The San Francisco call., 1899-09-01
AUCTION SALES.
A CHANGE IN THE RULES.

y
made to bring about revision OF the rules
~ under which the House OF Representatives
does its work and change the Speakers position from
that OF the leader OF the majority OF the House to
that Of an impartial chairman presiding the de-
bates.
The movement for revision is in no sense par
tsan one nor does it spring from any desire to han
dcap the coming Speaker in the performance OF his
duties On the contrary, it is stated by the Washing
ton correspondent OF the New York Mail and EX-
press that General Henderson, who is now virtually
assured OF the Speakership will give the plan his ap-
proval
The merit OF the proposed change will be apparent
to any one who gives the subject consideration The
number of bills and resolutions introduced into Con-
ress at each session runs up into thousands. II Con-
gress undertook attend to all OF them 1t would not
be possible to do more than read them and vote upon
them There would be no time for anything else. II
is imperative that some committee take general charge
OF the business OF the House and determine what
measures shall and what shall not have hearing on
the floor That work has been performed in the House
OF Representatives by the Committee on Rules, OF
which the Speaker chairman, and in consequence
OF his double office the Speaker has been necessarily
a partisan official deciding a member OF the Rules
Committee what bills should have the right OF way,
and then as Speaker guiding them through the House.
Under the British parliamentary system the man
agement OF business and the determination to what
measures shall occupy the House is in the hands OF
the Ministry The Speaker, having nothing to do
with that part of the proceedings OF Parliament acts
impartiay in presiding over the debates when the
various bills are brought forward The proposed re-
vision of the rules of Congress will introduce some
thing like the British system into practice
In place OF the Committee on Rules Of which the
Speaker is chairman there will be substituted
mittee OF seven members, to be chosen by the ma
ority OF the House, This committee, to which the
Speaker will not be eligible will be composed wholly
Of members of the majority party and will have charge
OF all the business OF the session.
Under the new system there. will be notable
change in the rule relating to the recognition OF mem
bers claiming the floor According to the practice Of
late the Speaker has exercised the right OF recogniz
ing whom he chose and refusing the floor to whom
he chose The plan will require the Speaker 20
recognize the member who first rises He will have
no arbitrary option in the matter, and will therefore
be chairman merely, and not "czar."
1t is claimed by the advocates OF the reform that
il will be but return to the original parliamentary
practice Of the country, and that the effect will be to
enable majority OF the House to control the pro-
ceedngs Of the body without depending upon the in
dividual will OF the Speaker and insure to every
member the right to be heard 1t is expected more
over, to prevent the pigeonhong of measures which
have the support OF majority, but which are opposed
by the Speaker, and. in short, once more make the
House Of Representatives a sclf-governing BODY