The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
woodrow wilson's public service.

Everybody who is acquainted with the
operations of the machinery of that
branch Of Congress which is supposed to
represent the people directly knows that
the power vested in the Speaker under the
present rules is vast-so vast, indeed, as
to make that official really the most po-
tential igure IN the governmental menage.
Even the President is less powerful than
he. in many cases. The people, however,
are slow 10 realize the Importance and
significance of the situation. They are 50
apathetic that casual observer might
warrautably gain the impression that the
existing status is altogether satisfactory
TO them.
Since the public must be educated if any
real reforms are 10 be brought about, IL
appears that President Woodrow Wilson,
Of Princeton University, performed a real
service in calling attention to the deca-
dence OF the House in his speech before
the students of Columbia University, in
New York, last week. President Wilson
erred in one respect. He criticised the
methods which permit. or require. the
transaction Of the business of the House
by committees. In the opinion of The
Washington Herald. he would have been
much nearer the mark had he confined
his aninnadversion 10 that one an-power-
ful committee. the Committee on Rules
Il is the Committee on Rules which con-
trolls legislation in the House. and the
Speaker controls the Committee on Rules.
The House itself is a negligible quantity
OF course, a majority could deDose the
Speaker and elect another in his place.
bat such a thing has never been done, and
unless we are greatly mistaken. it never
Will be done so long as the rules Of the
House remain as they are al present The
Speaker appoints all committees. Members
who have been rewarded with desirable
committee assignments. or who hope to be
so rewarded. may be depended on 10 stand
by the Speaker. His viii Is certain to be
their viii Occasionally there may be q
revolt. but all such affairs in the past
have been half-hearted, at best. and the
occasions on which the Speaker has been
overruled have been few and far between.
In addition to the enormous puissance
which he enjoys by reason OF his authority
to name all the committees. there is the
power Of recognition, which makes his
rule over the membership of the House
well-nigh absolute. Stripped of these two
privileges, as are the presiding officers of
the legislative bodies OF every other Eng
disappearing nation on earth, the Speaker
of the American House OF Representatives
would become what the trainers Of the
Constitution intended him TO be.
The nature and volume Of the business
which the House must transact is such
as to make absolutely necessary the pre-
liminary consideration of ali proposed
legislation by committees. But the
Speaker should not be permitted to name
those committees. They should be made
up in some other manner-possibly
through appointments from a committee
on rules elected by the whole House.
Then the House would be really represent
ative. not merely machine which regis
tiers the desires. good or bad. OF one
member.
The man who has been Speaker through
out the last two terms of Congress, and
who viii be Speaker Of the next Con-
grcss, If he lives. is doing his best. like
the pianist in the Western dance hail.
The case of the American people IS not
against him P sonally, but against the
system which clothes with such enormous
power any man who holds the position Of
Speaker. He would be less than human
and much less than partisan politician
if he failed to take advantage of the
opportunities which the existing rules
thrust upon him.
Since Prof. Wilson has called attention
to this in way which. We hope, will
make the public think, we repeat that he
has performed a real service.