The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-13
POWER OFTHE SPEAKER
A Movement to Curtail 1t In
the House.
MINORITY RULE IN THE SENATE.
Abundant Reasons For Reform In Both
branches of Congress-One Man Power
In the House-No Power at All In the
Senate.

1 WASHINGTON, dec. IL. - special =
There is good deal of talk of reform of
both branches of congress in important
particulars IL is true that today the
house of representatives, the great COM
mons of the republic, is body virtually
controlled 10y one man. The speaker,
through his committee ON rules, is prac-
tically the arbiter of the proceedings of
the house-that is to say, he is able vir-
tually 10 say what shall be considered
and what shall not be considered. He can
not order that matter under considera-
ton shall be acted upon favorably or I'M
fayorably, and if he permits u bill to come
up it may be passed, though he is opposed
70 II. But the power which he wields is
well nigh autocratic, nevertheless, for he
need not permit legislation To which he is
| opposed TO come before the body. The pres
ident of the United States has the veto
| power after legislation has passed con-
| gress, but even no is subject to overthrow
| by two-thirds vote i'm each house. But
the speaker of the house exercises the veto
| power i'm advance of proposed legislation
without revision or possibility of reversal.
| 1t is not often one hears complaints that
| the present speaker Uses this power tyran-
nically or wrongly. Mr. Reed is II just
| man. He would have made u good Judge
| on the bench. He has a judicial mind
He often permits matters To come before
the house which if he were in his seat and
voting he would not vote for. The COM
plant of those who are dissatisfied with
the present state of things is that the
principle is wrong Today | was present
when two members of congress. both Re
Nl.l f..atn
| representative, discussed this question.
Reed Is the House."
You have not a representative govern
ment at your end of the capitol, said the
senator to the representative. Speaker
Reed is the house of representatives all by
himself. Instead of being great house of
commons, in which the will of the people
finds sway, you are subject to the rule of IA
one man dictatorship. You sit powerless
at its feet Every day hear members say
ing that they believe the house is ready to
do this, that or the other thing if the
speaker will only consent to permit the
matter to come up. Is it not high time to
change such systemy Grant that Mr..
Reed is "a fair minded man and just
leader. suppose some day you get speak
er over there who is mean or corrupt or
the power which the present speaker takes
into his hands in way which endangers
the country, as he might do in crisis.
What sort Of means would you take to Sc
cure your rights as representatives. of the
people in such "a caseY Why, you would
turn him out of the chair 10y force, if nee
essary, by any sort of violent or revolution
AIRY means you found most available"
There Is some force and justice in what
you say, replied the representative but
how are things ut your own end of the
capitol: Are your skirts clear? | have an
idea that you need reforming quite as
much rs we do If we have one man pow
cr, you must remember that this man is
chosen by the majority. He is the repre-
sentative of their will. If they should con-
clude not TO support him, | suppose some
way could be found in which they could
take the power away from him. He rules
through orders from his committee on
rules, but these orders are not effective till
"A majority OF the house has confirmed
them, SO that, after all, it is the majority
that rules.
Minority Rule In the Senate.
But in your senate" continued the
representative, 'you have no rule of the
majority. The minority can rule when
ever it cares TO exert itself The majority
is powerless to bring on a vote when the
minority wishes to interpose itself against
action My idea of the proper organiza-
ton OF a parliamentary body is that it
should by rule safeguard the rights of the
minority, SO that there may always be
reasonable opportunity for debate, but
that when the proper time comes the ma
jority should have the power to stop de-
bate and to proceed to vote. You have
not that in the senate, and until you get
it do not see that you are rs well off as
we are over in the house"
Il am willing to admit that we are
working under false system, {" replied
the senator, land I am heartily in favor
of a change for the better. But / do not
want to see "a radical rule adopted II we
initiate the house in the matter of rules,
we may soon find ourselves in just the po-
sition you are ina lot of men sitting
about Oh the floor waiting to hear what
orders our bosses are going to give us as
to what we shall do. The present state of
things in the senate is preferable to that,
for, after all, the senate does come to vote
some time or other on every question
which is eagerly pressed by majority. /
should like to adopt the previous question
in the senate, with notifications, such rs
one requiring so many days notice before
the previous question could be moved. l
believe we shall soon come to this or some
thing like it. -
The Previous Question.
1t is an open secret about the senate
chamber that since the discovery that i'm
the First congress there was a rule proyid-
ing previous question the Republican
leaders have taken up anew the PROPOSE
ton to change the rules and provide IA
means of cutting off debate. Vice Presi-
dent Hobart, who has been i'm favor of "a
reform of the practice of the senate ever
since he came TO Washington; Senator
Mason of Illinois and others who want the
senate organized on "A businces basis are
looking up all the records Of tho senate to
see what precedents there are for a pre-
vious question. There may be others be-
sides the rule of the First congress which
i have referred Co.
At any rate, IL looks as IL this matter of
changing the rules were pretty sure TO
come to the front ere long, and when it
does come there will be some interesting
and exciting scenes i'm the quiet old senate