The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-22
SPEAKER OF TIE COMMONS.
His Duties Differ From Those of His
American Prototype.

Ills FROM InOSc OF
American Prototype.
A speaker is one who speaks. Why
is it, then. that in our national house OF
representatives and in the legislatures
of our states the one member who does
not speak on any question before the
house is the speaker-usage requiring
of him. should he wish to speak. to
leave the chair and temporarily abro-
gate his functions as speaker?
For an answer to this question we
must go back to the British parliament.
where it is a primary function of the
presiding member of the house of COM
mons to speak for the commons in adj
dressing the crown. As early as the
time of Edward III. this spokesman for
the house came to be addressed as mir.
Speaker" and to-day in England the
original significance of the title is still
to be seen.
At the meeting of new parliament
her majesty, through the lord commits
sioners, summons the members of the
house of commons to the bar of the
peers, and signifies her pleasure that
the commons choose speaker; that is,
one who may speak for them in matters
on which she may wish to address
them. The commons forthwith return
to their chambtr and proceed to the
election of such speaker. On the fol-
lowing day the spcalSer-elect, with the
commons is summoned to the peers,
and one of the lords commissioners sig
nifies her majesty's appreciation of tho
selection, who thereupon becomes Mr..
Speaker.
Then, in the name of the commons of
the United Kingdom, Mr.. Speaker lays
claim to their ancient and undoubted
rights and privileges, and especially to
freedom from arrest and molestation
for their persons and servants; to free
dom of speech in debate; to free access
to her majesty whenever occasion may
require it; and that the most favorable
construction may be put on all their
proceedings" The commons, being re-
turned to their chamber, Mr.. Speaker
reports that her majesty has confirmed
to them their ancient rights and privi-
leges, sin as full and ample a manner
as they have heretofore been granted
or allowed by her majesty or any of her
royal predecessors"
There is, wide difference in the
powers welded by the English and
American speakers. Aside from his au-
thority to speak for the house in pro
forma audiences with the crown, the
English speaker is simply a presiding
officer. He has no power to appoint
committees, that being done by the
house itself. He has no power to add
vance or to stifle bills, and can neither
promote nor retard legislation. In case
of tie it is usual for him to give the
casting vote in such a manner as to
leave the matter to be decided by the
house itself at subsequent vote. He
must take cognizance only of forms, or
dcrs and rules.
He cannot ignore a new member, but
must. under the rules, recognize a MEM
Der who has not spoken in the house in
preference to other members rising at
the same time. He must be rigidly just,
and on assuming the chair must aban-
don all partisan affiliations. In short,
the English speaker is simplya presiding
officer, but "A presiding officer SO impair
tial that much questioning of his decis-
ions would scandalize all England
The American speaker is far more
than presiding officer. He appoints
the committees through which all bust
ness must pass and in which any meas
ure he objects to may be blocked.
Through the committee on rules he can
largely define how the house shall be
governed in its procedure and by the
exercise of his discretion he can over
look or refuse to recognize member
whom he does not wish to speak. His
influence reaches to the most trivial
matters and affects the whole business
of the house.
He is necessarily partisan OF the
most pronounced kind-the recognized
leader of the dominant part of the
house, chosen under the caucus system
by "a majority of the ajority. His
great purpose is to promote the policy
of his party. lie is, in fact, the gov
crnor, almost the master, of the popular
and stronger branch of the national
lcgislaturc-the next man in power to
the president, and in some respects
more powerful than he.
With the view to raising their speaker
beyond personal interest in legislation,
the house of commons gives him an an
nual salary of thirty thousand dollars,
paid, like that Of the judges Of the
courts, out of the consolidated fund.
He is also provided with splendid ofli-
cial residence in the palatial parliament
buildings and on retirement, usually
after many years Of service, it is thought
due to the dignity Of the place he has
filled that he should receive yearly
pension Of twenty-five or thirty thou-
sand dollars for the reminder of his
life. Arena.
Boys Thrilling Adventure.
At "A sugar mill on the island Of Bar
BADGES the men in attendance were
shortening SAIL when a native boy, who
did not let go soon enough, was carried
aloft by the great fortyfivc-foot sail.
He fortunately had all his wits about
him and managed 10 get his feet around
bar of the sail and TO hold on 10 the
one above. In this position he was car
ricd around, the mill revolving with in
creased rapdity, rs the man whose duty
il was to feed il had rushed ont at the