The Bismarck tribune., 1922-04-14

ginning of this year: In the past 40
years there have been only six chair
men Of that committee; two Demo-
Gratis and four Republicans. There
are 4S states in the Union. Figure out
by percentages what chance a man
entering the Senate on March 4, 1923,
will have Of becoming chairman OF
the finance committee, or any other
important committee for that mat
ter One Of the Democrats was chair
man only two years and the other was
chairman six years. Previous to the
time that Senator McCumber became
chairman three Republicans had been
at the head of the finance commit
tee for more than 80 years. What
about these three: One served more
than 81 years in the Senate and died;
one served 80 years and voluntarily
retired; one served nearly 20 years
and died. Senator McCumber was a
member of the Senate 23 years before
he became chairman, These facts
show that it takes a man Of long SER
vice to get to- the top of the most inn
portant committee in the United
States Senate.
This is the first time that man
from the West has been chairman OF
the committee on finance. AS a west
ern man hope that the West will
hold that position for years to come.
North Dakota owes it to the balance
Of the great West to keep her Sena-
tor in this place of advantage. 1t is
good for the West, and the whole
country, to have a man whose ideas
have been broadened by western life,
whose conception of what our coun-
try has grown to be is measured by
a life lived in the West, at the head
OF a committee that handles legisla-
tion of such vast Importance, parti-
cularly to that section whose re-
sources are still in the early stages
Of development
The two most powerful committees
in the Senate are finance and appro-.
priations. 1t is an interesting fact that
these committees are now presided
over by men from the new states. BY
new states" mean states that were
territories when l lived in the great
West. The new states" have achieved
their distinction because they wise
ly kept their men in the Senate.
Only a close observer of legisla-
tive conditions is aware of the i'm
portance to a state in length of SER
vice and good committee positions.
The men who get places on the big
committees, the real important COM
mittees, do SO by sheer force and by
their compelling ability. Seniority Of
service, coupled with good brains,
WELD such an Influence in the Sem
ate that good committee assign
ments are made. That same influence
extends over the Senate whenever a
man wants something of the legisla-
tive body. AS an instance, take the
appropriation which Senator Nc
Cumber secured for seed to be dis
tributed in North Dakota. If he had
not been a power in the Senate he
could not have put the bill through;
by reason of the fact that he was
chairman OF the Senate finance COM
mittee his influence extended to the
House of Representatives. But for
that influence the bill would not have
been passed. He called up, the House
leaders and told them the bill must
pass, and it was passed. That is what
.. happens when man wants something
for his state. The leaders know each
other. The, House leaders recognized
the power sOf the chairman of the fl
nance committee and acted accord
ingly.
| want to- go a little further in
showing what long service does for
states and sections. When first
went to Washington, New England
dominated Congress. Nearly all her
men in both houses were of long SER
vice. At one time in the Senate, Maine
had the President pro! tempore, and
chairmanships Of commerce and naval
affairs; Massachusetts chairman OF
judiciary; Connecticut chairman of
military affairs and Indian affairs;
Vermont chairman of finance; Rhode
Island chairman of rules. At the same
time their men whOl were not chair
men held positions on dominating
business committees of the, Senate. In
the House, Maine had the speaker
ship, then the second place of power