The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-19
HOW CONGRESS Is RUN.
The Power of the Speaker and of the Fill
buster.

Henry LOOMS Nelson, in the July Atlantic.
. In this stage of legislation. when the bill
has passed out of the cOmmi ttee-roOm and
is on the calendar. the Speaker exercises
his power more freely than he does III ap-
pointing the standing committees. He
very often gives member the opportunity
to get his measure before the House, and
he Oftener absolutely kills bills by refusing
to permit their movers to catch his eye.
When the debate is on he recognizes the
speakers agreed upon. This power is enOr-
nous, and because many Speakers have en-
deavored to exercise it fairly, and for the
advancement of the public business, it is
none the less dangerous.
The order of business and the character
of the legislation of the House of Repre-
sentatives rest largely in the discretion of
one man, who is not held responsible be-
cause he is not charged with the task which
he performs. The first thoroughly bad
Speaker we have will show the country
what an evil thing this is: The Speaker
here, as in the composition of the COM
mlttees, is limited in the exercise of his
power by what may be called the public
opinion of the House. He cannot safely go
against that, but the House, like each of
its individual members is interested in
comparatively few subjects, and there is a
very large and important field in which
the Speaker can direct legislation. Here
he is subject only to the filibuster, who is
now nearly omnipotent
Inc speaker may determine tho Cnarac-
ter of a measure by his composition of the
committee which considers it. He may
see that the member in charge of it secures
the floor and presents it to the House, but
here his functions cease. He cannot force
it to vote. From this time on the fifi-
buster is master of the situation. He is
stronger than the Speaker, or the commit
tee, or the House. He can compel the with
drawal of the measure or he can force the
Speaker to trade with him. Under the
most recent theory of the rights of the mi
nOrity, which may consist of only one men,
Der, all business is subject to his attack,
and the man who can sway legislation and
bend it as he desires must succumb at the
last and most critical step If the filibuster-
er rises up against him. While opposed to
this pOtentate, not even the public opinion
OF the House can prevail.
Here are the two mightiest powers in the
House of Representatives the two which
control the law-making body. The Speaker
is under certain limitations, which operate
ter and ambition of the man who occupies
the chair. The tilibuster need not feel the
force of any restraining influence, for it may
well be that he has neither reputation to
lose nor future to imperil. Until these two
powers are bound the majority of the
American House OF Representatives. cannot
control Its business. So far as the Speaker
is concerned, It is true that until the pres
ent system is changed he must continue to
exercise the right to select bills for consid-
Grafton. There must be some one to per-
form this task. and it would be the height
of unwisdOm if the House should under
take to go on without a regular and we'll
should be directed by itself, and the legisla-
ton of Congress should not be left to the
discretion of any man who may easily be-
come an irresponsible autOcrat.