Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-16
NELSON URGES
CHANGE IN RULES
SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN
DECLARES SENATE TO BE MORE
REPRESENTATIVE.
SPEAKERS POWER UNLIMITED.
Present Method of Procedure Condemned
on Lines of Nelson's Previous
HarangueS.
TALKS TO CITY CLUB OF CHICAGO

CHICAGO, Ill, Oct. Ill Special. /
Asserting that the much abused United
States Senate is Il more literally gov
erned body than is the House of Repre-
SentatlveS, Congressman John NJ. Mel
son of the Second district of Wisconsin.
speaking as the guest of the City club of
Chicago. this afternoon gave an eXhaus-
tive historical exposition of how the rules
and rulings of the House have gradually
centered authority i'll the hands of the
speaker until that official has practically
become the whole House and has more
power for good or evil to the country
than has the President himself
Mr.. Nelson's subject was The Neces-
Slty for Parliamentary Reform in the
House of Representatives" and after
pointing out such necessity he proposed
several ways to obtain the needed RENE
dy and invited further suggestions from
has colleagues i'll the House or others.
Compares House and Senate
Mr.. Nelson said i'll part:
In the Senate the vice president is
as impartial a presiding officer MS Il
Judge. Every member of that body has
full. fair, and free opportunity of in
Producing measures. Offering amend
ments, and of participating i'll debate.
In that chamber the presiding officer
ioeS not appoint the committees. nor
does he. have the absolute control of
recognition
In the House, on the other hand. the
speaker decides, or consents. that some
general bill shall pass. 1t may be Il cur
rency bill, rate bill or Il meat inspection
bill. 1t is formulated 10y some one that
lie will recognize. Such bill is invariably
brought up i'll the House under suspen-
sion OF the rules or preceded by Il rule
reported from the committee on rules
Il
spur of party. with little debate, and
usually no opportunity ut all for amend
ment. The bill then goes over to the
Senate, where every senator has Il full
opportunity to offer amendments and de
bate them. Consequently the bill is real
iy whipped into shape i'll the Senate
Business Is Delayed.
The purpose of all rules is to enable
the legislative business to be dispatched
according to the needs of the country.
but the rules and rulings of the House
do not permit the speedy, economical
and considerable dispatch of the business
of the country, but are 50 complicated,
cumbersome and unwieldy that fully
three-fourths of tire business is done out
side the rules, under Suspension. by
unanimous consent, or through riders on
appropriation bills.
while there is little time afforded
members to debate pending measures,
there is the most lavish waste of time
for ineffective general debate. Without
reference to pending legislation, members
get up and talk when perhaps not Il sin
gle person i'll the hall is paying the
slightest attention to what they say. 1t
is understood. however, that the speech
Is for home consumption.
Great Power of Speaker
'The speaker of the House of Repre-
Mi lt,,IsNr
power than any other officer in the
world. Added to this he appoints fifty
six committees. He can put Il member
ut Will upon the committee on ways and
means or upon ventilation and acoustics.
He is by virtue of his position the party
leader. A new member soon learns that
to be regular he must be the speakers
man. He controls the right of recogn-
ton. Without his gracious permission,
no representative of the people can be
heard on the floor of the House. To lie
permitted to bring mp a measure IN the
interest of his constituents, he must beg
the speakers consent privately i'll his
room. Finally, as chairman of the com
mittee on rules controlling the order OF
business, he becomes i'll fact the absolute
autocrat of Congress.
The President can appoint or recon-
mend, but real power consists in con-
tinuing policies by enactment Of laws.
The speaker controls the purse tnat
makes appointments effectual He can
control appropriations that make the
wheels of government so round or stop.
He has an absolute veto in all measures
even before they can be brought up for
consideration by majority of the mem
bers Of the House, and when lie decides
on legislation it goes through like
creased lightning. The individual mem
Der. where is he? As the power of the
House is limited, it follows as a mathe
NAUTICAL proposition that i'll proportion as
the speaker increases in power, the mem
Der decreases, and, unless something is
done to stop this variable he will soon
be zero. Another puzzle is where are
the people,?
Wants Revision Soon.
Mr.. Nelson said he was of the opin-
ion that the wisest course to pursue
was by way of the appointment of Il
committee to overhaul the whole pro-
cedure with a view Of preserving what
was best. but making changes looking
to large freedom and equality of mem
bership. He then discussed the provi-
sions and purpose of the resolution he
introduced last winter and which is
now pending in the House.
fOO I'M DTJD NTNT M nj L