The Portland daily press., 1892-12-10
DUTIES OF THE SPEAKER.
Uuquestienably The Busiest Man in
all Washington.
The On1cial Room Set Apart for tiit
Autocrat of the House of Represent
atives-How Orators Secure
Recognition.
Especial Washington Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.l
No man in either house of congress
has less time to himself for the trans
action of personal or private business
than the speaker of the house of repre-.
sentatives. Indeed it may be truthfully
said that that official has not sufficient
privacy to enable him to attend to his
official duties with the carefulness and
accuracy as to detail which would seem
to be most desirable, not only for his
own satisfaction but for the welfare OF
the people for whom legislation is car
ried on. A room in the southeast cor
ner of the house wing of the capitol,
very near the elevator, is set aside for
the especial use of the presiding officer
of the popular branch of the national
legislature; but it is popular fiction
that when the speaker enters that room
he shuts off all annoyances and cares of
the outside world. As matter of fact
the speaker is never allowed to have a
moments peace in his own official
room.
MIR. Randall and Mr.. Reed were very
much alike in some of their official
characteristics. They would at times
absolutely deny themselves to all call
ers, no matter whether of high or low
degree; but when visitors were permit
ted to enter their rooms and evinced
disposition to remain too long, Mr..
Randall and Mr.. Reed would respect
fully, but firmly, invite them to call
some other time, and lead them to the
door. Mr.. Carlisle, who is not only one
of the most learned and able men of
his generation, but also one of the most
courteous and refined, was unable on
many occasions to properly attend to
public business because of his inability
to deny himself to callers or to shorten
obnoxious interviews. The present
speaker of the house, Mr.. Crisp, is very
much like Mr. Carlisle in this regard.
At the commencement of his admins
tration he was so harshly criticised by
many, even among his owD political
friends, that he has unbended official
dignity so far as to permit himself to be
imposed upon in the absorption of his
time by self-seeking members OF the
house. His protracted illness, however.
was another reason why he should now
give more of his time than he otherwise
would have done to those members of
the house who desired and demanded
permission to see him upon public affairs
and pending legislation. ec
The speaker usually reaches the cap
itol and enters his room at nine o'clock,
or earlier. every morning. The house
is not.called to order until noon, SO that
if he were permitted to have few
hours to himself every day he might be
better able to plan and outline the
work of the day. But he usually finds
one or more members of the house
standing in the speakers lobby con-
versing with the colored messenger,
who has been guardian of the door Of
the speakers room for the past sixteen
years, and, upon the arrival of Mr..
Crisp, they enter his room with him,
with cordial handshakings and greet
ings of the day. It is usually ten
o'clock or half-past ten before the
speaker has an opportunity to take a
seat at his desk and handle his mail.
From that time until noon, however, he
has some chance to work. Fortunately
for himself, the speaker appointed Mr.
Barrett, of the Atlanta Constitution, to
be his private secretary. Mr.. Barrett is
an experienced Washington correspon-
dent, we'll acquainted with public men
and affairs, and able in nearly every
case to receive and satisfactorily con-
+1o aoI1 ord
are met by him in the speakers lobby.
When measures Of great Importance
are pen ling before the house of repre-
sentatives, it is customary, under par
liamentary precedents, for the house to
resolve itself into committee of the
whole house. Upon these occasions,
the speaker appoints some one of the
most experienced members as chairm an
of the committee of the whole, and to
him resigns the gayeL The house re-
mains in such committee sometimes day
after day for week, and during such
periods, whether they be Of an hour or
longer duration, the speaker may re-
turn to his private room to transact
public and private business and outline
the prospective legislation Of the sue
ceeding days and weeks. The speak
er's room is presumed to be his sanctu-
ary, place the floor of which is sacred
soil to be trod by none other than him
self; but the sanctuary would be con-
stantly invaded if the people anxious
for the speakers ear and the speakers
eye could always have access to him.
Between the door of the house next to
the speakers desk, and the room next
to the speakers room, there is long,
wide, roomy corridor. whose ceilings
are gilded with pure gold, known as the
speakers lobby. In this great hall
way, again and again, especially when
they have been worried by affairs OF
state and personally abused, with Grim
ination and recrimination upon their
rulings, I have seen speakers OF the
house walk back and forth by the hour.
revolving in that quiet place plans for
future action. Mr.. Speaker Crisp has
very seldom used the speakers lobby,
although occasionally he has done So