The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-28
BOUND nANDANDrOOT.
The Senate Is a Very Clannish
Organization.
RULEsFOR OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Why That August Body Looks Askance at
Speaker Rehabilitation Law and the
Constitution Why Mr.. Reed Does Not
Care For the Vice Presidency.

WASHINGTON, May 27.-[Special THE
United States senate Is very clannish
body. 1t is bound hand and foot by tradi-
lions which Its leading members do not
appear anxious to get rid Of. For couple
of weeks past there has been great deal
of discussion as to what would be the
effect of electing Thomas b. Reed to the
vice presidency, thus making him tho pre-
siding officer of the senate. Many argue
that Mr.. Reed might do In the senate that
which he did In the house during his first
term as speaker. 1t is said no would find
a way to change the rules Of the senate so
that there might be way to limit debate
and to proceed To n vote. Some OF Mr..
Reeds admirers have a blind sort OF faith
in his prowess and are confident no could
twist the senate about his fingers as easily
as he did the house of representatives.
Prejudices In the Senate.
But the senate Is ono Of the most pecul-
lar legislative bodies on earth. havo by
careful inquiry discovered two extraordi-
nary features of the present situation In
the senate which appear to have escaped
attentionup to this time Ono OF these is
the prejudice against Mr.. Reed which ex-
lists at the north end of the capitol. The
speaker has but few friends In the senate.
1t did not escape observation few weeks
ago when Mr.. Reed paid visit to the SEN
ate chamber and was permitted to sit all
alone for a quarter OF an hour, no senator
caring to talk to him. This meant much
more than appeared on the surface. Mr.
Reed Is not popular even with tho men
of his own party in the senate, and the
Republican senators arc apparently quite
willing that the fact should be known.
One reason for the senatorial dislike OF
Mr.. Reed Is the criticism which he has
passed upon the upper branch at various
times in the past. During his first torn
as speaker Mr.. Reed was much disguised
with the senate and did not hesitate to
say so. His caustio comments have not
been forgotten. When tho talk Of nomi
mating Mr.. Reed for vice president first
sprang up, it was greeted with derision in
tho senate. When it apparently became a
little more serious, the senators paused To
explain that 1t would never do In the
world. They did not want any Reed In
theirs. One senator, a Republican and a
leader, said to me:
1T would not do any good to send Mr..
Reed over hero as vice president. He could
not accomplish anything. If he attempted
any innovations, no one would support
him on one side of tho chamber, and OF
course no one would on tho other side
The people who think because Mr.. Reed
instituted u parliamentary reform In the
house he could do the same thing in the
senate are greatly mistaken. Mr. Reed Is
not popular In this body, and from the
first moment of his appearance in the vice
presidents chair he would be under suspi
cion. If no attempted anything not pro
vided for in the rules, there would b'
trouble
Power Of the Vice President.
The other feature of the situation in thu
senate to which l have referred is an i'm
personal matter but in the same line
| There exists in the senate very strong
| prejudice against permitting the vice pres
ident to have anything to do with the pro
| ceedings of tho body Even the part.
friends of tho vice president share this pref
| udice and in pursuance of IL decline T.
consider him one Of them. They do no
| invite him to their cauouses, nor do the
| informally consult him about party mat
tiers. The theory on which this prejudic
| or tradition Is based is an interesting one
| 1t is, in effect, that the vice president !
Il
| parties, IA figurebead, q mere moderator o
order on the floor, an impartial Judicia
officer who has nothing to do but to fol
low all the written rules as he finds then
In tho manual and to respect all the I'm
written laws or traditions of the senate
they may be interpreted to him by the vet
| eran senators.
This idea is carried to such an extrem
that leading senators have told me vic
president will not be permitted to presid
when any serious question OF parliamen
tary practice or Of changing the rules come
up for constipation. The tradition com
mands that at such critical moments tn
senate be presided over by senator. b
tho member of the body who has bee
elected vice president pro tempore A lead
ing senator said:
IF the rules of the senate are eve
changed so as to provide means or Out
ting off debate and proceeding to vote,
will be done without any advice, assist
ance or interference from the vice presi
dent. 1t will be done by the senate itsel
and the vice president will not even pre-
side when 1t is DONE"
"Unwritten Law"
"But the vice president Is by the const
tuition made the presiding officer of Oh
senate, and who could prevent his presid
ing II he wished to do sof"
sit Is true the constitution makes hill
tho presiding officer, was the reply, "br
there Is something stronger than the cor
stitution, and that Is tho unwrittcn Law
He might persist In presiding, but this az
would destroy his influence In the senate
would interfere with his usefulness ms
his career and make his service source {
unhappiness to himself. He could nj
afford to do 1t, and therefore would M
do It,"
These are among the peouliarities OF 81
senate, the distinguishing features whic
make 1t unlike any other body In Il
world. Many people believe there is
great deal of fudge about the traditions
the senate Thoy believe the system whic
now prevails is an absurd one because
places the majority Mt the mercy of m
nority. They believe the time has come 4
putting the senate on a practical, bus
: nesslike basis. They also believe TIN
, Mr.. Reed Is the man to do 1t.
1t is apparent, however, that II MIR. Rec
were to become vice president no won
have to do one of two things, either ia
, into the groove of stereotyped digni
shorn of influence and power which q
traditions of tho senate have provided Il
the constitutional presiding officer OF ,
in and raise cain and have merry war
his hands. Though 1t Is true, as happt
60 know, that Mr.. Reed has had the vi
: presidential suggestion under consider
, ton, he will be- likely to think long tin
, before he accepts either horn OF this
| le,nma. WALTER WELLMAN.
A Taking Title.
"Your play is good enough, " said 9
+ veteran manager after he had read
through, 'but it needs better title thu
/ 'Sticketh Closer Than Brother. Wi
| 4. s1x.x xx-n,,ft flraxx ~