National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-11


almost absolute unanimity Of public senti-
ment. An overwhelming majority Of the
people, represented by corresponding
majority In the popular branch Of Con-
gress, may, by the representatives of the
states in the Senate, elected by legislatures
before the issues Of the last campaign arose,
be rendered utterly powerless TO advance the
cause or causes in whose interest they were
elected. The unanimous vote of one branch
Of Congress, concurred in by one less than
two-thirds Of the members Of the other
branch, may be nulllGed by one man in the
executive Office. In case Of failure to
elect President of the United States by
majority vote of the presidential electors,
the representatives of one-quarter Of the
people, but represen ting majority OF the
states, could constltutionally elect a Presi-
dent against the solid vote Of the represent
atiycs of the other three.quarters, repre-
senting a minority OF the states.
We mention these strongly conservative
features Of the government-these anti
democratic provisions and possibilities
not to make complaint Of the work of the
fathers, for their work has vindicated itself.
Experience has proven that they wrought
wisely and well.
But why should usage or custom, why
should the rules of a legislative body, sup
plement the conservatism Of the fathers
and remove legislation farther from the
control or influence Of the people than is
required by the constitution?
Aud why, of all things, should that
branch of the national legislature whose
members are elected by the people and are
directly responsible TO them set up and
maintain an autocracy not called for by the
constitution and scarcely equaled in power
by any similar feature or custom of any
representative government on earthY
The egreatest power welded by any official
in this republic is surrendered to one
man by the representatives of the people In
the House Of Representatives-th power to
appoint the committees of that body, the
committees which shape, advance, retard,
or defeat legislation, and on whose labors
depend the character and amount Of the
work of the House.
Nowhere else In our government does the
one-man powerloom up in such tremendous
proportions as In this autocracy, which is
the voluntary creation of the peoples Inn
mediate agents 1t Is strange anomaly, n
dlscordant, incongruous thing that almost
gives the lie direct to our professed attach
ment to popular rule. The only part of the
government that claims to he especially
democratic Is the part which, Of its own
volition, establishes an autocracy endowing
one man with more power than Is welded
by any single official under any constitu-
tional monarchy in Europe,
The power thus voluntarily surrendered
does not belong to those who give it up
They are the peoples agents, holding power
as n sacred trust, holding It to use for the
| people, and they have no right to hand II
over to any man. They should elect thell
committees, as is the custom Of politca
conventions, The dominant party should
of course, have majority on such com
mittees as have responsible duties to per
form, and the minority should be consulted
| as 10 its representation on all committees
1t seems strange that the popula
/ branch of Congress should be taught
| great lesson in democracy by the Senate
| body very remote from immediate popula
control. But the Senate gives such les
/ son every two years by the election of it
own committees. The majority part,
names all the chairmen and majority o
all the leading committees, but permits tn
minority to name its representation on al
the committees. 1t also gives the minorit,
few chairmanships, and the controllin!
vote on committees that are headed by sen
ators from the minority side of the cham
ber.
Thus the body that is not representativ,
Of the people nor responsible to the people
/ the body that was created as permanen
and reliable barrier against "popula
clamoT,n the body in which Nevada is a
potential as New York, and in which Della
ware votes Pennsylvania down, sets a souut
and wholesome democratic example for tn
peoples branch, while that branch, disre
garding the lesson and ignoring the grea
central idea on which the federal system
was formed, hands its birthrlght and it
great trust over to one Of Its three hundre,
and twenty-five members.
The objections we urge to this autocrac
have no special application to the presen
time or TO the gentleman who now Occu
pies the chair in the House of Representa-
tiyes. We are discussing great principl
applicable to all times, and not at al
afTectedLby political changes. The Office O
the speaker would he great enough, II
duties would be sufficiently arduous, 1t
responsibilities and powers would be ampl
II lie were relieved of the appointment q
committees.
As the most efIectual means of securing
the adoption Of this great and imperatiyel
needed reform the NATIONAL REpuBLTcA
suggests that the people take the mitiG
step In the congressional elections Of thi
year, Let the nominating conventions
least those Of the Republican party-declar
against the autocRcy by which legislatlo
Is nodded, and let the candidates for Cor
gress understand that, If elected, they are
oppose the further continuance of custor
that is directly and fatally antagonistic /
government Of the people.
The most remarkable dellverance tina
has appeared in any leading newspaper 4
the United States for many years is an cd
torlal on "Ihe Silver Committee in tn
New York Herald of the sth instant, ,whIc
Legins thus;
The composition OF the silver committee ar
nounced by Speaker Carlisle disappouts on
hopes very badly, II puts au end to the bell,
that under Democratic President the gpeake
Of a Democratic House would feel II incum
bent on him 10 give TO the important commit