The members of every standing committee are nomi-
nated by the Speaker at the beginning of each Congress, and
sit through its two sessions ; those of a select committee also
by the Speaker, after the committee has been ordered by the
House. A select committee lasts only for the session. In
pursuance of the rule that the member first named shall be
chairman, the Speaker has also the selection of all the
chairmen.
To some one of these standing committees each and
every bill is referred. Its second, as well as its first, reading
is granted as a matter of course, and without debate, since
there would be no time to discuss the immense number of bills
presented. Sometimes a dispute arises as to what committee
a bill should be referred. Such disputes are determined by
the vote of the House itself.
Not having been discussed, much less affirmed in prin-
ciple, by the House, a bill comes before its committee with
no presumption in its favor. It is one of many, and for
the most a sad fate is reserved. The committee may take
evidence regarding it and members who are interested ap-
proach the committee and state their case there. The com-
mittee can amend the bill as they please, and although they
cannot formally extinguish it, they can practically do so
by reporting adversely, or by delaying to report it till late in
the session, or by not reporting it at all.
In one or other of these ways nineteen-twentieths of
the bills introduced meet their death, a death which the ma-
jority doubtless deserve, and the prospect of which tends to



72 AAIERICAN COMIMONWEALTH

make members reckless as regards both the form and the
substance of their proposals.
