The advocate., 1892-02-10

venerable in age, but absolutely vicious in
principle and unjust in practice. It has
been adopted for years by Democrats and
Republicans alike, and hence we are in
formed, 1t is dangerous TO assail it. And
for new member to make an attack upon
this grand citadel" of power and central
ization is said to be political suicide. So
be it. We would rather die bravely fight
ing for this principal than to die lombard
ing poor little Chill.
To what extent the alternate domination
of political factions, struggling for power
and patronage, has been instrumental in
perpetuating this rule il is not now neces-
sary to consider. But we believe it is time
TO call halt and return to first principles.
Our motto is, "The people rule, the whole
people, and not privileged few" This is
true American doctrine, and this House of
Representatives should have NO rule in It's
code that practically nulliAes this funda-
mental principle Of free government.
The young,man eloquent, Hon. Thomas
E. Watson, of Georgia, spoke for thirty
one minutes, and a portion Of his re-
marks are here given:
The delegation Of power to the president
of the United States has been ratified by
the votes Of the people; 60 the United States
Senate il has likewise been ratified; but at
no time in the history of Of this country has
there ever been witnessed the submission
of that issue to the people by which power
was given to the speaker Of the House max
ing him the autoCrat Of the House, Gentle
men may say that the people have actually
ratified it by silence. deny that the answer
is good.
The people have not had the information.
The people did not know he had that power.
The people supposed that he was the pre-
siding ofioer-the representative of the
body-snd not its master. Gentlemen may
say again that it is delegated to him by gem
eral parliamentary law. deny it. It has
never been given to him by parliamentary
law anywhere; and I say that this substitute
goes back to that doctrine which love with
every drop of blood in my body-from my
heels to my head-that Jefiersonian Democ-
racy, from which we have all so far de-
parted.
Let me give what Jefferaon's Manual
says. It is laughed at here as If il were a
thing unheard of that the House should
choose its committees by ballot and that
those committees should choose their chair.
man. Mr.. Speaker, 1t has been universal
parliamentary law from the time that these
very committees wrested tyrannical power
from the hands of the Stuarts down to this
day. Jefferson says in his manual, rule
twenty-four:
In the appointment Of che standing COM
mittees, the Senate, unless otherwise or
dered, shall proceed by ballot TO appoint
severally the chairman Of each committee
and then, by one ballot, the other members
necessary to complete the same.
Now as to the House:
The person first named Is usually per-
mitted to act as chairman, but this is
matter Of courtesy.
It has now become matter of right.
Every committee having right to elect
their own chairman, who presides over them,
puts questions and reports their proceed
ings to the House.
We plant ourselves, gentlemen, upon that
Jefersonian rock, and we ask the Democ-
raCy whether they will vote with US upon it
or not.
Not only that. In the English House of
Commons we find this to be the fact. In
England committees are usually named in
the first instance by the person who pro.
poses the resolution for their appointment,
subject, Of course, to the control Of the
House. On great important questions they