The advocate., 1892-02-10


The speaker Of the English House Of
Commons has no such power as ours. The
speaker of the French Chamber of Deputies
has no such power az ours. The speaker of
the German Reichstag has no such power
as ours. Nowhere ON the face OF the earth
has the presiding officer the autocratio
power over the deliberations of the body
and the course of its legislation which no
has here.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, we say that in the
future we express it as our opinion that the
House should be organized according to
the sense of the House. Decsntralize this
power which has crept into the hands Of the
speaker. Take back to the body Of the
House this enormous control which year by
year has grown into the hands Of the
speaker without ever having been voted
upon by the people. We have heard it here
time and again with slight approach to
monotOny Of repetition, that we are here
as protest against the czarism Of Mr..
Reed of the last Congress. Let US admit
that that is true.
Mr.. Reed. Admit that for yourself. Do
your own admitting. Laughter.
Mr.. Watson. say, Mr.. Speaker, let us
admit that; just as they claim it. Then
make this point upon il, that it is the very
first time it was ever brought to the atten-
tion of the people; and according to your
own statement, they said it was danger
GUS power. Now, il it is dangerous power,
l do not any more want to give IL to man
whose name begins with @, and who comes
from Georgia, than one whose name begins
with an r, and who comes from Maine. It
is too dangerous power. Gentlemen have
said that we might rely upon the character
of the speaker. God forbid that the politi-
cal fortunes of this people should ever have
to rely upon the mere accident Of the char
acter of the speaker. Let the people retain
their own power. Let them take it back TO
themselves; let them organize the House on
true JeffersOnian principles.
This concentration, this usurpation and
Capitalization of power is a curse to COM
merce, is a curse to politics, and has we'll
nigh brought this country to its political
ruin.
Sir, il had the power to-day, I would
like to draw picture of just what has been
the result of this centrslizing Of power, in
politics, in business, and in production. It
has made the large manufacturer absorb
the small one. The large railroad has
swallowed the small one. The great oil
company has swallowed the small one.
Trusts and combines absorb or crush the
individual enterprise. So everywhere CEN
tralizing tendencies and usurpatiVe pro-
cesses are going on, until the power and
the money is in the hands OF the few, and
the people whether they stand at the doors
OF cabins in Kansas, OF stand at street cor
nerS to ask for work in the cities, or stand
at the doors of their huts down in dear old
Georgia, are utterly deprived Of fair dis
tribution of the very wealth which they
create.
Mr.. Speaker, out in Kansas the man who
feeds the world warns himself by FIRE
built out of his corn, without having been
able to get enough for it to make II cheaper
for him to buy coal; down in Georgia the
men who make 100000 bales of cotton
have not been able to save enough of the
price to clOthe in comfort their wives and
their children; and in every city Of this land,
coming now to the working men, there are
artisans Of every sort standing with empty
hands, with empty homes, with anxious
hearts, asking for work, asking for bread,
asking for comfort in land where, God
knows, there is enough for US all.
Mr.. Funston. Will the gentleman per-
nit ma IN CorPack hiu2