Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-01-01

This mace is kept in the office of the
sergeant at arms. Every day of the
session, at precisely the moment for
convening the house, it is brought
into the chamber and placed in a
niche at the right of the speaker
When the house adjourns the mace is
removed.
| 1t is rarely that this emblem of au-
thOrity is called into use but there is
something doing when it is brought
into requisition. happened to be in
the house one day during the rule of
Speaker Henderson when it was neces-
sary to drag ont the mace. southern
member was bent on speaking when
he had not the floor He was repeated
ly called to order, but went right on
with some sort of fiery diatribe.
Finally Speaker Henderson ordered
the gergeant-at-arms to get busy.
which he did, marching to the seat of
the disobedient congressman and plant
ing the mace mfr ont of him. 1t seemed
childish SOFT of performance, but it
did the business. The garruIous men,
Der instantly became as dumb as an
oyster. and dropped ito his seat
where he remained silent.
To disregard the mace would be
similar to ignoring an order of court.
Ii persisted in by the member of con-
gress he would first find his pay STOP
ped, as all pay vouchers for members
salaries must be approved by the
speaker and without his approval
there is no pay. The refractory men,
ber would also find his seat declared
vacant and himself refused admission
to the floor. Verify the mace is
great weapon.
Senate and house are now fully
equipped with full compliments of
committees. The methods employed
for the selection of committees are
quite dissimilar. In the house the
speaker is the sole and only detarmin-
ing agent. although as courtesy he
permits the minority leader to have
a voice in the selection of the mem
bers who constitute the tail of each
committee. There are approximately
40 committees. varying in size from
l8 to 8 members OF these about a
dozen are really important commit
tees. Nearly 400 members and about
half that numt er of desirable places.
Is it any wonder the speaker shuts
himself up for days and sweats blood
trying to make both ends meet. so to
speak? 1t will be recalled that it was
over committee appointment that
the Williams DeArmond fight oc-
Cured.
In the senate, which is a continuing
body, q caucus OF the republican
members is held. At this caucus,
Senator Allison was made chairman
of the Senate Steering Committee
and authorized to appoint a COM
mi tee on committees that is, Senator
Allison was empowered to name a
dozen senators who should select the
committees of the senate. This is a
courtesy that has been accorded SEN
ator Allison for many years.
This committee meets and sends out
cards to each senator inviting him to
specify wnat committees he wOuld
like to be upon. AS there are as many
committees as in the house and only
80 senators. it will be seen that the
task is easy compared with that of
the speaker. and each senator gets
from three to five or six committee
appointments. OF course there is
great pressure brough to bear to get
on some of the important committees,
such as appropriations. finance. post
office, etc.. but there is no such
scramble as in the house. The speaker.
after naming the cmmittees in the
house. has to take a week off to rest
up.
In the senate it is supposed that
every senator of the majority party
will be given a craftsmanship. If
there are not enough committees TO
permit this. then more committees
are created. as has been the case this
session.
Frank j. Stillman.