Evening star., 1897-05-01
YIELDS A SCEPTER
The Speaker of the House is Really an
1mperator.
how he CANE TO HAVE SUCH POWER
AProcess That Began in the Fifty
First Congress.
JERRY SIMPSONS REVOLT

Written for The Evening Star.
Imperator is a new force in political sci
ence. Imperator is Speaker Reed, but I'M
perator by the will of The House. The rules
of the House make MIN Imperator. The
Imperator process began in the Fifty-first
Congress. Jefferson's Manual had proved
failure. 1t had left the lower house of
Congress at the mercy of the individual
1libuster. No business could be done when
he objected. This unique parsonage had not
appeared when Jefferson framed his man
ual. How the author Of the Declaration of
Independence would have acted If he had
foreseen the advent Of this remarka BILE
product Of an Intellectual age is problemat-
fcal, Speaker Reed acted as If by intuition.
He made an improvement upon the manual,
and the 1mperator appeared. New and inn
proved rules were necessary to sustain him.
The Speaker originated them in the Fifty
first Congress. He submitted them for
the consideration Of the House, and by
a strong party majority the House adopted
them.
When the Fifty-second Congress assem-
bled, the democratic majority recognized
the revolution that had been made in legis-
lation. That Congress made Speaker Crisp
has Speaker Reed in the present Congress-
ana he used this power whenever ne saw
ft. 1t originated in the committee on rules
Which he appointed and dominated. On
more than one occasion he asserted his
authority. The democratic caucus which
considered the rules sanctioned them, with
the expressed stipulation that when a ma
JoIlty OF the dominant party in the House
siehea request asking Ior a special order
nom the committee on rules providing for
the consideration Of any measure. th.,
speaker should sanction it. On one or more
and refused. eit
me Speaker was paramount. No man
was more firm in laying out line of action
and ana retaining it against all odds, either
inside or outside Of his party than SneaL
er Crisp. He may possibly have been more
suave and complaisant than Speaker Reed.
Dut ne was fully as firm and obd,1-
rate. He was Imperator
No New Role.
Party demands make Speakers in late
years Imperators. Speaker Reed is nIav-
ing no Eew role. He assumed it in the
f11ty-hrst Congress with the sanction of
those VINO made him Speaker. He resumed
II In the Fifty-fourth Congress, and was
enthusiastically sustained by his party in
the House. AT times there were slight in
oications OF dissent and revolt, so slight
as to be almost ridiculous One vas head
ed by Joseph H. Walker, now known "a
tne Doid mutineer Of the Quinsigamonf
NO Hery and untamed steed ever reared
more vicfously and kicked more persistent
ly. He made a second plunge in the lota
caucus for the selection of Speaker in tho
fHty-n1th Congress, and was seconded by
@ cantankerous colt from BufYa,o whose
nery a nostrils and bucking proclivities ex-
citeo universal admiration. 1t was a mere
hurry ana 1t all amounted to nothing. The
lmperator appeared. and was hailed with
ass,,a aseiamations Of delight. like Napoleon
returning from an Austeriitz
And he had returned from an Austerlitz
his antagonists. who had Indignantly and
unanimously refused to give him the Gus
Of tSs y9fe Of thanks in the closing
astically and unanimously given him a vot,
OF thanks In the expiring minutes of tha
Fifty-fourth Congress. Yet his attitudt,
and and rulings had been practically the same.
teen especially aroused in the EYftyE,irst
Congress because eight democrats had hean
unseated and republicans put in their
places; yet In the Fifty-fourth Congress so
many democrats were thrown out that it
required three committees on elections fo
90 the work. The Speaker had not Changed
but party feeling had been tempered The
Iact tnat Speaker Crisp had followed the
IathWay biazed by Speaker Reed had sof-
tened the feeling toward the present Speak
er. ihe lmperator idea had been recoe-
Iized, and its strength solidiied
Loyalty Supported.
AS the party leader in an opposition
House. Speaker Reed was Imperator when
IN his blunt way he waved his hand over
the republican side of the chamber, and. In
deep. significant tones, said: "All up."
Every republican responded with military
precision. Rarely did he encounter opposi
ton IN his own ranks. He was usually en-
thusiastfcally supported. The opposition
presented a marked contrast. The onlv
man >who could preserve any semblance of
authority over it was Charles F. Crisp.
His place was not easily to be filled.
Ihomas 3. Reed filled Crisp's place in
the committee on rules by appointing Jos.
w. Bailey of Texas. Even In this he show
ed his usual sagacity. The democratic
caucus apparently ratified the selection by
making Mr. Bailey its candidate for Speak
er. Thereupon Mr.. Reed placed the Texan
at the head Of the minority on the ways
and means committee. He did more than
this He selected that gallant young caya-
lier Of Virginia. Claude A. Swanson, as
Mr.. Bailey's colleague on the ways and
means. and supplemented 1t by putting at
his side young Louisianian, sans peur ct
sans reproche. Samuel M. Robertson of
Baton Rouge.
These selections were significant. The
three new members of the ways and means
were taken from the south, leaving the
northern democracy totally unrepresented
on the committee. Speaker Reed did not
even do as well by the northern Democracy
as he did in the F1fty-first Congress. FOR
while allowing them four members of the
committee at that time he made Governor
Flower Of New York one Of the four
Mr.. Crisp's Course.
His action in this Congress stands in
strong contrast to the course taken by
Speaker Crisp in the Fifty-second and
Fifty-third Congresses. Mr. Springer of
.yCyrps