Of party rule.
These men, because Of their own
Convictions are ready to throw
overheard tho cd control Of legisla-
ton b. party caucus and majority
leadershin
II Il becomes firmly established.
this gIuap formation will be an en-
tirely new thing in American legis-,
lative LIE. With rare exceptions,
the membefship Of tho senate and.
house hAs been made up OF Repub-
leans and Democrats since the
Civil vsr. There was the great
upAeesal Of 1912. when the Pro-
kressive party'vas formed. but that
marty and ity membership soon
driftsd back to the Republican
party. OccasionaI1y3 lone Socialist
manages to get elected 10 the house,
or the representative Of some new
party. In . body OF 435 members.
however, this Is Insignificant 81
! party representation.
The swing of the pendulum, back!
and fourth between Republican and
Democratic contHol would b
checked completelytby actRal align
ment OF most OF theshouse and sen
ate members in the groups being
formed. No one group.could muster
sufficient membership to control
either body. Each in itself would be
. minority. Legislation would pass
when groups numbering sufficient
members to make mp q majority d
the house united on . measure and
pushed it through.
It is predicted by legislative vet
Grams that the veto Of any measure
by the president would be hzTdel
to overcome-two-thfsds Of the vot
ing membership Of each branch o.
congress being necessary-thaI
under the present organizstion.
i With the present Overwhelming
Republican majority in congress
party lines ON Legislative matter,
, are already weak and lax. 1t 4
estimated that on more than three
fourths Of the measures brought be
fore congress recently, party line
have been broken. But tn ever,
case where = majority was suppos
edly . strictly party measure, a SUI
ficient number Of Republicans hav
stood by their leaders to insure it
, passage.
, A dangerous aspect Of the effor
to reorganize the membership Q
, congress-, from the standpoint 9
old leaders, Is the fact that many Q
the groups will be interlockinl
having many members, for instanc,
who would belong both to the IL
) rigation group and to the far
group. While the ambitions an
aims Of many Of the groups AZ
i widely divergent, yet q combdna
, ton OF some Of the larger minor
! ties by common interest and
i "log-rolling" might control Col
/ gress and legislation.
ri By log-rolling" IL meant the trai
: ing OF support between group
, Labor viii support certain fan
:. measures and the farmer bloc !
return will support labor legisl,
= ton.
4 It is largely by such agreement
r between individuals and unorxsl
+ lied groups that legislation
passed now. After all, our cong7el
It is nothing but . hadge-podge
Il more or less divergent interes
y and almost every law that passes
n . product OF much trading and con
l. promising. To organize each
> these interests separately and clea
ly, It is argued, so that the vot,
% may know just what each man al
d each group representa-. is to thro
= beam Of logical light into Il
j. haze Of bumcombe and intrigl
% which clothes the political scene.