Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-15
az zze.7~-A>
MR. HENDERSON AS SPEAKER.


David Bremner Henderson, of Iowa,
will find himself very soon the most
powerful man in the United States.
barring President Mckinley. Apart
from his absolute control over legisla-
ton, he Will enjoy enormous influence
and many advantages. He will draw "a
salary of SIS, 900 year-$3,000 more than
an ordinary congressman gets--and a
large and handsomely furnished office
adjoining the chamber of the house Will
be provided for his exclusive occupancy.
At the door, to inspect visitors and keep
out cranks will sit a messenger, an ex-
sailor who has performed the same
duty under seven previous speakers,
and this man, paid out of the treasury,
will be his own personal servant.
Beneath the office on the floor below
is private dining room, which
Mr. Henderson will have all to himself,
nobody else, save such guests as he may
choose to invite, being permitted to en-
ter it at any time. There he will eat
his luncheon, brought from the house
icafe close by. 1t may be taken for
! granted that the meals will be excel
lent for the speaker can deprive the
/ restaurant keeper of his privilege Ii he
/ chooses.
I Mr. Henderson will be ex-officio Gus
! todian OF the house end of the capitol,
/ and as such VIII be responsible Tor the
I good order of that part OF sle building.
! Perhaps he will want to make some re-
/ forms: Mr.. Reed accomplished num-
! Der of them when he took charge. The
1 first thing the latter did was TODD away
with the ladies room adjoining the
/ legislative chamber; then he drove out
4 the peddlers who had long infested the
I corridors--old Martha, who sold pie and
milk, an apple-woman with an enor-
mous basket. a candy man, a dealer in
cigars and tobacco, and even the ven
ierable Clara Morris, merchant of Gu
/ rios and long recognized as an institu-
i ton.
Henceforward Mr.. Henderson will be
| regarded with awe by the pages and
messengers of the house. all of whom he
/ appoints. The pages duties are re-
stricted to the floor, but the messengers
may be utilized for any sort of service
/ Most of the latter are attached to COM
mittees, the chairman of which fire.
iquently employ them to walt on the ia
bic at their houses when they give din.
ner parties. Indeed, the most importan
qualification of a messenger Is expert
ence In handling eatables and drinka
bles, and over on the senate side col
ored man, who lie reckoned one of tn,
most expert mixers of appetizing brac
ers in the country. has been retained
for twenty-five years. chiefly on thu
account, by the committee of which Mr.
Hale is now chairman. The doorkeeIer
clerk and sergeant-at-a of the hous
I are elected by a caucus of the najorit.
party but Mr.. Henderson will contro
the appointment of the assistant door
keepers. Likewise he can employ o
discharge the BARRIERS who cut the hal
and trim the whiskers of representa-
tives at the capitol. AS matter o
fact. however. the speaker does not in
J terfere with such matters of petty pat
ronaRe as a rule and story is told o
I a severe snub which Mr.. Reed admins
tered to Congressman Walker of Mas
J sachusetts, when the latter complaine
of an elevator man and requested hi
discharge.
MY dear Mr.. Walker" replied MI
: Reed, with his customary drawl. II re
: greet to be obliged to refuse what yo
ask; but 1t so happens that the ma
. you mention is the only employee of tn
house whom I have appointed becaus
{ of personal inclination on my ow
y part"
1t is probable that Mr.. Henderso
y will make few changes in the Office
: which are in the speakers gift. prefer
ring to let the present incumbents r.
c main. Most important among them al
5 the places of parliamentary clerk an
: time clerk. The former holds a yer
u peculiar position in relation to IL
e house, being, in fact, its recognized a,
q thority as to rules of procedure. He
: otherwise known as the speakers cleI
n and the speaker calls upon him f,
y points and presidents whenever a di
7. pute arises as to parliamentary propr
l. cites. He sits at the right Of the speal
a err, just below the latter's desk. Behir
1t him Is placed the time clerk, who not
j. the time occupied by members speal
n ing on the floor on occasions when
lie bate is limited. He has little roul
'e clock which ticks of the seconds, al
when gentleman's time is up he moi
fies the speaker by raising finger
y otherwise. Then the gavel falls with
m bang, and the member must sto
ct though in the middle of a sentence.
}" Mr.. Henderson will be a sort of chi
of of police for the house. II gentlem,
he persistently refuse to behave Their
Il selves. he Will call tpou the Sergeau