The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-08

reported In the newspapers that the
speaker says the trouble Is that IL the com
mittees We're appointed where one lust
claim passed there would be ten unjust
ones is not this reflection on this
house? ask the honorable speaker"
In the Ftfty-first CONFESS the power OF
the minority to protest had been taken
away and the speaker given veto power
Mr. simpson continued. 1T was unsafe
| TO give one man such power, for where
one despot OF 100 might use his power
| wisely. the other ninety nine would prove
bad despots."
Tho speaker had come to Kansas during
the election and had said on the stump
that for four years the Seventh congress
sional district (Mr. Simpson's) had been
represented by chaos. When the speaker
| refused to appoint committees the house
| was ruled by chaos
II demand that the speaker appoint these
committees" he shouted "as long as
| am member OF this house no business
shall be done by unanimous consent and
only In the regular form after opportunity
for consideration by the committees. The
members of this house have given the
speaker the veto power by the adoption OF
the rules of the last congress- The peo-
Pile might as well have saved themselves
the expense of electing members and given
all the powers to the speaker. This is not
legislative nor II deliberativc body ana
house"
In conclusion he said the president had
recommended that congress enter on imam
cIal legislation and the returns from chi.
cagu, Cincinnati and Detroit indiostcN
that the people waited financial legisla-
ton.
There was a profound silence when
Speaker Reed began to explain his policy
He said:
"The house will perceive that the gem
tleman from Kansas tMr simpson, mas
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 te
stated and that the house should consider
It, So far as the power of the speaker Is
concerned. every one who has made 'he
subject matter of consideration unue:-
stands that his power is solely the po"er
of the house and the house can at any
moment change the action which repre-
sentatives see fit TO indulge in. The house
has the power at all times and while me
rules of the house require certain conf
mittees to be appointed there has always
been allowed to the chairman a reaaonipie
amount Of discretion as to the time when
they should be appointed Opportunity is
always allowed TO the chair to find out
something about members so that he may
do the duties which are imposed upon nm
In the most intelligent way of which ne
is capable. 1t is not a rare case that the
speak n has not appointed committees AT
once A congress which was called TO-
gother under circumstances something Ike
the present the Forty second. was pre-
sided over by a very eminent man, Mr..
Blaine and he declined not declined bh'
did not see fit--to appoint committees.
The matter was brought up in the house
and he gave his reasons therefor ana those
reasons were approved by the house, at
lao "A nOtlSe
the subject. There are about $50 new mem
hers in the house. Under ordinary cir
cunstances the occupant OF the chair mas
time rom the fourth day of March until
the first Monday In December TO obtain
Information in regard to his follow mem
bers hit under the present circumstances
there has been no opportunity. We have
been called together In extraordinary SEES
sion ard the question as TO the lest
course to pursue was whether We should
wait in appointing committees until such
time as would make the appointments
more suitable or whether the public service
was in such a condition that 1t ought to
he done at once. Now the chair has had
full consultation with the various mem
bers as he has met them upon the sub
ject and until this morning he supposed
that II was the unanimous feeling OF the
house that II was unnecessary to apront
the committees in haste because the pub
lie service did not require 1t. II is a power
that is given to the chair by the house for
it's purposes and It's purposes alone. mot
for any selfish purposes, not for him
carry out any personal desires or designs
of his own, but to 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 tho chair is not carrying out
its wishes. is not acting as its rcpre9er
tative, the remedy is in the hands Of the
house at any time and the chair cheerfully
welcomes any motion on the part OF thu
house whose representative he is" G'ro-
longed applause on the republican sidc)
At l:20 the house adjourned until sat
urday.