The age-herald., 1897-12-28
THE SEASON FOR DINNERS
Amos J. Cummings Recalls FeS-
 tivitieS in Washington.
FLOWER, FITCH AND CABLE
All Three Were Entertainers of Rare Tact and Capabiiy-lndident In Which Col. Fel-
 lows and John Allen Figured.

Special Correspondence The Age-Herald.
 Washington, December 26.-Great is unwritten law in legislation Its mys- teries are marvellous and it's powers are times and startles it from it's reveries. Vague and shadowy, it has the force of habit and the power of enactment. It is as imperative as the decrees of an emperor.
 A statement that Speaker Reed has never honored ssthe venerable Galusha A. Grow by calling him to the chair of the house of representatives has excited considerable comment. Grow was speaker of the house at the outbreak of the war, thirty-six years ago. The fact that Gen. Nathaniel r. Banks was treated in the same way by the same speaker in the Fifty-first congress added interest to the comment Banks was speaker way back in 1855, succeeding Linn Boyd of Kentucky. Grow made an excellent presiding officer, and Banks was simply magnificent. He was the beau ideal of a parliamentarian in form, voice and action. Sunset Cox once said that Banks methods in presiding were like the music of the spheres His voice rang out amid the widest commotion, and order instantly prevailed
 One incident in his career at the desk is worth recalling It occurred at the close or the first session of the Thirty-fourth con- gress, on Aug. 1S 1S56 Both houses had agreed to adjourn sine die at 12 o'clock on that day. A tagging army appropriation bill was under consideration in the senate when it became high noon in the house. The roll was being called upon Jolnt res olution to prolong the session when the hands of the clock pointed to l2 Banks arose saying that as the house had hXed this day and hour for the termination or the session. the house would now adjourn without day. All this time MT. MillSon or Virginia was protesting. As Banks brought down the gavel, and was gravely descend- ing the steps, Millson rushed toward hlh' shouting: MT. Speaker, MT. Speaker, MT: Speaker, it is 12 o'clock until 1t IS o ciock'
 That is very true, sir,' MT Banks dig oiGedly responded. but it is 12 o'clock when it is 12," placing a strong accent upon the word 'is" And the house was ad- journed, necessltating an extra session, which lasted ten days.
 MT. Reeds action in ignoring Grow ana Banks in filling the chair temporarily gave rise to much speculation. It certain lv seemed that no more delicate or grace ful compliment could be paid them than to have given them an opportunity to wield anew the gavel handled skllfully nearly half a century ago. His action, however is in line with a custom unVarled since the First congress- It IS the uhWrlt- ten law of the house Of representatives,
  It was borrowed from the unwritten law of the British parliament. It was first en- unciated in the house by Henry Clay over seventy years ago. Clay was speaker seV- en years On his re-entry to the house he refused a reelection to the chair. When afterwards asked by the speaker to take the chair temporarily, he declined, upon the ground that 1t would be violation or the unwritten law. His example was fol- lowed years afterward by ex-Speaker Rob ortM Virginia, Sneaker Robert C.. Winthrop, of Massa- chusetts Ex-Speaker Banks also declined a similar honor before the war
 Samuel J. Randall another ex-speaker, was once asked to preside temporarily by Benton McMiin, who was filling the chair in the absence of Speaker Carlisle. He de- clined so peremptorily that McMiil1n fan- cied he was chagrined because the demo- cratic caucus had preferred Carllsie 10 himself as it's candidate for the high non or In conversation afterwards, in the room of the committee on appropriations, Randall recalled the precedent set by deh- " Clay and said that it would stand as long as the nation remained in existence. It is also the unwritten law of the house that an ex-speaker shall never appeal from a decision of the chair. EX-Speaker James C Blaine made this announcement While Michael c. Kerr. of Indiana, was speaker MT Kerr was the first democratic speaker elected after the war. The floor had been taken from MT. Blaine under the speaker s ruling The Maine statesman said that though he differed with the speaker as to the construction of the rule, yet in har- mony with the established custom and practice he would not take an appeal. This practice Is also taken from the prac- tice of the house of commons Both are thorough illustrations of the ties that bound us to the mother country, even aI- ter the trials of the revolution and the acknowledgement of the independence of the colonies.
 The truth is that the practice Is reni- nant of feudalism and really does not be- long to our American system, as 1t Is based ,,non an assumption of aristocratic pr1Yi- leoes Apparently every member of the house Is at the command of the speaker except the ex-speaker, who is regarded as his peer.
 Temporary Presiding Officers
 Tn the Fifty-first congress Speaker Reeds fayorite presiding officer was Julius Caesar Burrows, of Michigan. While extremely fair and courteous, Burrows was dignifed and never lost his head in the swirl of parliamentary tempest. There was no vi- braton to his nerves, and the line of legis- lation never became snarled or knotteH. The speaker himself might return at any time, no matter how great the uproar, and find the course clean and clear. In the last congress Governor Dingley usually as sumed the rens in his absence. DinSey is eminently conservative and practcal, while wary and Watcn1ul Wniie He "aS in the chair there could be no unseemly breaks in legislation. despite the intricacies of the rules and perils that usually beset majority of more than two-thlrds.
 Most of the legislation of the house, how ever. is considered in committee of the whole. All measures involving appropria- lions go there under the rule. Its chairman has great power. and must be a man or excellent Judgment and of more than ordi- nary ability. Parliamentary experts are continually raising points of order. and a careless ruling might entail disaster not only to the party, but to the country. Each sneaker seems to have his favorites for presiding in committee of the whole. MT Crisp usually made his selection from half dozen members exclusively, and Mir. Reed does the same. It would hardly be safe to fry experiments with unknown quantities. Well-seasoned timber Is imperativeiy de- manded.
 Since the beginning of the session the house has considered two of the great ap- proprIation bills in committee of the whole on the state of the union. One was the pension bill carrying an appropriation oe
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