New-York tribune., 1891-03-07
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
c,r,KER REEDS INTERESTING PERSON
ALITY.
TUT REFORM WHICH HE HAS BEGUN IN AMERI
CAN PARLIAMENTARY PRACUCE-THE
NEED OF METHODS FOR MEETING
ACCUMULATION or BUSINESS
ACCUMULATION OF BUSINESS.

Washington March 6.-Therc is no more
Interesting personality in the ranks of the
Republican party to-day than that Of Thomas b.
peed OF Maine As Speaker he has. to certain
I extent, revoutionized the proceedings OF tle
House. but in doing this he has taken steps III
the right direction and has introduced reforms
which will undoubtedly be sustained in the iuture'
Mr. Reed is "A man Of intense individuality, I'M
hlemisbed honor, and the most active mind, per-
hans to-day i'm modern politics. He is vigorous
onnonent and firm friend. 1t is in this quality
af his friendship that is found one of his great
clements of strength lie never dccelVeS or
he,ravs friend lie is chary of his word, but
when once given he adheres TO it, He has clear
c'ean-cut, manly look that is most attractive
I, nrivate conversation he is instructive as nc
is amusing. with his keen thrusts and satlrcal
comments concerning current affairs. lie Is one
of tho most remarkable Speakers that has ever
nresided over the House of Representatives. Ills
intense individuality and positive character nave
made him many enemies. But his work III INC
Uouse has been of such nature as 10 give nm /"
,arge nlace in the political world. and TO maNe
of him one of the great leaders of Thought III
this country. This reputation and this suchHVn
will make of him much dreaded leader OF V"o
minority in the next House.
II is interesting TO go over the work thal iic
has done in the direction Of changing the uic'Hou'
of doing business in the House. ana theIeoS "
estimate the effect that such changes Will nave
upon the future. The changes secured DS Inn
are simply in the direction of the deVeiopihci'
OF the administration Of the House Hsci'
Originally it was intended to have the SPEAKER
sit as a Judge, to act with Importantly oet"cca
the two sides, and to drop all party DlaS wien
once in the Speakers chair. This is copy ol uhe
English idea. The Speaker in the House OF Oom-
mons is supposed to act as mediator pet"cch
the two parties. He is never leader Ill any
party. He is nearly always selected from the
men of mediocre position, who are neutral Ill their
character and without great partisan color lc''
in that case the situation is altogether different
from that of the House of Representatives. For
in the House of Commons, Her Majesty's Govern
ment is represented by the Ministers sitting on
one line of benches and Her Majesty's opposition
is represented by another line of benches. Inc
responsibility of the Government and the AdmlnlS-
tration lies with the Ministers, who are respon-
sibc to the public, and consequently 1t IS
natural to have the Speaker occupy between the
Government and the Opposition the position oil
n mediator. Yet, cOnceding even this, the Eng
lish Speaker has more arbitrary power than ever
has been conferred upon the Speaker of the House
of Representatives When the English Speaker
makes u decision there can be no appeal 1t IS
on account of this that his power Is much feared
The English Speaker is reluctant to take POSITIVE
posjtion. and is conservative in making decisions
in the nature of punishment. but for all that he
rules with rod of iron This is all in the interest
of the transaction of business, and it is not i'm
possible that the future will see the Speaker of
clo oil flp
of making decisions without the right OF appeal.
This would be simply in tic interest of saving
time.
Under the American system Of administration
in the House, the Speaker has gradually been
driven 90 take position of party leader MI.
Reed. 10 whom was refused the vote of the minority
upon the customary resolution of thanks, is the
fourteenth Speaker who has incurred the similar
hostility of the minority, and in each case this
hostility has been incurred through the political
action of the presiding officer James X. Polk
who was one of the last Speakers who incurred
the hostility of the minority, was opposed simply
because he made appointments upon the two lead
ing committees of the House of members in har
mony with the party which lie represented. lie
gave an overwhelming majority in these two com
mittecs to his side and reserved his impartallty
in eoually dividing the committees between the
nolitical parties 10 the committees which were
considered non-poli,ical i'll the character of then
work Previous TO this the committees had beer
made up on a non-partisan basis.
But. from the nature of things the growth OF
the business of the House corresponding to The
growth of the country, the compleXity of issues
submitted for legislation have led TO such bur
den of work that some system of accomplishment
~. bac tod
giving 70 the Speaker the right TO appoint al
committees and the gradual growth Of the custom
Of giving 10 each committee a decided majority
corresponding 10 the political complexion OF th'
majority which had elected the Speaker. This
then. is one of the results Of this development
whereby central administration corresponding II
effect TO that of the Ministers on the floor OF th'
House of Commons will in the end be arrived at
With the formation of these many committees
made up according 10 the will of the Speaker tho
first elements of transacting business In accordance
with the will of the majority were reached
In reaching this point, however, the House was
still in no position really 10 do more than 10 pei
cent of the work prepared by these committees
Out of all the long list of committees varioui
kinds of propositions would be submitted. II
has therefore, been of vital interest to the party
in power To the responsible majority, TO be able
10 have some central administ ration which should
decide what measures were to he taken up
When that point is once firmly established ano
accented then the House Of representatives vii
have n system of practical kind, an effective
central administration. and consequently heat
to represent the majority. In other WORDS under
sucb an administration, the Speaker becomes the
prcuicr and leads the majority. By their act'
the party will stand or fall.
The most important change mas peeh prou"ce'
without any criticism from the opposition press
I'D ,bor have studied most carefully TO find evi
ices n Mr. Reeds attempts to grasp absolute
,.or None of them have observed the important
aordr,ort IN Rule A. Rule A. was as follows
. An nronosed action touching the rules and joint
- hou mo refcrred to the Committee on Rules.
Tho sneaker offered as an amendment the inscr
I"N .I Il l. MI nrnr IL Ll.