Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-04-08

ing members and given all the power to
the speaker. This is not a legislative
or deliberative body and insist that
its power be returned to the house" In
conclusion he said that the president
had recommended that congress enter
on financial legislation and the returns
from Chicago. Cincinnati and Detroit
indicated that the people wanted finan-
cial legislation.
There was a profound silence when
Speaker Reed began to explain his poll
icy. He said: The house will perceive
that the gentleman from Kansas lSimp-
son] 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 it. So far as the
power Of the speaker Is concerned every
one who has made the subject the mat
ter of consideration understands that his
power is solely the power of the house.
and the house can at any moment
change the action which its 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
always been allowed to the chair a rea-
scnable amount of discretion as to the
time when they should be appointed.
Opportunity is always allowed to the
chair to find out something about men,
bers, so that he may do the duties which
are imposed upon him in the most intel
ligent way Of which he is capable. 1t is
not rare case that the speaker has not
appointed committees at once. A con-
gress which was called together under
circumstances something like the pres
ent-the Forty second-was presided over
by very eminent man, Mr.. Blaine. and
he declined-not declined, but did not
see f1t-tc appoint committees.
There are about 10 new members in the
house. Under ordinary circumstances
the occupant of the chair has time from
the 4th day of March until the first Mon
day in December to obtain information
in regard to his fellow members; but
under the present circumstances there
has been no opportunity.
I'VE have been called together in ex-
traordinary session, and the question
was what was the best course for US to
pursue-whcther we should wait in ap-
pointing the committees until such time
as would make the appointments more
suitable; or whether the public service
was in such a condition that that ought
tc he done. Now the chair has had full
consultation with the various members
as he has met them, upon the subject.
and until this morning he supposed that
it was the unanimous feeling of the
house that it was not necessary to ap-
point the committees in haste. because
the public service did not require 1T. The
chair is sorry to see that any gentleman
in the house has lent himself to the sug-
gestions which are sometimes made out
side of the house with regard to the
power of the occupant of the chair.
1T is a power that is given to him by
the house for its purposes, and its pur-
poses alone; not for any selfish purpose
not for him to carry out any personal
desires or designs of his own, but tc
carry out the wishes of the house as he
understands them after a faithful and
conscientious examination of the subject
If the house thinks that any occupant OF
the chair Is not carrying out its wishes
is not acting as its representative-the
remedy is in the hands of the house a,
any time: and the chair cheerfully wei.
comes any action on the part Of the
house whose representative he is" PRO.
longed applause on the Republican
side.1
Adjourned until Saturday.
Washington, April s. - The senate
passed house bill appropriating-ir
response to a presidential message set
| ting forth the need thereof-s200,O 0j
| for the relief Of the flood sufferers or
the Mississippi river and the Red Rive
| of the North. The balance of the da!
| was taken up with Morgan on Cuba ant
| an executive session.