The Washington herald., 1907-12-02

publican choice. but he had signed an IN
dorsement OF Helpers Impending Gil
SIS" an infiammatory book, and his elec-
tion vas thereby made impossible The
struggle continued for two months, almost
precipitating a reign Of terror Finally
a coalition Of the Observation-Disclosures
forces Was formed, and William Penning-
ton. Of New Jersey. was elected Speaker
by the bare majority Of one vote.
Mr. Pennington was a good man. but
not a strong one. He knew nothing about
parliamentary procedure. and ne was de-
Tided because senior page" stood al his
elbow to prompt his decisions. The
senior page IS no longer d subject for
derisiOn- Nowadays ii is admitted that
very able leader may not be an adept
IN parliamentary practice. Therefore
there is an expert pariiamentariau who
stands always beside the Speakers desk
and IS expected 10 be- able t0 produce any
given number Of precedeuts. on the Speak
er's side on any question that may come
up And il is fair % say that Asher c.
Hinds. who now holds that position. has
never been found wanting. Neither was
his Democratic predecessor. Nat Crutch-
field.
The SiXtieth Congress now begins It's
work II viii consider such legislation
as the Speaker OF the House thinks prop
er- He VIII permit bills 20 pass when
he likes. he VIII not permit them 20
pass otherwise. The Speakers keen eye
VIII recognize "a gentleman 90 make IL
speech when that gentleman is buried be-
by "a page that he is supposed % BE- clam
oring for recognition The Speakers dull
eve VIII not be- able % discern the figure
Of another Congressman. although Do
may demand the floor for week az a
time The Speaker Is the master Of tie
situation The House likes 10 have a
master, and since il does. il cannot please
itself better than by continuing in power
him whom We have all come 20 know as
Uncle joe"
The power Of the Speaker Of the House
was not conferred ny the Constitution
nor is there any reason u believe that It
was contemplated 10y the fathers Of tire
republic The first Speaker OF the House
/ OF Representatives To exercise any power
other than that Of an impartial moderator
was Henry Clay. lie came into Congress
IN 1911, and was Immediately made
! Speaker He made himself not only the
/ presiding officer. but the effective leader
OF Congress. and gave 10 the position o.
/ Speaker much Of the dignity il now has
Clay Was a skillful pariamenJariau. and
he did not hesitate 20 employ the sharp7st
practice 10 attain his end From thar
time on almost every Speaker assumed
some new per5gative, which added 10 the
I power Of the position. Schuyler COlfaN
who was Speaker frOU 1S5J 20 1S59, g.
4 time OF intense politics. and during John
/ sons Presidency. had absolute sUpreu-
acy Of Congress. and raised the Speaker
/ ship % a position almost as powerful as
/ iJ is now
1 The three Speakers who completed the
1 aEEraudizement or the Speakership were
/ Carlisle. Reed. and Crisp 0Ir- Carlisle,
la Democrat from Kentucky. added 10 the
/ long list Of precedents which are the
guide OF the Speaker. a great many cX-
cellent decisions for backing Up the power
Of the Chair. Mr.. Reed. Republican
I from Maine. came next He earned. Il
/ he did not assume. his popular title Of
/ ear" The minority was unruiy and
I carried its hlibustering 20 the point where
( something had 10 be- done Reed did Il by
appropriaung 10 himself power 10 abso-
/ lutely control the House.
/ There was a Ere3t row about his
/ 'usurpations~ i'm the country. and the
/ Democrats got the House again Iley
/ made Nr- Crisp. OF Georgia. SpcaGer-
/ Mr.. Reed led the llibusterins expedition.
and Mr Crisp had 10 adopt Reed tactics
/ % fight Reed. From that day 20 this the
/ Speaker has been all-powerful- Sometimes
I there is a feeble protest against his abso-
/ iutism. but Il ends IN nothing but words
/ and the humiliation OF the too daring
I critic The House OF Representative does
| only what its Speaker permits 10 10 do
/ Through his committee on rules he can 50
/ bind the House that It has no voice what
I ever in legislation. BY his power he can
| exercise an absolute veto upon any legis-
/ latiOn. and II he so desired he could lead
4 a fight against a President Of the United
! States that would not be all One-sideG.
/ The gaveI Is the only weapon thai the
. Big Stick need fear.
/ Whenever there IS a close contest be-
tween the two political parties. the peo-
pie are apt 10 hear much Of the power
| of the Speaker. most Of which is .n pro
test But when this power is exercised
I in directions which have no bearing on
questions AT issue between the parties,
I then little is said. For the past eight or
ten years the Republican majority has
| been so large and Democratic opposition
50 weak. that the Speaker has been little
discussed. II the wheel OF politics should
turn up a Democratic House there would
| be as merry q fight as ever, but the
Speaker would surrender Few, if any OF
his prerOgatives.
TO-mOrrow-MesSag Of the PreSI-
dents.