The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-04-10
THE ROUSE AND ITS RULES.

IL is now smart thing TO critlcise the
rules Of the House Of Representative
which are incorporating in a growing
system Of abuse that Is quite astonishing
TO the average citizen who glories in the
liberty Of his republican desperation,
without knowing how firmly he ~ held
in the traces. Perhaps only the man
with claim for money justly due him
from the government thoroughly com
prehends the peculiar American system
OF legislation by which the Speaker OF
the House can hold the floor for bis own
friends little bi, more completely than
the officer OF the deck on man-of war.
To put the illustration before the ex-
PLANTATION, a notable example OF the
power OF the Speaker Of the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES was recorded when the
members who wished to introduce a bill
TO abolish the tobacco tax, could not get
even one minute on the floor to do II,
though it was all the time in the power
Of Speaker Carlisle, of Kentucky, to &C
cord the courtesy.
Sometimes the citizen in the gallery
wonders why the Speaker selects one
member out Of twenty who claim the
floor, though be does not look around the
House to see who the gentlemen are
who spring to their feet and wildly yell
"Mr Speaker" The presiding genius
simply remarks in an automaton tone
"the gentleman from Arkansas, and
that gentleman has his say. He has got
ten in by a favor granted by the Speaker
or the member of the committee who has
the floor
When you get bill ready for the House
you have to train like a player of the
beautiful game Of croquet, and under
stand the dangers and difficulties of all
the wickets through which YOU must
propel the ball. The rules have grown
into such an arbitrary fabric OF tyranny
that even one member can stop the pro-
gress Of a bill by a single objection. The
director IA crank, tyrant and nuisance,
who may be the paid member Of The
lobby. The Speaker is tho leader OF
great party, but all the same he is tyran'
on whose character and patriotism not
only Just claims but big measures
NAV depend. The curious result IL not
the consequence of q conspiracy, but OF a
growing system of requirements for ex-
poditing business and sluiiing of un-
necessary and superAuous legislative
work. The men who use these rules are
not 80 much to blame. but 1t has certain
w come to such pass that the rules
should DO reformed, or the party using
them as they are now will 60
Only the careful student Of political
history comprehends how this siaie OF
things comes TO exist and it appears 60
have grown up naturally, from the im'
mensc amount OF business before Con
aress and the lmmense amount of time
spent in speech making that is useless
useless because II decides nothing For the
American style Of Legislation is utterly
different from that Of all other coun.
tries, monarchical or republican In the
Roman Assembly. and in all other irgis-
lative bodies, except our OVID, one patty
drafts the laws, snd they arc discussed
in the assembly, and decided on. But
by our system the acts arc drafted IN
little closet legislatures, called commit
teesu In which the minority is repre-
sented The bill Is reported from The
House 10 the committee, discussed. re-
cast. and reported TO the House with the
recommendation that iIpass OF that it be
rejected.
Nearly fifty committees of the House
take hold Of the business classified for
each one. and when they choose topigeon-
hole a bill it is impaled in that private
closet like recalcltrant monk by the In
QUESTION cementod in hole in the wall
one of the eccentric points OF our
glorious system is the fact that one set OF
men vote to tax and decree the az
proprlations, and another sci spend the
money; or In other words, as a merchant
would express II, one set manages the
debt side of the books and the other the
credit side
Our glorious country is peculiar in
certain very important points, but when
we suffer Ne have the consolation OF
knowing that We can change the machine
whenever We choose The only thing is
to sec clearly where the changes are
necessary