The Washington herald., 1909-01-12

y q 8. : -.:5: @:'s;5 3::...:1 :
ture, but AIr.
REPn2SEEIkIIlE E1ySSssD Broussard came
direct from the
practice Of law 10 the Fifty-fifth Con-
sress. without having served his State
in any other capacity.
He has been re-eIectee ever since.
practically without any opposition. His
early life in the Capital City left IFS i'm
preston upon him. and At the first op-
portunity. he returned. not as a student
in university. but 10 take part in affairs
Of national importance. During the last
session Representative Broussard was. one
Of the committee appointed 20 probe the
Lilley charges. He is a member OF the
standing committees on Levees and I'm
provements OF the Mississippi River. and
Military Affairs.
The House of Commons Is composed OF
$50 members. and OF that number forty
constitutes a quorum. In the Commons.
when a point OF no quorum IS made. and
less than forty members are present. the
whole house does not stand idle. but the
particular bin under consideration goes
over 20 the next sitting. the house in the
meantime proceeding 70 the next bill, IN
less the point Of no quorum IS made
against that also
The speaker Of the House OF Commons
is expressly authorized by law TO count
a quorum. and 10 include himself The
speaker. Ike the Speaker Of the House
% Representatives. possesses and exer-
cises the power 10 refuse 20 put a dila-
tory motion.
To show that the present House rules
DO rot retard. but rather expedite busl-
ness, Representative Olmstsd. OF Penn
syIvsnia, makes the following compari-
son.
Under the old rules. the FOrty-ninth
Congress. sitting 80 days. passed z2l pub
lie and l,o51 private acts and resolutions.
a total Of l,i55.
The Fiftieth Congress. under the old
rules sitting 40 days. passed so public
and l.l5I private acts and resolutions. a
total OF Is2I
The last, or Fifty-ninth Congress. sit
ting only 81 days. under the present
rules. passed - public and 624s private
acts and resolutions. a total OF 7OZs. To
illustrate further that the present rules
do not curtai debate. the Congressional
Record shows that the debates OF the
Forty-ninth Congress occupied 1f5g
pages The Fiftieth Congress occupied
l345 pages Largely taken up with the
lists OF yeas and nays.
The debates in the Fifty-ninth CONGRESS
covered Ess0 pages. comparatively few
OF them taken UP by the calls for yeas
and nays.
When Mr. Reed was Speaker OF the
House. new member went 10 him 70 be
recognized 20 ask unanimous consent 70
consider q bin he vas particularly inter
estei in Mr. keed said, 7 am opposed
to your bill Well said the new
member. lis il fair. Just because YOU are
opposed 10 IL that IL shah not have the
opportunity 10 pass2 II I call fl I'd. I
may, by my elOqUenCe, cause its passage
Notwithstanding your opposition Yes. %
said M Reed, you VIII have that
chance, when Il is reached in Due time
You VIII have 20 get unanimous consent
TO take il Up and that means every mem
Der viii have 10 agree to its considera-
ton 7 have not lost my rights as a
member because an Speaker. and I
object The bill went over.
Upon the opening day Of this session
there were offered in the House 4.s50
bills At the close OF business on Janu-
ary ;. there had been offered in the
House. c6.1Z7 bills. and in the Senate .S.5s4
bills and resolutions. a total Of 54.721.
There are in the House about 40 mem
bers including the Delegates
For the sake Of calculation. call the
number Of bills an even 9aOo0. Allowing
one minute for each Of the 40 members
TO debate each OF the 30.001 bills. Il would
require for debate alone l2.el0 co minutes.
or 9oe0 hours. equal 70 20.O00 days OF ten
hours each Allow 80 working days 10
the year and S. 2-5 years would be re-
quired TO debate the pending business.
The reading OF the bills. roll calls, &c
would carry the time beyond three score
years and ten, the allotted life Of man.
Il develops that Serene E. Payne, the
Republican floor leader Of the House. IS
the original objector. and that by his own
admission.
About six or eight years ago. when Mr..
Henderson was Speaker, every morning q
great many private bills would come up.
without the least opportunity for the
House 20 consider them. Regular days
had been set apart for the consideration
OF private bills, and when they were
brought Up at other times they were OBJ
jected TO. no matter whether they had
merit or not.
This state Of affairs had been going on
for some time when Mr.. Payne, realizing
that something had 20 be done. went 70
Speaker Henderson and told him that
thereafter whenever recognition was
asked for a private bill he should object
Well" the Speaker said. that being the
case I might as well tell the gentlemen
that there is no use Of their being recog-
nized for unanimous consent on private
bills, because objection would be made. D."
He adopted the rule while he Occupied the
Speakers chair.
When Speaker Cannon was elected Mr..
PAYNE told him of the arrangement he
had made with Speaker Henderson, and
also that he would object % the consider
alton OF private bills when public business
was awaiting. a rule which is followed
closely.
Divorce as a Remedy
From the New York TTiuUue-
Divorce is a remedy for evil rather