The Portland daily press., 1892-12-10

desk for an hour or more. before the
house was called to order. Upon such
occasions he talked with unrestrained
freedom, not only to members of the
house, but to newspaper men and who1
ever else might address him. He used
TO walk up and down the long speakers
lobby with his hands hanging loose at
his side in careless manner, as though
devoid of thought or interest in sur
rounding events; and at such times
visitors standing at the remote doors
through which they might not enter,
would look at the gigantic figure of the
celebrated and much abused man and
watch his movements intently. He
never was graceful figure, because OF
the predominance of Emphatic tissues,
and tendency to carelessly swing his
body along in heavy, sodden manner.
But his manners were affability and
grace combined, in personal conversa-
ton, and relieved of public cares and
duties. ivy
Speaker Crisp almost never enters the
hall of the house until within one min
ute of twelve o'clock, noon. He pro-
ceeds directly from his own room
through the speakers lobby, enters the
green baize door, ascends the steps and
strikes the desk with his gavel promptly
at noon, saying: 'The house will be in
order" The members present all stand
ing up in their places, Speaker Crisp
says: 'sThe chaplain will offer prayer. F"
At the close of the invocation the jour-
nal is read and approved. ana then the
speaker announces the order OF ousr
ness for the consideration of the house.
AS presiding officer, he is one of the
ablest, most graceful and dignifed
within a generation. He occupies the
chair a greater portion of the time,
although occasionally, when it becomes
necessary for him to leave the room, he
calls Mr.. McMillin, of Tennessee, Mr..
Blount, of Georgia, or some other dis
tinguished parliamentarian, to act as
speaker pro tempore.
You will probably want to know why
SO many members of the house of rep
resentatives are anxious to see the
speaker in his room or in his lobby. 1t
is absolutely necessary to have an ar
rangement made directly with the
speaker beforehand if any representa-
tive.would be certain of recognition in
the house when he rises in his seat to
address the chair. No matter how
many men may be upon their feet clam
oring for recognition, the speaker never
sees nor hears any of them except the
few to whom he has given promise OF
recognition beforehand. Members who
are anxious to secure the passage of
public building bills, private pension
bills, war claim bills, or other measures
of interest to their constituents, might
howl themselves hoarse and shout MIR.
Speaker until the close of the session
without securing a single mark Of
recognition from the occupant of the
chair, unless the speaker had previous
ly agreed to give such recognition, and
had the name of the member written
upon slip of paper upon his desk be-
fore him. It is always necessary for
the speaker to know exactly what
measure each member desires.to bring
before the attention of the house, and
it is his duty to decide the Importance
os such measures to the country at large
in comparison with other measures of
Importance which chairmen of the
leading committees desire to bring be-
fore the house. Therefore, every mem
ber of congress feels that it is incumbent
upon himself as a good representative
of his constituents to see the speaker
and present his case to that master of
the situation in order to gain recogni-
ton and secure legislation for his peo-
pie. Thus you will see that it is the
speaker who is the autocrat of all legis-
lation; and in him is concentrated more
power than in all the chairmen Of com
mittees and all memb bers of the house
combined. He dictates what measures
shall be considered and what shall not
receive consideration. He is more pow
erful than any officer of the general
government, next to the president of
the United States. But his position
carries with it responsibilities and
labors which test the physical strength
and intellectual powers of man in a
remarkable degree. Altogether, the
position is as full of trouble as it is of
hoaor. SMITH ID. ERY.