The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-03-11


last week Wednesday noon, will bear
more than one reading. 1t clearly ex-
plains the beginning of the epoch in
government which his election marked.
Stating briefly and succinctly, as it does,
the position which he, and the republic
can party with him, took in the last
session, it will be read by students
of political science and history in the
future with the care which the signifi-
cant speeches and documents of all
times receive. This speech will be-
come classic in the collection of pro-
gressive thinkers on political subjects.
But what will the " verdict of time I"
be on the work of the speaker and his
supporters? Let the verdict be what
it will on the important subjects which
have been acted upon-the tariff, the
silver question, pension matters, the
postal subsidy bill, etc there can be
little doubt as to what it will be on the
change of rules which now permits the
majority to enact the legislation which
il believes to be for the interest of the
country. 1t is not a stretch of truth to
say that the verdict has already been
made to all intents and purposes. The
elections of last fall did not express it,
for the campaign was made on such a
variety of issues, state and national,
that it is impossible to regard it as
test of adherence or opposition to any
one principle of the republican party.
All that can be said with assurance of
that campaign is that the republican
party had been extremely active in
passing radical measures; that timid
people were frightened by the noise of
the dry democratic bones that were
being shaken up by the speaker and
his lieutenants; that one measure didn't
quite suit a certain element in the
party, and another measure Was dis
tasteful to second element, and that
the result was Indifference for the time
being. 1t is always so when radical
and vigorous legislation is enacted.
But even in this campaign, so far as
the rules of Speaker Reed were an
issue, they were not detrimental to the
republican cause. No man was more
enthusiastically received whenever he
appeared than was the speaker, and his
handsome majority in his own district
was all that he or the party could have
desired.
The real vindication of the speaker
and his rules, however, has come since
that election. 1t has come in the
changing sentiment of the
conservative people of all parties, who,
as they have thought the matter
over, have arrived at the conclusion
that there was really no other course to
take than that of the speaker. Legisla- |
ton had become a misnomer; effective
legislation was almost obsolete. A
talking minority had usurped the real
mastery. The time had come when the |
of century must give way to |
better and modern methods, and the |
ates had selected Mr. Reed as the in
'trument by which the revolution was
o be accomplished. A careful observer
If men will have noticed that the
.hange of opinion on the speakers
course has been very marked during
he winter. Lest any one should sup
rose that this view of the case is based
IN narrow partisanship, we will quote a
ew sentences from an article on 8" The
speaker as PREMIER" by Professor
\. B. Hart of Harvard University in
he March number of the atlantic
Monthly. This article shows at least
me thing, which is that student of
political science can find ample iustii-
alton for the course of the speaker:
This most recent addition to the speaker's
ower has not been conferred by the recent
ote of the house in adopting rules, and in
act is not expressed in the constitution, the
cts of congress or the rules Of the house.
t is natural growth and part of the ten
ency throughout the national, state and
systems to put responsibility
pom individuals rather than upon boards
I is wholesome reaction from the divided
responsibility and wasteful system of con-
ucting the business of legislation. 1t Sc
ures at least the consideration of the meas
res held by the leaders of the majority to ,
o most important Those measures may I
r may not be for the public good, but under
he new system the public has a better OPP
ortunity to place responsibility upon those
MEMBERS OF congress who, under any sys-
em, must control its operations, namely,
he great leaders of the majority. The sys-
'm is, therefore, likely TO be continued in !
rinciple,i not in the same form, by each !
arty when in the majority. The powers
ow exercised by the speaker will probably {
g exercised by each succeeding speaker, !
nd will somewhat increase. Since the leg !
lative department in every republic con- /