Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-22
HENDERSON IN The HOUSE
How the Speaker Has Conducted Affairs Of
His Exalted Office.
WORKS HARD AND TRIES TO Be FAIR
Political influence and Social Pull
Alike Impotent TO sway Him In
Discharge of His Duty
as Speaker,
ON a star Correspondent

jim a Gldll NoIAtSppnutnN-J
Wa .fNGTON, Sept Especial. THE !
recent declaration Of David b. Henderson
that he would not be candidate for con-
gress, outside Of the great shock 1t gave
the political world irrespective Of party, has
aroused intense interest in the speakership |
Of the house and the possibilities of the |
many men who are named as candidates for
this high office.
Considering the prominence Of the posi- |
tion and the immense power which 1t is
acknowledged is welded by its occupant, it
is a somewhat remarkable fact that so lit
tie is known concerning the methods en-
ployed by General Henderson in the trans
action OF public business as speaker of the
house. This is doubtless largely due to the
fact that at the very outset of his career as
speaker Mr.. Henderson substantially sew
cred his relations with the press, repre-
sented by correspondents at the national
capital As chairman Of the committee on
judiciary and a member Of the house, Mr..
Henderson had always been very popular
with the newspaper correspondents. He told
a good story, sang a good song preferably
Scotch) and could hold his own at the table
with anyone-distancing quite a number.
But when he was selected by his party TO
preside over the deliberations Of the house
Mr.. Henderson took the ground that should
| he speak for publication of matters pending
before the house it would appear that he
was attempting to influence legislation and
| his words might be given greater import
oftentimes, perhaps, than they deserved
Consequently he withdrew from publicity
as much as possible and his influence on
! legislation since then has been referred to
only at intervals, was the case with
the Cuban reciprocity bill. and his attitude
] 81, Of fv,,fcr 70
| tion.
! His own Expression.
Three years ago Mr. Henderson returned
| to Washington from Atlantic City, where he
had been laboring with his colleagues on
the house committee engaged in drafting
the gold standard bill and in a conversation
| outlined the attitude which he proposed to
assume as speaker VI The house briefly
as follows
1T has been my ambition" he said, ito
round out my congressional career by serv-
ing a term OF two as presiding officer OF
the house Of representatives. / have no de-
sire to reign as a cEar or to undertake to
control and direct legislation in the house.
II / am elected l expect to preside over
the house in az fair and impartial a man
ner as possible"
And nothing has developed since Mr.. Hen
derson assumed the position which he still
occupies TO Indicate that his intentions have
been changed since he became speaker. The
accusation has been made many times and
will doubtless be repeated that he has un-
dertaken to play the role of a dictator and
to control every matter that comes before
the house and he has often been credited
with interference which he had never con-
templated.
The origin of such impressions may be
traced to the lack of proper understand
ing OF his method of tranBacting the busi-
ness OF the house. The complaints which
have been made against the Reed rules,
under which the house is now operating
are nothing new. They repeated in
each congress, yet each new congress since
the rules were first promulgated has re-
adopted them for it's own guidance and
each speaker has been invested with the
power he holds by the deliberate and will
full action OF the house. The rule most
complained OF is the one comforting upon
the speaker the sole right to recognize
members who wish to call up bills in the
morning hour. Should the speaker desire
to recognize him he does so, and II not the
member might shout himself hoarse and
wave his hands frantically in the air, and
as far as he was concerned the speaker
would be blind and deaf.
Improved on Reeds Method.
Fault has been found with Speaker Hen
derson for changing the methods of his
predecessor, Mr.. Reed, but It is possible
that the comparison of the two methods
would show that the present is less OBJ
jectionable than the old. During Mr..
Reeds regime 1t was customary for the
members, as permitted by the rules, which
rules are still in force, to rise in their
places and demand recognition. They did
J not however, confne themselves to their
seats in the house, but rushed to the front
of the speakers desk and ranged them
selves in a semi-circle, very much after
the fashion Of a pack OF wolves who had
backed a man up against a tree, and there
shouted for recognition. Mr.. Reed would
recognize first one and then the other, ap-
portioning his recognition between the re-
publican and democratic side OF the cham
Der, so as to give an almost equal num-
ber to each side. AS Mr.. Henderson con-
ducts the business OF the house the mem
bers arise in their seats and ask for rec
ognition, which is given them according
to a program arranged before the house
meets. In Mr.. Reeds time he recognized
only those who had seen him before the
house met and whom he wished TO recog-
nize The same is now true OF Mr.. Hen.
derson, that the only real difference be-
tween the methods employed by these two
speakers is that Mr.. Reed permitted tn,
members TO go through the farce Of stand,
ing about the desk and clamoring for rec,
: ognition which Mr.. Henderson abolished
with the result that there is now no dis
order whatever. The theory remains tn,
same that before obtaining recognition
the member must see the speaker and sub
NIT his bill for his consideration.
PriviIeged Bills.
e AS a matter of fact there are reall!
T very few bills which require recognition
j from the speaker. All bills from the com
e mittee on ways and means and the com
e mittee on appropriations are privileged
S Appropriation bills from other committee,
i are privileged The committees on pen
t sions, claims and war claims, which com
| mittees handle by far the greater part o
the private bills introduced, have thei
own days under the rules when they ar
privileged TO call up any bills the comit
u tee desires. The District OF Columbi
committee has its day. other bills ar
taken up under special rules reported from
the committee rules. so that there ar
comparatively few bills that can come N
n through no other channel than recognt
| "a ~ . ha