The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-05-05

How 1t Operates
By William Bruckarf
SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE


4 followed by a public official who
is elected to Office can hardly fail to
arrive at the conclusion, eventually,
that there is one characteristic COM
mon to all of them, namely, a desire,
an Unsuitable determination, to be vim
dicated for what they have done.
That really is the important factor In
the career of any politician, and he or
she charts a course accordingly.
There is no higher exemplification OF
this spirit to be found anywhere than
among the representatives who con-
stitute the house. There may be
few individuals, indeed, there must be
some, who fail to keep a weather-eye
on the trend of the sentiment in their
districts, but the number is negligible
when compared with the total house
membership of 435. Frequently, one
hears loud pronouncements Of indie
pendence on the floor Of the house,
yociferous declarations that the folks
back home" have been misled by
propaganda or by preachments from
the opposition for Interior purposes.
But that very independence is the I'm
est sort Of an appeal for vindication
because it is simple attempt to jus
tify the course followed, or to be fol-
lowed
But there really ought to be no
quarrel with that procedure. Look
behind 1t. Certainly, after all, the
majority of voters in a congressional
district sent that individual to con-
gress. He is responsible to them.
They know it, as well as he. When
he goes wrong on the burning ISSUE"
they retire him. Thus, they attain a
responsiveness TO their will. The rep
resentative's vain desire for vindica
ton of his acts results In exactly the
thing for which the house was Gre
ated, proper reflection of sectional
and local viewpoints. a melting pot
from which energies that thing which
is called 'the will of the people"
All of the above is by way of say
ing that the house is a highly sensi-
tive body, politically Receipt Of mail
from the home district over a period
of a week. mail that deals with some
particular question, has been known
to change enough votes in the house
to overthrow an apparent strong ma
jority. Take for example the upset
through which the house passed when
II was considering the revenue act of
1932-the tax bill. Under most cir
cumstances, party leadership controls
firmly, although rather easily. But
party leaders meant nothing to the
house after scores of its members be-
gan hearing from "back home in op-
position to the sales tax that had been
recommended for passage by it's ways
and means committee. Representa-
tives of all shades of opinion were
panicky. Why? Because they want
ed to have the voters vindicate them
at the polls in the next election and
they were not sure they could convince
the electorate of the propriety Of their
course had they supported direct
tax on things we buy.
A representative term Is only two
years. Once he is elected, he neces-
sarily must start solidifying the po-
sition thus gained. He knows that OPP
position will be out there in the field
all of the time, making hay while he
stays in Washington. 1t may be In
his own political party or in another
party. But ii usually Is there, just
uoifino fnr on onnarf1tnitu
Thus, the successful candidate must
look to his laurels from the start, and
he usually does so by fostering legis-
lation of particular benefit to his dis
trict- He has to choose a side, how.
ever. on questions of Importance to
the whole nation, and on these his
ordinary course-and easiest-is to
align himself with his political party.
Yet oftentimes that course proves fatal
So the life of representatives dur
ing his two-year term is just one at.
tempt after another to guess what the
majority in his district desires.
The desire for power seems to GO
hand In hand with the desire for vim
dication. 1t always has been said
that, In politics, as in war, the spoils
go to the victor, and the spoils &C.
companying control of the house are
worth considering from the standpoint
of well-built political fences out in the
home district. The majority party In
the house. as In the senate, gains the
chairmanships Of all committees II
means control of legislation it means
appointment of dozens of job seekers
and 1t means a voice In management
of the party throughout the nation
With that control goes the speaker.
ship Of the house. an honor Of great.
est consequence to some member Of
the majority party. 1t is all a part
Of great game called politics.
When all things are considered
however; when all factors and infiu-
ences and causes and effects are
weighed. the scales appear to balance
In the Size of benefit to the people
This spirit that seems to grip every
man or woman sent to the house can.
not be eliminated In our two party sys-
tenn of government. but why should
II be destroyed when the sum total OF
its effect is to make representation
possible for a people too numerous to
get together In a town hall meeting.
G. 1872. Western Newspaper Union
Ancient Greek City
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