The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-05-27
bound HAND FOOT.
The Senate Is a Very Clannish
Organization.
IUIlsFOR OBsTRUCTING BUSINESS
why That August Body Looks Alliance ~
Speaker Redistribution Law and the
Constitution-whyM MIR. Reed Does Not
Care For the Vice Presidency.

United States senate is very clannish
body 1t is bound hand and foot by tradi-
tions 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 Is. Reed to the vice
presidency, thus making him the presiding
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 he would find
a way TO change the rules Of the senate SO
that there might be "a way to limit debate
and to proceed TO vote. Some of Mr..
Reeds admirers have a blind sort of faith
In his prowess and are confident he could
twist the senate about his fingers as easily
as he did the house of representatives,
Prejudices In the Senate.
But the senate is one of the most pecul-
lar legislative bodies on earth. l have by
careful inquiry discovered TWO extraordi-
nary features of the present situation in
the senate which appear to have escaped
attention up to this time. One 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 "a few weeks
ago when Mr. Reed paid visit To the SEN
ate chamber and was permitted TO sit all
alone for 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 the men of
his own party in the senate and the Re
publican senators are 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 term
as speaker Mr.. Reed was much Disguised
with the senate and did not hesitate TO say
so. His caustic comments have not been
forgotten. When the talk of nominating
Mr.. Reed for vice president first sprang
up, it was greeted with derision in the
senate. When it apparently became n lit
tie more serious, the senators paused TO
explain that it would never do in the
world. They did not want any Reed in
theirs. One senator Republican and
leader, said TO me:
1t would not do any good to send Mr..
Reed over here as vice president. He could
not accomplish anything. If he attempted
any innovations, no one would support
him on one side of the chamber, and of
course no one would on the other side.
The people who think because Mr.. Reed
instituted 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
president chair he would be under suspi-
cioD. If he attempted anything not pro-
vided for in the rules, there would be
trouble"
Power Of the Vice President.
The other feature of the situation in the
senate to which 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 the body. Even the party
friends of the vice president share this
prejudice and in pursuance of 1t decline TO
consider him one of them. They do not
invite him TO their caucuses, nor do they
informally consult him about party mat
tiers. The theory on which this prejudice
or tradition Is based is an interesting one.
1t is, in effect, that the vice president is
apart from the senate, above the strife of
parties, "a fgurehead, "a mere moderator of
order on the floor, an impartial, judicial
officer who has nothing to do but to follow
all the written rules as he finds them in
the manual and TO respect all the unwrit
ten laws or traditions of the senate as they
may be interpreted to him by the veteran
senators.
This idea is carried to such an extreme
that leading senators have told me vice
president will not be permitted to preside
when any serious question of parliament
tary practice or of changing the rules comes
up for consideration. The tradition com
mands that at such critical moments the
senate be presided over by SENATOR by
the member Of the body who has been
elected vice president pro tempore A lead
ing senator said:
"lf the rules of the senate are ever
changed SO as to provide means OF cut
ting off debate and proceeding to VOTE it
will be done without any advice, assist
ance or interference from the vice presi
dent. 1t will be done by the senate itself,
and the vice president will not even pre-
side when 1t is done.'
"Unwritten Law"
"But the vice president is by the consti-
tuition made the presiding officer of the
senate, and who could prevent him presid
ing IL he wished to do soY''
1T is true the constitution makes him
the presiding officer" was the reply, but
there is something stronger than the con-
stitution, and that Is the unwritten law
He might persist I'm presiding, but this act
would destroy his influence in the senate,
would interfere with his usefulness, mar
his career and make his service source Of
unhappiness to himself. He could not af-
ford To do it and therefore would not do
it,
These are among the peculiarities of the
senate, the distinguishing features which
make 1t unlike any other body In the
world. Many people believe there Is a
great deal of fudge about the traditions Of
the senate. They believe the system which
now prevails Is an absurd one because IL
places the majority at the mercy of mi
GRITTY. They believe the time has come for
putting the senate on practical, bust
nesslike basis They also believe that
Mr. Reed Is the man TO do Ii.
1t is apparent, however, that II Mr..
Reed were to become vice president he
would have to do one of two things-either
fall into the groove of stereotyped dignity
shorn of influence and power which the
traditions of the senate have provided for
the constitutional presiding officer or go