The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-13
THE SPEAKERSHIP.
THE vARIoUs CANDIDATES.

THE VARIOUS CANDIDATES.
REVIEW OF THE RECORD OF THE VARIOUS
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDING
OFFICER OF THE NEXT HOUSE, FROM AN
INDEPENDENT voTER"-A SUGGESTION
THAT Is ENTIRELY GRATUTIoUs.
Under the caption of "the speaker of the
coming congress" the Cincincinnati Com
mercisl says: The question of the speaker
ship in the mex. house of represent atives
has already begun to be widely
discussed. This most important Office
may actually be said to be
second in influence to only one other in the
government. The speaker of the House
yields power enormous in itself, and
greatly increased within the past few years.
The source and seat Of this power are little
understood among the people, however
plain TO those who have sat in congress, and
have witnessed the enormous amount of
legislation virtually controlled by the in
cumbeDt OF the speakers chair. In the first
place, the speaker of the House of Represen-
tatives, as soon as he is sworn into Office
has, first official act, to ap-
point al the committees through which the
business of congress is marked out and
matured. This act is the sole and undi
vided business OF the speaker, recognized
perquisits of his Office, however great the
responsibility it entails. In the Senate the
responsibility OF selecting and parsitioning
out the committees, including the chair.
manships, has come by usage to be exer-
cised by caucus of the dominant party.
The republicans have thus chosen the vari
Gus committees of the Senate for IA years
past. But in the House OF Representatives,
no caucus, even OF the ruling party, how
ever
ENORMOUSLY IN THE MAJORITY,
no voice of the parliamentary body itself
can control the selection and appointment
of committees. 1t is true that the speaker
bows to the dominant public opinion of the
country as exhibited in the latest congress.
siolal elections. He constitutes the COM
mittees in the fret place with due refer
ence to tse numerical power of parties. 10
the next place, he is very apt to constitute
them with special reference to the relative
claims of the geographical divisions of the
country. So many important chairman
ships are divided off to the East, so many
to the West, while the members of the yari-
Gus committees are distributed among the
states, two congressman from the same state
being very rarely put upon the same COM
mit.ee. In the third place, he recogn zes
usually In designating the chairmep, or
heads of committees. the intellectual ability
and political standing and influence of the
representatives themselves. If be puts
weak men in strong places, he is sure TO be
severely criticised for it. If he, through
jealousy or any other motive, degrades the
ablest party generals to the ranks, he is GER
tain to suffer for it it in public criticism.
But, after all these elements which 60 to in
fluence his choice are considered, there re-
mains behind all, and frequently controlling
all, the secret but potent Influence OF the
rings. The legislation of congress is con-
trolled to degree little suspected among
the people by
POWERFUL AND WEALTHY INTERESTS.
Financial rings, railroad rings, protection
rings, Indian rings, mail contract rings,
rings, custom house rings,
national bank rings, and many others too
numerous for mention here, make them
selves felt at Washington, and it Is asserted
that their influence IS frequently controlled
in the appointment of the leading COM
Besides this most powerful func-
ton OF selecting the committees, which arc
to select the legislstian TO be passed IL
Congress, and nine times out of ten to be
carried, the speaker of the House Yields
constant and effective influence over the
conduct of the dsily business of that
body. Through his occupancy Of the
chair and his mastery of parliamentary |
law and familiarity with points of order, he
has 1t in his power to shape that business to
a degree little appreciated by the less watch !
full members. The speaker can advance or /
retard measures of legislation to large ex-
5ent at his pleasure. He can even. in crit
cal divisions where the votes are close, con- |
,rol the result by means we'll known to all /
This is a responsibility /
100 immense to be trusted in the hands of
any man except one both OF unimpeachable |
integrity and the highest sense of honor.
The democratic party will have the control /
Of the next House of Representatives by an /
immense majority. That majority will run |
% somewhere between seventy and eighty |
members, according to the results of cleo |
ions yet to be held in Mississippi and CALI |
ornia. Among
THE NAMES THUS FAR CANVASSED
or the speakership are those of Fernando |
Wood, Samuel S. Cox, William S. Holman,
Michael C. Kerr, Milton Sayler and Samuel
7. Randall. The latter gentleman is a pro-
ective tariff democrat rom Pennsylvania,
Who has held a seat in congress for some
EN- years past. Though not conspicuous tor
Intellectual ability, he has been an active |
party member, and at times an uncommo My |
vigorous and watchful parliamentarian on
The floor. He especially distinguished him.
self during the long night sessions of the
Iast congress, when the force bill and the
civil rights bill were attempted to be