The Washington herald., 1909-04-05
Majority Rule in the House.


Gov. Claude A. Swanson, Of Virginia,
who for thirteen years was a member
OF the National House Of Representatives.
discusses the present situation in that
Jews. and in an able and temperate
-itielsm Of the rules suggests a remedy
y no means radical OF revolutionary.
Louis XIV, of France, In the opinion
{ the governor, could not with more
ruth say Il am the state" than the
Gpeaker Of the House of Representatives,
-nder the present rules. can say. Il am
e House" This has come about, the
overnor says. from skiIlful manipulation
nd the adoption Of a code Of rules under
--hich the House has practically ceased
D be a deliberative body. The Speaker
Is really the master and not the servant
r the House" he regards himself as
-esponsible 20 the country both for the
onduct and legislation of the House."
nd the House as responsible to him. The
overnor adds. in this connection:
iouso policy. The Speaker believes his selection
axes hin the rFsponsibe leader o. his party, and
such entitled TO dominate is policies and control
legislation. Thus We frequently witness a rivalry
tween the SPEAKER and the President-often
ajor.ty Of the House in thorough accord with the
resilient. but unable 70 give expression 10 their
sefeTvRee IN legislation account Of the power Of
ne Speaker
The governor. after analyzing the un-
,.sual power Of the Committee on Rules.
shows that some OF the present rules.
which were first designed TO prevent fill
clustering. have simply been perverted
rom the purpose for which they were
Intended to be used. He commends the
two Reed rules which empowered the
Gpeaker to count a quorum. and prohibit
ID him from entertaining dllatory mo-
lions, and calls attention TO the fact
hat these rules were adopted by a Dem
ocratic caucus after Speaker Reed had
demonstrated that the House was pow
erless TO legislate without their adop-
ton. if one-ffth Of the members were
disposed to flibuster. The reform was
commenda5le; the new rules were need
ed. and have proved salutary. But while
he difficulties in the way Of rightfuI
majority control were thus removed, sub
sequent rules have since been contrived
which enable the Speaker and the Com
mittee on Rules to prevent a majority of
the House from having its will and enact
ing legislation.
The governor would not see a return
to the old method. under which the work
of the House could be blocked by fill
buster conducted by one-ffth Of the mem
bers, but he strongly urges that "a meth
Cd should be devised by which a ma
jority Of the House can control its de-
iiberations and legislation promptly and
efficiently" he offers as a remedy the
following:
1T would seem that a rule adopted BY the House
providing that whenever a majority Of the members
q ths; body should petition the Speaker that unless
a committee should report in q specified time bin
referred to it. then it should be in order at The
end Of that time 20 move in the House that he
committee be discharged from the further consider
alton Of the measure. and the House at onco pro
ceed with It's consideration would put The proceed
ings OF the House absolutely under the control Of
the majority Of its members. II order 70 prevent
reckless signing Of petitions for the consideration Of
measures. the rule should provide that the petition
shaI be printed IN tie proceedings of the House on
the day 1t is presented TO the Speaker. with The
names oi the members signing IT, Thus without
consuming the tine Of the House in a roll call The
BENEFITS q the rou call can be obtained inst as
effectively for the Signatures to the petition viii
indicate the position oi the members on the uatrsr
II any committee Of tho House refuses 10 rerort
bill which the House desires. this rule would render
the committee poWerless TO thWart majority Of the
House"
Such rule. the governor SAYS. could
not be used for hlIbusterlng, but. know
Ing that it could be invoked. the Speaker
and the committee would rarely under
take TO suppress the wishes OF the ma
jority. ASIDE from party considera-
tions,' he observes in conclusion. the
dignity of the House Of Representatives
and the successful operation Of our
theory Of government demand that a ma
jority OF the members Of the House Of
Representatives should be able to control
promptly and efficiently its proceedings"
Gov. swanson's idea impresses us as
equitable and logical. It, perhaps. would
not solve all difficulties. but It would be
a good step forward. a valid objection
10 majority rule is inconeeivable.