Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-12
CONTEST AN Open ONE
A Fact That is Not Generally
Understood.
MERELY THE CUSTOM
THE SPEAKER NEED NOT BELONG
TO THE HOUSE.
Nothing in the Constitution to Prevent
His Being From the Outside-The
Case of the Senate.

Anybody can get into the contest for the
speakership of the House Of Representa-
tives, so far the restrictions of the Con-
stftution of the United States in relation
to that office are concerned. In fact, there
Is nothing except custom, which has pre-
vailed from the beginning of the govern
ment, to suggest that a member of the
House should be its. Speaker
This interesting. even If rather academic
discussion has arisen in connection with
the pending contest. The Constitution of
the United States provides that the House
of Representatives shall choose their Speak
er 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 DolIver
to keep his place in the august body at the
north end of thefCapitol and to run for the
speakership of the House as side issue be-
comes within 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 en-
tirely within their rights citizens If they
come to Washington and open headquarters
and rally their forces for the fray. The
speakership of the House Of Representa-
tives in the Fifty-efghth Congress is open
to the world.
In the Case of the Senate.
Jusl NO" II HdPpeIitu tIldl the llTSt speak
er of the House. was chosen among it's
members, while all other officers were TAX
en- without that body, is a question that
relates to the first dongs of Congress The
Constitution made provision for the Senate
so that it's presiding officer should be an
outsider, with absolutely no authority as 4
member of that body beyond his duties
such except in case of tie vote, when he
has the deciding voice. The presiding Of
c
by the Vice President, confines himself to
parliamentary rulings. He appoints his
secretary, a messenger and telegrapher,
and there ends his patronage except so far
as personal reasons might extend it. He
has nothing to do with the appointment OF
committees, and when he designates 4 SEN
ator for any duty he does so in a perfume
tory way the name and purpose of the
designation having been placed n his hand
without consulting with him. In the case
of a president pro. tenn of the Senate, the
selection Is made from among that body,
and the senator does not, of course, lose
any privilege.
Merely a Custom.
But the Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives has, from the formation OF
that body, been chosen from among its
members and from time to time the au-
thority of the Speaker aas beenh enlarged
until he has grown to be an autocrat. But
Ine CONSTITUTION lett tue place opch IoE
appointment, as the House of Representa-
tives sees fit If the democrats were to
come into power they could not be pre-
vented from calling in their speaker
either of their one-time peerless leaders
either Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Bryan as their
inclination might suggest-to fill that i'm
portant office. and he could do everything
any other speaker could do except to vote.
The possibility of either of the democratic
leaders being called in has passed for the
present but the possibility of that honor
being conferred upon any one in the repub-
lican party the House might desire is en-
tirely open. Candidates for all the other
offices of the House come to this city and
open headquarters whenever there is a
change of party management in the House.
and if any one wants to enter upon SINH
lar campaign for the speakerShip there is
no reason of law why he should not do
it.