The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-18
HOUSE sPEAKERsH1P.



Anybody can get into the contest for the
speakership OF the House of Representa-
.tives, so far as the restrictions OF the
Constitution of the United States in Zela-
ton to that Office are concerned, says
Washington special to the st. Louis Re.
public. In fact, there Is nothing except
custom, which has prevailed from the
beginning of the Government, to SUCCESS
that member Of the House should be its
Speaker. This interesting, even II rather
acedic, discussion has arisen in connection
with the pending contest. The Constitu
ton of the United States provides thai
THE House of Representatives shal
choose their Speaker and other officers
That leaves the field open to the world
SO far as the law Is concerned, and the
suggestion of the Iowa editor who wanted
Senator Dolliver to keep his place IN the
august body at the north end or the
Capitol and to run for the SpeakershiI
of the House as side issue comes with
in the range of the possible.
Henderson of Iowa and all other states
men of parliamentary tendencies Who
would like to be Speaker of the House
will be entirely within their rights as cit-
gens If they come to Washington and open
headquarters and rally their forces for
the fray The Speakership of the House
Of Representatives IN IN the hex Fifty-eisntn
Just how 1t happened that the first
Speaker of the House was chosen among
its members, while all other officers were
taken without that body, is question
that relates to the first doings of Con-
gress The Constitution made provisions
for the Senate so that its presiding Of
ficer should be an outsider, with abso-
lutely no authority as member of that
body beyond his duties as such, except in
case of a tie vote when he has the de-
Gliding vote. The presiding officer OF the
Senate, when that office Is filled by the
Vice-President. confines himself to par
Elementary rulings. He appoints his Sec
Hata q fnlaRrQ
and there ends his patronage, except SO
far as personal reasons might extend It,
He has nothing to do with the appoint
ment of committees, and when he desig-
mates a Senator for any duty he does Sc
In perfunctory way, the name and pur-
pose of the designation having been
placed in his hand without consulting
with him. In case of President pro
tenn. of the Senate the selection is made
from among that body and the Senator
does not. of course, lose any privilege
But the Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives has, from the formation of that
body, been chosen from among its mem
bers and from time to time the authority
of the Speaker has been enlarged until he
has grown to- be an autocrat. But the
Constitution left the place open for ap-
pointment as the House of Representa-
tiVeS sees fit. If the Democrats were tC
come into power they could not be pre-.
vented from calling in as their Speaker
either of their one time peerless leaders
either Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Bryan, as
their inclination might suggest-to n,
that important office, and he could dc
everything any other Speakers could do
except to vote. The possibility of either
of the Democratic leaders being called in
has passed for the present. but the posi-
bility of that honor being conferred upon
any one in the Republican Party the
House might desire is entirely open. Can
dldates for all the other offices of the
House come to this city and open head
RTE uyho ThArp q a n
party management in the House, and II
any one wants to enter upon a similar
campaign for the Speakership there is nc
reason of law why he should not do 1t.