The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-10-09

Former speaker Reed Tells Hsw Debate
Is Centralized ~ Eng aud aud AnIeriea.

In a recent issue Of the Saturday Even
ing Post is notable article on the House
OF Commons BY ex-speaker Thomas b.
Reed II gives the clearest account Of that
body that has ever been written In the
course OF IL he says:
Formerly there was no limit to discus
sion Ia the House or tn COMMITTEES Of the
whole
Such was also the case in the House Of
Representatives.. In both bodies liberty de-
generated into license. and the forms Of
doing business we're used TO prevent any
business being done. In both bodies.
therefore, the remedy had 10 be applied
Debate ana the right OF amendment. and
especially debate had 70 be curtailed.
The Use OF me previous question and the
report Of tae Committee on Rules with Is,
and the closure and the application OF
the power OF the government with the
English. has changed both the assem-
blies IN quite the same way. In the House
Of Commons temporary rule proposed
By the leader 81 the House has been tried,
limiting 20 twenty DAYS the discussion and
action on the regular appropriation Dill
IN committee. a few days more dispose OF
the supplementary estimates. and the
Chairman and Speaker are both empower
Cd. after the proper time has els pse1, 70
-
dilatory action whatever, all the questions
needed % complete the action OF the Com
mittee ana the House.
1T will be seen that in essence this pro-
cedure Is the same in every way as the
procedure under a rule offered N our
House by the Committee on Rules.
"Ou both sides OF the Atlantic ii may
be discovered that while the power must
always exist in d parliamentary BODY %
regulate It's members ana 10 put down OBJ
Ton los LIT
give ali the opportunities for discussion
which are compatible with business; but
an honest and universal desire 10 b. rea-
sonable IN the occupation OF time IN de-
bate must exist T such liberty OF speech
is 10 resume its sway"
THE House Of Commons ordinarily sits
five days in the week. During the entire
session OF lS.s IL sat but once on Satir-
day. On Wednesdays the speaker takes
the chair at y o'clock and remains until
5.3D. when the business In which the
house is engaged ceases, and the other
business proper for that day is pOstpOn-
ed 10 the next DAY unless the house orders
another day for the next action on any
Of the pending questions. II at $50 .. m
the committee Of the whole is sitting, il
rises and ne chairman reports.
On Mondays. Tuesdays. Thursdays, and
Fridays the house begins its sessions at
o'clock and may work until midnight,
except during the short period when the
Al
midnight the business, whether in mouse
or committee. ceases. and If In commit
tee, the committee rises and reports The
remaining business appointed for that day
Is postponed 10 the next day unless the
house selects another day for any meas
ure. No opposed business can be taken
up and usually in three or four minutes
the house adjOUTus. II when midnight
arrives. or 5.3O comes on Wednesdays and
the debate on measure is INTERRUPTED
any member may move the closure" and
the speaker or chairman must remain in
his place until all the motions needed
have been put.
The hall of the House Of Commons. IS
less than one-thirG the size OF that of our
House OF Represents tives. while the num-
Der Of members is 670-nearly double the
number Of ours. Our quorum Is q ma
JOrity; theirs is forty. We incumber our
floor with desks and revolving and swing
ing chairs placed in half-moor fashion
about the lofty desk of the Speaker. In
the House Of Commons the seats are
benches which. except at the end far
thest from the chair. run parallel with the
length OF the hall As they approach the
middle line Of the hall there is broad
gangWay. between the sront benches on
either side"