Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-30
HOUSE PROMPTER.
THE MAN WHO DECIDES PARLIA-
MENTARY RULES.
HIS NAME is ASHER c. KINDS
Mr.. Kinds Is Known as Clerk to the
Speaker, But Really He Dictates
How the Speaker Shall Rule.-A
Friend of "Tom" Reed.

There frequently appears in the
printed reports of the proceedings or
| congress the statement that 1.-THE
speaker ruled" this or that way on the
parliamentary point under discussion.
In order to be strictly correct these
reports should read, "Mr, Kinds ruled
| for very few of the parliamentary
questions which rise in the course of
| debate in the national house of repre-
| sentatives are decided by the speaker.
Asher G. Kinds settles the parliament
airy point at issue and the sneaker
merely repeats, parrot-like, what he
has been prompted to say by the parlia-
mentary authority Of the house. Nine
times out of ten, yes, ninety-nine times
out of the one hundred, the speaker
doesn't even try to improve upon the
language used by Mr.. Kinds, but with
photographic accuracy repeats to the
house in a loud voice whatMr Kinds
has said to him soto voce.
Is Clerk.
Mr. Kinds appears in the congress
sional directory as the clerk at the
speakers table, In truth he is the par
liamentary helmsman of the house of
/ representatives and the presiding Off
Ger of the house would no more think
of taking up the consideration of a
bill upon which there is liable to be
/ debate without Mr. Kinds standing at
the side of the desk than would the
captain of a vessel attempt to enter
a dangerous harbor without first tax
ing aboard an experienced pilot. Kinds
is asserted to be the foremost parlia-
mentarian in this country, if not in the
entire world. Not only is he familiar
with the rules and usages of our do
nestle deliberative bodies. but he has
an intimate acquaintance with those
of the leading foreign nations, and
when point comes UP for which there
has been no precedent in the national
congress he generally is able to find
some grounds upon which to base his
action out of the parliamentary history
of foreign governments.
Mr.. Kinds Is not on exhibition as one
Of the wonders of congress- and, although
he directs the speaker, he never puts him
self within the circle of the limelight
1 which is constantly kept upon the presid-
Ing officer of the house. In fact, he stands
Just outside of the glare where the shad-
A ow is thickest AT the rap of the speak
er s gavel that calls the house to order
at noon every legislative day during a
session of congress, Mr.. Kinds quietly
takes his place at the right of the speak
! er's desk. There he stands Throughout,
, the proceedings keeping an ebert watct
: upon every movement made on the floor
! Usually before the speaker has graspeG
the meaning of motion, or point OF
order. Kinds has comprehended it, decided
the procedure to be followed and told
the speaker what to do He makes nc
show with all tnls. To the uninitiated II
. would appear that he Is merely a member
of the house. or an employe who for the
time has nothing to do and is amusing
himself by watching the debate. 1t takes
close scrutiny to catch him prompting
the speaker because he scarcely moves
his lips in enunciating in his low, dis
tinct voice what the speaker shall
, say.
Friend and Pupil of Reed.
Asher c. Kinds is product Of the same
state which gave Thomas b. Reed, an
other famous parliamentarian, to con
gress. In fact, it was Mr. Reed who was
responsible for Kinds being there at pres
emit In 1890 Mr.. Reed brought him tc
Washington as his clerk Mr.. Kinds
, served with Mr.. Reed committee during
the Fifty first Fifty second and Fifty
third congresses, and in the Fifty-fou
congress was made clerk at the speaker.
desk Mr.. Reed while speaker, was yer,
particular about the parliamentary pro
! ceedings of the house. 1t is said tha
there was not one representative in TIL,
entire membership who could handle th,
gavel to his liking when he desired t.
leave the chair Consequently it was ;
i. great relief to him to have at his RICH
elbow the only man in Washington il
whose parliamentary ability Mr.. Reet
had absolute confidence. Members VIII
5 were called upon by the speaker to pre-
l,;,1 tba in n is OH
. the committee of the whole house wer
instructed to accept MI. Kinds ruling
q on all parliamentary matters withou
2 question. The convenience of having
q speakers prompter who was almost I'M
y erring was soon recognized by the lead
D. ers in congress, and after Mr.. Reeds res
). ignation Mr.. Hesderson retained Mr.. Hind
G in his important position and Mr.. Canno
= has already said that he will do likewis
. in the coming congress over which he eS
poets to preside.
:. 1t Comes Naturally.
Mr.. Hines is natural parliamentariar
ell Just as some people have knack 70
y dealing with mathematics so he delight
! in parliamentary problems 1t is as niue
pleasure for MIR. Kinds to unravel con
e, plicated parliamentary situation as it
s. for the ordinary man to follow the pie
of an interesting novel, He was born
H. the little town of Benton, Me, Feb.
=, 1868, and his experience with parli,
~ mentary body was twenty-one years late
when he was sent to Augusta, Me-, I
report the proceedings of the Maine LEI
islature as newspaper correspondent
~ He soon found that parliamentary stu
> lions that stumped the members of I'll
-, legislature We're simple problems to hiI
" so he began, at first for amusement,
Oh devote his leisure time to following o,
y whatever parliamentary tang1es came I
IN into their logical conclusions. Afterwal
Mt he took up the subject seriously and q
of his spare time was devoted to ii
study of parliamentary law and parli
mentary history. Before he had finisht
'e his third, and last, session as legisl
tive correspondent he had acquired {