The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-15
How ElOquence is Stifled
in the House.
New Members of That Body
Get No Chance to Talk.
The Bright Pushing Men Cannot
Distinguish Themselves.

cent occurrences in congress have served TO
bring out more strikingly than ever the es-
sential difference between the senate and
the house of representatives and TO add to
the discomfort OF members of the latter
body. Their great complaint is that under
the rules of the house. as they are at this
present moment, there Is no chance what
ever for man TO make reputation. De-
bate Is discouraged In the house. Only a
few favored leaders, men of long service,
get the time 10 make speech in which
they can do themselves or their subject JUS
tice. For example, the debate on the Pa
ciflc railroad funding bill, ono Of the most
important measures brought before con-
gress In many years and one OF the best
upon which to make an address of "a popu-
lar character, was really discussed by only
a small number Of men, and few of these
had time enough at their disposal to enable
them TO acquit themselves with credit.
The great mass Of representatives had to
te content with catch as catch can sort OF
participation IN the discussion under what
is known as the five minute rule.
The House Rules.
The FIVE minute rule is most discour-
aging thing. The new member of congress
who is put down on tho list for five min
utes thinks BIO can make his reputation In
that time. He sets out with an explana-
tion of why he has appeared in this debate.
Ee states his propositions. He indicates
the spirit In which he has approached
study of the question. Finally he begins
his real argument. But in nine cases out
OF ten he has uttered no more than few
sentences of the solid part of his speech
when down comes the speakers gavel with
bang, the presiding officer calls out, 1.-THE
time of the gentleman has expired, and
another budding ambition Is crushed to
earth. Sometimes the speakers interfer-
ence with flights of eloquence is comical,
for now and then it catches man at
most inconvenient period and leaves him
hanging, as 1t were, between the heaven
and the earth Of defamation. At other
times il is pathetic, for once In awhile
really able and promising speech is cut
short, and an opportunity to bring ont
strong man and add him to the list of
notables is ruined by enforcement Of the
rule.
OF course II ism the speakers fault he
cannot help himself. The rules are made
to be enforced, and to enforce them Is his
sworn duty. Ii he were TO become lax and
show favoritism here or there, his disci-
pine would not endure a day, and his repu-
tation and peace of mind would disappear in
In "a twinkling The trouble is In the system.
1t is the way the house is organized. Too
much time Is consumed IN droning along
with routine business Trivial debate
about uninteresting things eats up day aft
er day. Matters which should have been
attended to in the committee rooms arc
made to waste the time Of all the house.
There is room for reform. The methods
of the house should be changed.
No Opportunity.
Each congress brings to Washington
something like hundred new members OF
the house. They are bright, pushing men,
who have forced themselves to the front,
riding over competition, from all the states
of the Union. They are naturally anxious
to distinguish themselves. They are eager
to do something to justify the confidence
which their constituents have reposed In
them. They expect to find an opportunity
to do So But what are the facts? A new
member Is lucky If he gets the floor at all
during his first session. If he gets 10 for
more than five minutes, he may consider
that he has drawn big prize In the lot
terry. The net result is that all these
bright, ambitious, capable men drone
along all the winter through without OPP
portunity to do anything, becoming lazy
and Indifferent, having all the life and
spirit squeezed out Of them, and in the
spring many OF them come to the conclu-
sion that service in congress Is not what
1t has been cracked up to be.
How different things are in the senatel
How members OF the house do envy their
brethren at the other end of the capitol In
the senate one may talk when he pleases
and practically upon any subject that
catches his fancy. Moreover, he may talk
till he is tired, be it one hour or four
hours or two days or four days. Still better,
he may give notice Of the day and hour at
which he will address the senate He may
prepare himself fully. He may make rendy
to deliver the greatest speech Of his life
He may invite his friends and may send
out advance copies OF his speech to the
newspapers. In the senate there Is every
inducement TO man to study, to work, to
prepare himself, for the making of great
effort In the house thero is every tempta-
tion To become lazy, Indifferent, hopeless
The wonder is considering the difference
between the two systems, that so few sena-
tors make really admirable and striking
speeches, and that SO many members of the
mousse ContrlNe w hocP ehoihSSiNcs boioie
the public eye.
The senate Thcrmostat.
Away down In the subbasoment of the
senate chamber, underneath the beautiful
terrace which extends along the west front
OF the capitol arc tho engine rooms. To
90 into these engine rooms, with their bat
terry Of huge boilers, the large and small
engines, the complicated electric lighting
apparatus, the multitude of wires running
In and out, the machinery used for venti
lating, warming and cooling tho senate
chamber, one Is tempted to think himself
in tho powor department OF a great factory
rather than I'm the bowels of the United
States capitol. Here the new heating and
ventilating apparatus Of the senate cham
bcr Is located and here is n dovice. useful
and curious, which has become standing
Joke IN the house Of lords.
IL Is called tho thormostat Connected
ne IL iswith tho senate chamber by electric
wires, the engineer in charge can ascertain
what the temperature Is In any part Of the
4.