New-York tribune., 1906-04-29

Senator Benjamin r Tfnnan. Of South Caro-
Ena, voices IN another part Of The Tribune
to-day c sentiment which viii arouse much
hively opposition. when he says that the
House OF Representatives at Washington has
shown sn recent years a striking disability to
preserve sts own independence OF utterance and
action until things have come to such pass
that the House to-day registers the will Of a
sew men rather than the deliberative judgment
pS a majority OF its members
The Tribune, without incorsing combat
sng this criticism, sent request the other day
20 every member Of the House asking Tor his
views upon Il and received the replies printed
herewith They show wide divergence OF
ppluton- Some contradict Senator I1urnan natly
Some 1ndorse his criticism unreseTVeoly- Others
see aapss 81 the rules OF the House which. they
1l1srlx. cannot be rernedied. while others again
propose remedies which they believe would as
arm criticism and expedite the right kind OF
segisIar0n. Here they are:
SPEAKER CAny1yON--IIas the Speaker too much
poWcrg-H This question has been asked many uiiieS
81 the last City years. and has enelteo Ne4'oUS
arsyrers II wol.Id seem that no ofhcer IN d Ie-
1blio IS likely 70 have dangerous power so long
ss be IS entirely responsible 70 the people 10Y ma ma
power, end Is Obliged az rs9e1I Nov he Speaker
must surrender his power the END or every tNO
sz sss1zSTes iT S S aTtSeF nth thar hat Speaker i as
eoHtae ey 5y ay e 70 eh09S {Se House Is IN session
ne Speaker may be removed by the .3 Scllon oI
G5ie 70 The representatives. Of the people something
that pertains 70 70 other great oIef ne Ne o. ~ tg Te6ye
everv 6ay but any of IFS acts Is presiding oEneer
rIvss ~ re people through an appeal from his de
cision Where IS there anotl.eL 81 nd his
acts as Is the Speaker OF the douseI MIat AZ 5le 5
& tae pG@. pSet.os f5st the Speaker exercisesY con
efses cannot name tlell aDo Ia s,esIters " and
stcz5e been Speaker myself for three years.
rOFzey SHARP WILLIAMS, leader OF the minor
trv-The rules ought TO be 80 amended that ma
sorstv of the majority could get consideration o
measures and majority Of The House could coh'l'
the House
eERE,SO f. PAYNE, chairman Of Committee on
Ways and ATeaus-The complaint that the House
REGISTERS the VIII OF only few rather Than It's
own deliberate Judgment arises from the fact that
sach enc Of the SS5 man wLo compose the House
cannot get his favorte measure considered during
the tine the House Is n session DO not Vel see
how the rules the result Of fifty years OF expert
eree, and formed from the Judgment Of the ma
3ority Of the House well be improved. have
vet 70 hear suggestion for their Improvement that
would result in a better method Of doing business,
EloWi1s expression 10 me WI q INC IaJoL!ts 4o %
method now used under rules. The complaint
49, e-t = cau 10 lis 3articuar Bli When we re-
hect that each member has particular bill or bills
oTsnr Tor -e-5giti0n al the same time there IS no
other way tlan 70 give the Speaker the right OF
recogn-ticn. II Two men arise al once he must
choose between them. In the matter OF reoognitop
Tor unanimous consents the Speaker studies each
measure with care and recognizes those which he ne
stand the rules oeslfe aIlsIiLeIls iIlo WEI
attempt 70 propose amendments their proposluofns
ihs House,
WILLIAM SULZER- member Of Committee on
Military Affairs-The House Of Representatives Is
not to-day delberative body. 1t legslates either
by unanimous consent or through the agency OF
the Committee on Rules no one is recognized IN
less TIE Speaker grants the recognition Members
have no opportunity 20 discuss matters Of moment.
or bils introduced by them Of much general I'M
pgrtsnce except when the House is IN Committee
~ ,i-ne Is sce5rded he member by the courtesy
81 either the Democrat or the Republican on the
sisergtio1 The rules Of The House are very auto
Fe ta s oeTS1 Io &c sg ION The % Tor5Tittss
On Rules consists Of the Speaker two RePubIicans
saaence Is that iegisatIon by special rule is the
.sulUcTatic VIII OF think the rules
fholdd be remo6eiled IN many respects and be
sieve Just SO soon as the Democrats secure control
eof the House they win adopt rules which VII make
hbody, instead OF one-naA parliamentary as
- - ,-45gs,IZFE7ESEHTATTVJ1 HENRY s. BOUTELL-It
g. Crua1 mistake 20 suppose that legislation thu
9IoCse % GeDresentar;ves Is controlled by few
Enea- Il Is not controlled by few men. but It is
a
snau or thzt man cannot be heard. or that this
measure that measure cannot be considered, has
no real fouDcaLcn N fact In the House the a.
-oIry controls absolutely. II the majority chooses
Z! ca2 refuse TO consider any measure suggested by
brought forward, until the measures favored By the
5aa5oT5Ly before 81 Others shall nave been reached
Ihe 1olse as boGy Is .ne!y representative Of the
people sarge. and with the careful work OF the
tes On Rules he business Of the ds-Gi House S % is
dispatched ordinarily without fTicCon. and the
Goo4 stassat Sa We Vor In II -'' 10
JCEN :. RDZ-T. sth Virginia District-I think
fhe charge IS true II Is wrong. There should be
reasonable Freedom and latitude IN debate and en-
tire freedom "a the oe1ertng and consideration of
EerTnane eroeldTneats 70 all bills Many other re-
s q the Rules Co1Tittes tsefH tba sesi9e Zee
should not bs & nlernbe- of Il; limitation On the
power % rhe BpeslLeT IN u4 matter Of Unanimous
HERBERT PARSONS 18th New York District
DO not for a moment believe that this criticism
iE true. u may be that through the efforts OF a
9ew men some things ere kept from our consdera-
ten bit that could not be done against deter
n--nea majority In most legislation there Is a
good deal OF compromise Measures that pass In
many Instances represent a compromise The
cogIIro11tse may contain more OF the views Of a
lew strong and e1pertencet than OF the others.
3uIt that " human one thing much surprised ma.
rs g new member. had been told that there was
no opportunity Tor z member 10 alr his views
There IS ample opportunity. IN q house OF almost
four hundred members Il Is 70 be expected
time hs would hlze But Il be has any thoughts for
the good Of The world he VIII have plenty OF op-
poTElL4ty 20 disseminate them
! n SULLIVAN. IN Massachusetts, District
believe the statement that the House pegistsrs
fha VII of u-Iy z few than stR rr.,