The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-08
JERRY AND
THE CAR.
Mr.. Simpson Attacks Speaker
Reed
In Fierce Speech on the Floor
of the House.
TRIED TO GET EVEN
For Things Reed Said at
Wichita.
The Speaker Lets Him Go On
and Replies Calmly.

Washington, April S.-The most in
teresting feature of the house session
yesterday was a passage between Rep
resentative Simpson, the Kansas Pop
ulist, and Speaker Reed. Mr.. Simpson
gave voice to the opposition to the
speakers temporary policy Of inaction,
which has been smoldering in some
quarters, by speaking to a question of
privilege. He finished fiery denunci-
alton of the speaker by demanding that
he appoint the committees of the house
at once and gave notice that he would
prevent any more attempts to do bust
ness by unanimous consent. Several
Republican members attempted stem
the tide of Mr. Simpsons attack, but
Mr.. Reed seemed to desire to hear it,
and declined to interfere. He listened
calmly to the speech, and then, with his
usual GOODNESS and 1ucidity, replied that
the speaker was merely the instrument
of the house, that he had enforced what
he supposed to be the policy desired by
the majority and that the house had
power to command the speaker if it
disapproved of his course The Re
pubHcans expressed their approval by
a round of handcIapping.
When Mr. Simpson obtained the floor
he waved aloft a copy of the Forum
and proceeded to read rapidly from an
article by Senator Hoar, entitled, Has
the Senate Degenerated? The extract
which he quoted follows:
THE prOmptness with which the
house of representatives deals with
some important questions is a good
thing; but its capacity for prompt ac-
tiOn is purchased at the price of the
reputation of public debts and the
suppression of constitutional rights,
personal dignity and official authority
of the great mass of its members. Gen
tlenlen occupy seats there who, from
the beginning to the end of their term
of service, are not permitted to make
a motion or to utter a word to the as
Sembly of which they are members.
Perhaps wise legislation may be Sc
cured while one house is conducted on
that principle, but am afraid free
government would not long endure if
it were applied to both houses
Mr.. Simpson read very rapidly, and
MI Steele protested in an angry tone,
but the speaker paid no attention to
the member from Indiana.
L represent a large district" shouted
the Kansan, tossing down the maga-
zine, --and the refusal of the speaker
to appoint the committees of this house
depriVeS me and my constituents OF the
right to do business. I propose to rise
here and protest against this autocratic
dictatiOn. It is reported in the news
papers that the speaker says that the
trouble is that If the committees were
appointed where one just claim passed
there would be ten unjust ones. Is
this not a reflection on this house? I
ask the honorable speaker.
In the Fifty-frst congress the power
of the minority to protest had been
taken away and the speaker given
veto power Mr.. Simpson continued.
1T was unsafe to give one man such
power, for where one despot of 100
might use his power wisely, the other SO
would prove bad despots. The speaker
had come into Kansas during the cleo
ton and had said on the stump that
for four years the Seventh congress
sional district (Mr. Simpsons had
been represented by chaos. When the
speaker refused to appoint committees,
the house was ruled by chaos.
Il demand that the speaker appoint
these committees" he shouted. AS
long as I am member OF this mouse
no business shall be done by unanimous
consent and only in the regular form
after opportunity for consideration by
the members The members OF TINS
house have given the speaker the veto
power by the adoption of the rules OF
the last congress. The people might as
well have saved themselves the ex-
pense of electing members, and given
all the power to the speaker. This is not
now a legislative body, and insist that
its power be returned to the house"
IN conclusion he said that the presi-
dent had recommended that congress
enter on financial legislation, and the
returns from Chicago, Cincinnati and
Detroit indicated that the people want
ed financial legislation.
There was a profound silence when
Speaker Reed began to explain his poll
cy. He said:
1.-The house will perceive that the
gentleman from Kansas (Nfr. Simpson,
has made no proposition whatever upon
the subject. He has simply stated his
own views, and the chair has thought
perhaps it was best that the matter
should be stated and that the house
should consider ii. So far as the power
of the speaker is concerned, everyone
who has made the subject the matter
of consideration understands that his
power is solely the power of the house
and the house can at any moment
change the action which it's representa-
tive sees fit to- indulge in. The house
has the power at all times and while
the rules of the house require certain
committees to be appointed, there has
sOnable amount of discretion as to the
time when they should be appointed.
Opportunity is always allowed to the
chair to find out something about mem
bers so that he may do the duties which
are imposed upon him in the most in
telIigent way of which he is capable.
The chair has had full consultation
with the various members as he has
met them upon the subject, and until
this morning he supposed it was the
unanimous feeling of the house that il
was not necessary to appoint the COM
mfttees in haste, because the public
sorry to see that any gentleman in the
house has lent himself to the sugges-
tions which are sometimes made out
side of the house with regard to the
power of the occupant of the chair. It
is a power that is given to him by the
house for its purposes alone. not for any
selfish purposes, not for him to carry