The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-05-06
r,eaker Keifer.

m. ,o.mhcrs of the House OF Repre-
scr,a,,yes NAY well exclainn, 80 Tor one
dav If BLAME or RANDALL" Mr.. hEIFkk
Is totally inefficient as Speaker. lie not
only does not know the rules OF the House
well enough to keep 4 ch body under
control. hut docs not even know bis own
mind. or else has 10 change his opinion 10
accommodate himself to the varying MOODS
OF the House.
There was on Monday last a most strik-
,,g manifestation OF Mr.. KEIFER's inconi-
,e,ence. A rule OF the House is that on
MONDAYS when motion Is In order to sus-
mend the rules and pass a bin by single
vote OF two-thirds, one member may speak
for fifteen minutes against, and another Tor
fifteen minutes for, the bill which 1t Is pro-
posed 10 pass in that summary manner;
and the member who demands a second on
the motion TO suspend the rules is accorded
fbe floor as the opponent OF the bill.
Surely this last ought to be done in good
faith. But last Monday motion to sus-
pend the rules and pass certain bill hav-
inc been made, Mr.. HEWITT, OF Alabama,
demanded second on the motion to sus-
pend the rules, and thus came TO be recog-
nized As entitled to speak fifteen minutes
in imposition 10 the bill, but almost lmme-
diately after taking the floor said that ne
was going to vote for the bill. MT.
SPRINGER, OF Illinois, rose, and, in spite OF
the Speakers repeated rulings, insisted
upon the point OF order that Mr.. HEWITT
had no right under the rules to the floor.
Mr.. robson, Mr.. Cox, Mr.. REED, Mr.
BLoUNT, and perhaps other members par
ticipated in the running debate. over and
over again did the Speaker rule as in the
following answer:
The SPEAKER: II a gentleman is cali
cd 10 order who is occupying the time
against the measure, the Chair, in the exc
cution Of the rules of the House, could
only say 10 the gentleman that he shall pro-
coed in order. But the Chair repeats that
il does not undertake to discriminate or
decide what method gentleman may see
proper TO adopt in the matter OF opposing
or favoring measure. That Is question
for his own judgment exclusively. and one
over which the Chair has no possible con-
troll.
Yet.Mr. SPRINGER persisted and finally
carried his point, the Speaker ruling as
follows:
The SPEAKER: This question has come
up on former OCCASION. The Chair thinks
that the fifteen minutes allowed for opposi-
ton TO measure should be given to those
who are fairly in opposition. The Chair
does not think they should be taken mp in
favoring the measure, and that then the
gentleman who makes the motion should
be cut off. The Chair hopes that hereafter
the gentleman who demands second and
claims the right TO speak in opposition will
look TO the rule and be guided by it. The
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. SPRINGER) is
recognized.
Mr.. HEWITT had previously offered to
surrender the floor to Mr.. SPRINGER, which
offer no doubt opened the eyes OF the
Speaker TO the untonable ground he was
trying TO occupy; but Mr.. SPRINGER would
not accept the floor on those terms. We
quote:
Mr.. SPRINGER l decline to take the
time from the gentleman from Alabama. i
desire TO take the floor in my own right.
And so, after debate running through
perhaps half an hour, Mr.. SPRINGER gained
his point, took the floor, and made speech
against the bill. All this time was lost as
direct consequence OF Mr.. KEIFER's unfit
ness for the Office he holds.