Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-07

matter of fact very many OF the
s~eeches are never delivered. Some
members of congress arise and say:
'sMr. Speaker. do not desire to take
the time of the house at present, and
will ask leave to print my remarks in
the Congressional Record"
In compliance with that request. per-
mission is granted, and on the follow
ing morning the Congressional Record
appears with an alleged speech by Hon.
John Doe, although the speech was
never delivered. The members of con-
gress do not read such printed speeches,
and there is no excuse for their publica-
ton, except to mislead the people. A
speech thus published in the Congress
sional Record may be sent through the
mails, at government expense, and
thousands of people receive copies of
speech which they suppose their con-
gresham delivered in Washington;
when, as a matter of fact, their con-
gresham never made speech at all.
When you receive such speeches, you
may ask your congressman whether he
really made a speech, or whether he
had ''leave to print"
OF course only the obscure congress
men resort to this trick; but there are
many obscure men in congress. The
real leaders never ask ''leave to print"
They speak, and are heard with great
respect by their colleagues.
But to return to the organization.
After the speaker and other officers are
elected the house transacts business
under general parliamentary law.
Within a few days the speaker appoints
q committee on rules. Very soon there
after the committee on rules report a
set of rules for the guidance of the
house, and when the rules are adopted
all debate and procedure must be in ac-
cordance with those rules.
The next thing is for the speaker to
appoint the committee of the house.
This is an arduous and difficult task.
and the speaker usually takes three
weeks to complete it. Then, and not
until then, is the house completely or
gained and ready for the transaction
of public business in an orderly man.
ner.
The organization of the senate is an
entirely different matter. The vice
president is the permanent presiding
officer Of the senate, and is elected by
the people every four years. Adlai E.
Stevenson, of Illinois. is now vice pres
dent and presides over the senate with
discretion and decorum.
The rules of the senate are seldom
changed. The senator's are men of dis
tinction. and great courtesy prevails in
haf he
and exciting scenes which are
frequently enacted in the house
are never duplicated in the sen.
ate. The rules of the senate permit
| unlimited debate. A senator may talk
every day, and as long as he pleases,
upon any subject. Senator Blair, OF
New Hampshire, talked for ten days on
the Blair educational bill. Senator AL
len, of Nebraska, talked Is hours con-
tinuously on the silver purchase repeal
bill. In the house of representatives
the rules limit debate, and no man is
permitted to talk more than one hour
without unanimous consent, a thing
which rarely occurs.
The speaker appoints the committees
for the house; but the senators them
selves, in caucus, appoint their own com
mittees. Every two years, when changes
occur in the senate, the committees are
revised and places made for newly-ad
mitted senators. Great interest at
taches to the reorganization of the SEN
ate because the two leading political
parties are so evenly divided, and they
must reach some harmonious conclu-
sion concerning committee member
ships. This can only be done by mutual
concessions. A great struggle will be
made over the membership of the
finance committee. It is to be finish
fight between the silver men and the