“ The argument in favor of the system of committees is the impossibility of a large deliberative body's examining every matter within the scope of its action in detail; the objection to it is the possibility of more easily corrupting or deceiving a small body than a large one; but whatever be the argument against it as a matter of theory, the committee system is fully recognized as a necessity and is too firmly intrenched in parliamentary practice to be successfully argued against. A select committee is one appointed at a special time to consider and report on a given topic ”

“ A group of persons, rarely less than three, to whom an organized body, legislative or otherwise, intrusts or commits certain matters for investigation, consideration, and decision as to their meriting the attention of the whole body. A standing committee is one which exercises its functions permanently and considers all matters coming within a certain allotted sphere of action. ”

“ In law, a committee is a person or persons appointed by a court having equity or probate jurisdiction to take charge of the person, and manage the property and business affairs, of an individual who is legally incompetent by reason of lunacy, idiocy, or habitual drunkenness. ”

“ If the incompetent recovers, he may apply to the court to have the committee discharged and resume his personal freedom and the control of his property. The power of the committee ceases at the death of the incompetent, and his estate is administered in the usual manner. ”

“ The most important committees of the House are, that of Ways and Means, which considers all matters relating to the tariff, internal taxation, and, generally, the revenues of the Government, and that of Appropriations, which deals with all estimates of appropriations to be made by Congress and the framing of bills for that purpose. ”