The advocate., 1892-02-10
our delegates power into the hands Of q
snaaker and q committee on rules.


name of speaker" mentioned but once
and his duties nowhere referred to. But
under the rules of this House he is exercis-
ing powers never contemplated by the con-
stitution and never looked for by the
founders of our government. We are not
finding any fault with the honorable gentle
men who have filed this high Office, or max
ing any criticisms of their record and
character. But as American freemen, we
can not endarse the rule under Considera-
tion, that transfers the political rights of
over GO, 0,OOO, 900 people into the hands of one
or three. Under the rules, customs and
precedents, now grown venerable by age,
the speaker of the House of Representatives
has become more powerful in molding the
character of legislation than any other Off
cial parsonage in our government. This
power Of the speaker has been so well de-
scribed by James Bryce in his American
Commonwealth that desire here to quote
his language:
Not only does he, at the beginning of
each Congress, select all the members of
each of these committees, he even chooses
the chairman of each, and thereby vests the
the direction of its business in hands Ap-
proved by himself. The chairman is of
course always selected from the party which
commands the House, and the committee is
90 composed as to give that party majority.
Since legislation, and 80 much of the con-
troll Of current administration as the House
has been able TO bring within its grasp, be-
long to these committees, their composition
practically determines the action of the
House on all questions OF moment, and as
the chairmRnships of the more important
committees are the posts Of most influence,
the disposal of them is tremendous piece
of patronage by which speaker can at
tract support to himself and his own sec
tion Of the party, reward his friends, give
politicians the opportunity OF rising to dis
tinCtion or practically eXtinguish their Con-
gressional career.
The speaker is of course far from free in
disposing Of these places. He has members
and their friends, and while redeeminR
such promises he must also regard the
wishes Of important groups Of men or types
Of opinion; must compliment particular
states by giving place on good commit.
tees to their prominent Representatives;
must avoid nominations which could alarm
particular interests. These conditions sur
round the exercise of his power with trouble
and anxiety Yet, after all, il is power,
power which in the hands Of q capable and
ambitious man becomes so far reaching
that it is no exaggeTatiOn to call him the
second, if not the first, political figure in
the United States, with an influence upon
the fortunes of men and the course Of do
mestic events superior in ordinary times to
the presidents, although shorter inits dura-
tion and less patent to the world.
Mr.. Speaker, this rule ten is more be-
fitting the despotiSm of a country like
Russia than the free progressive republic
Of America. We can find no good reason
why this deliberative body should be con-
verted into q "wild pit" resembling the
inner court Of the Chicago board of trade
or the New York chamber Of commerce.
Why should the American House of Rep
resentatives become q mere partisan ma
chine, a triumvirate. an engine Of power,
if you please, running the peoples train,
with the speaker standing at the throttle
valve, the chairman of the committee of
ways and means acting as conductor, the
little committee on rules performing the
Office of brakeman and switchtender, whilst
the balance of the members upon the floor
act as travelling passengers, ornamental
Agureheads, with our feet fettered, our
hands tied, and our lips sealed? And if
during the two years journey we desire any
thing we must beg for grace and mercy at
the shrine of this political trinity-three in
one.
Is it any wonder that the members occa-
sionally grow very restless under this rule,
and especially toward the close Of the ses-
sion, when all are anxious to push their
measures forwardT Is it not possible that