The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-04
OUR CONGRESS
AND ITS POWERS.
Or. Wilson's Last Lecture at Rlch-
mond College.
AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE
Lecturer Compared the Two Houses
and Showed What Great Power Is
Given the Spcaker-Possible FL
fccts That May Result.

Richmond College under the Thomas
Museum Lecture Endowment attracted
a large and representative audience
again last night. Or. Woodrow Wilson,
the lecturer, was given the closest at
tention throughout. He has won Tor MN
SELF q high place IN the esteem oil RICH
mond people as an attractive, lhs't uC-
tive and interesting platform spe"hei'
and many expressions OF most ldNoid-
bic character have been heard apou'
the distinguished educator.
POWERS OF CONGRESS.
DIR. Wilson took as his subject last
night. "The Organization and Powers
of Congress"
He spoke in part as follows:
This subject is, in certain sense only
continuation Of the last.
II is our object TO see how Congress
separated as it is from the executive
branch Of the Government, conducts Hs
business and fulfills the duties that Ian
to it. The way in which Il does us
work depends upon its rules, ana II mas
not been often enough observed that
parliamentary law is a very important
part of the public law Of the nation
The efficiency Of Congress and its re-
Iatioa to the general business OF the
nation. must largely depnd upon us
own rules and methods OF acton, anu
our Congress-. though il started with the
general parliamentary law OF the Eng
lish race. has in the course OF a CEN
fury. developed 50 many special ruleS
and so distinct an organization OF ils
own, that ii is quite unlike the fariia-
ment of Great Britain in almost every
respect Even in its original constltu-
lion II exhibited a marked feature OF
It's two houses have been from the hrst
rnle coordinate and equal in power.
whereas I'm England the lower mousse
tbat Is the House of Commons. has
for almost century had superiority
Of mower which has steadily dWailea
that Of the House of Lords.
Our Congress still enjoys the pecullar
rospect which has belonged to II from
the outset. because 1t represented inc
oo,alitv Of the states and stood for the
Federal principals IN our national Gov
eminent. There is in it the same equal
itv of votes that existed in the COMPRESS
of the old confederation ana the Hen"'1
NAV be said TO be in certain sense. f.,
fragment Of that old Congress lnc
senators retain in theory at least some
of the dignity Of the plenlpoteh'iais
representatives Of the States.
THE PRIMARY PLAN.
There Is stiU a doubt remaining among
ne ,ybotber the Senators represent Inc
noonie Of these several States. or the gov
eminent which elects them unInlS-
taiablv the tendency Of the times Is 10
make them representatives, OF the peoplA
While we have not yet adopted the 2rao-
tice Of electing senators by popular No'c
for that would involve an amendment Oh
the constitution. We have In several Oh mo
States invited the people TO express thrn
preference in the primaries ana so nav
mt i'm their hands If not the aclual
choice. at any rate the authontlVe no,
nation Of the senators. Ihls Il d. Wv"
,,olonmcnt which operates in some degree
agoinst federal principles. for the popu-
lar action which dominates Senators II no
moro confined by state boundaries than
the popular election OF members Of me
House Of Representatives or the toi-
e,ressicnal districts do not cross the STATE
lines of each state as II is not as
tinct delegation in the House. only equal
representation Of the States i'm the senate
romains 10 remind us Of the federal pfin-
ciples upon which it is made up.
THE NATION AS a WHOLE.
when We come 20 examine the House
Of REPRESENTATIVES it is very dinlcult 10
determine what in fact 10 can be salu
to rcpreScrN NO opuDl IT. u th' 49,,
Of this consA ution that it represents not
localities bun ne nation as Whoie anu
i'm the early years Of its existence when
II was comparatively simple in its organ
ization. this theory may have been pos
eible 10 realize in action. but the iatef
developmcnts Of its organization nave
made II more and more difficult TO recog-
nize it as a national instrument Ihere
Is no one on the floor who represents the
country as a whole. Every member from
the Sneaker down represents local us
trict. and it has become more ana more
the habit Of Congressman 10 thlnk Oh
themselves as sent TO Washington III OF
der that their particular constituents may
get such benefits as is possible from the
legislation Of Congress.
The one man who seems 10 stand above
the rest as n recognized I<ty leader
standing for the general policy which his
marty has put into power, is the Speaker
or presiding officer of the House, but the
Speaker himself I'm fact represents only
the particular constituency from which
he comes. The voters Of the country
AT large have had no opportunity to eX-
prees their confidence I'm him or their
lack Of confidence He is too. afterward
associated with men who have them
SELVES no national vote behind them.
TIE SPEAKERS GREAT lONkR.
The rules of the House put eXtraordi-
nary power in the hands Of the Speaker.
It's acts of legislation are practically
without g ception devised and formulated
nv IFS numerous committees. For each
class Of business there is a special stand
Ing, CONN ittee which lead the House with
regard 10 that part of its action. Every
committee is appointed by the Speaker
of the House and he can Of course give
to any particular committee such a mem
bership as will insure its acting In ac-
cordance with his purpose as party
leader The rules of the House give 10
the committee the command of the foor
and the control Of debate practically Mt
all times. and private member can get
the floor for the purpose Of making pro-
posal of his own only IL the Speaker
knows what he has TO say will not GER
tainly interfere with the programme or
the session. but with the plans of the
group Of leaders whom the Speaker con-
suits and represents. As a consequence
Of this system an amount Of power fails
10 the Speaker which is hardly second
TO the power of the President Of the
United States himself. when it is remem-
bered that the President himself cannot
govern the course of the Legislature at
all except as an unofficial private indi-
vidual To govern II by persuasive confer
cnce with the leaders of the House. that |
he can only wait until the Houses act |
and then must interpose his veto. IL |
will then be seen that there is in the |
whole arrangement no place of leadership |
whatever. but that leadership falls al |
most entirely to the Speaker and to those |
whom he chooses to consult.
IN tho Senate there is really no leader