The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-20
RELATIVE POWERS OF SENATE
AND HOUSE.

At different periods those who c~riticise
our government have told us tina the Sem
ate or the President dominate the govern
ment and that the influence OF the House
in public affairs is less and less as the
years pass. There are sessions when
there may appear to be truth i'm either of
these assumptions. Recently a writer de-
clared that the Senate dominates the gov
eminent and that the House is of little con-
sequence. The newly announced secretary
of the navy, Representative Moody, under
takes to refute this assumption in the
North American Review in an article in
reply to Mr.. Low, who recently undertook
to make it appear that 1.-The inner circle
of the Senate is the government of the
United States. having reduced the House
of Representatives to a legislative non
entity and placed the President IN subJec-
ton" To this statement Mr.. Moody takes
exception and shows that the ~three-Presi
dent. Senate and House-maintain their
relations as defined by the Constitution.
Mr.. Moody declares that while the House
has less power than the Senate it remains
now as at the beginning. When 1900 bills
and resolutions are presented in the House
during a Congress it is impossible to con-
slider all of them, and nothing would be
done if unlimited debate should be per-
mitted as in the Senate Ninety members
can talk themselves out, but $50 never
could. So ii is necessary to limit debate.
AS but a small part of the bills can be con-
sidered. the majority in the House, which
is held responsible for legislation, must Sc
lect the more important. Instead of de-
priving the House of power. the so-called
Reed rules have made it possible for the
responsible majority to legislate. Mr..
Moody also shows that the assumption that
the Senate has deprived the House Of it's
constitutional right in legislation is not
well founded. All revenue and appropria-
ton bills originate in the House. To the
Senate belongs the power to amend. but
amending does not make a new law, since
all amended revenue bills must go back to
the House for final action. The fact that
the House may oftener acquiesce in Senate
amendments than the Senate yields to the
AAONSt - vi. IN RCi@N CNNhGAtS a
revisionary rather thar an initiative atti-
tude. Mr.. Moody's experience in the House
leads him to approve of the committee on
rules. which ex-Speaker Reed himself,
when a Democatic House was applying his
CReed's) rules. called the speaker and his
two assistants. Mr.. Moody believes in the
principle. but he would increase the number
of the committee on rules so that it may be
more representative. Mr.. Moody, as do
most of those who watch the procedure Of
the Senate and House. believes that what,
by extreme courtesy, is called freedom of
debate is often a dreary waste of time. as
when, for instance. in considering a Philip
pine tariff bill, the Senate devotes several
days to discussing what part of the coun-
try contributed the greatest number OF SOL
diers TO the revolutionary war.
The article of the secretary of the navy
to-be is a most valuable contribution to a
topic which is nearly always under discus
sion and too often discussed by those who
are not the best informed.