Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-09
Some Things You Want to Know
The American COngress-EvolutiOn of House Rules.

That complex code of rules and coIlec-
ton q presidents which constitutes the
written law governing the house Of rep
resentatives IN the American congress is
the product OF evolutionary processes set
In motion when the first party div sion
occurred in that legislative body. The
rules are so complicated hat very few
members OF the house pretend to a com
piete understanding OF them in all their
relations, and even the speaker must de-
pend upon the clerk 70 the speakers table.
now Mr.. Asher c.. Hnds. an expert par
liamentarian. Tor his interpretation Of
the rules. Yet there is nothing haphazard
m the system and Mr.. Speaker Cannon
may rely with confidence upon the clerk
to find that the rules uphold. Justify and
make Imperative that course Of action
which Mr. Cannon. holding to the political
opinions he does. would moss desire to
follow. The present speaker Is the heir II
an the strong men who have occupied that
chair before him, and tae majority OF the
essential features Of his power have been
sngrafted into the law Of the house by the
great speakers who have gone before.
Henry Clay was the first great speaker
Of the house. de was elected TO that office
in ISL upon the first day Of his service a.
a member OF that body. he was The head
Of the young mems faction which ciamOrsd
for war with England and ne was piaS-d
in the speakers chair for the express puT-
pose OF making the will Of his faction the
Will Of the congress. He succeeded In his
purposr, but bis success spelled disaster
for him. The war was not successful in
its purposes. Washington vas captured
and the capitol burned and American arms
won but one great victory. the -post-humous
battle OF New Orleans, which brought INTO
national political existence the man vino
was to deny to Clay his dearest ambitions.
In ISL. under Clay and upon an appeal
to the house, the doctrine that the order
ing Of the previous question shuts of fur
Their debate ana secures an Immediate vote
upon the main question. was firmly estab-
Hshed. This practically reversed the Eng
Iish practice until then prevailing in the
house. The ability Of a majority to order
the previous question Is now the keystone
OF the arch of legislative procedure in the
house Of representatives.
Clay was the first speaker to consider
himself the leader OF his party as well as
the moderator OIL the assembly over which
he presided. he used his power much as
the speakers OF this day use it. directing
the course Of his supporters, crushing the
opposition and making his will the first
law Of the house. No speaker today would
dare to use the extremely arbitrary means
employed by Clay TO deprive JOhn Ran
doiph OF Roanok Of the floor. Clay quoted
no authority for his parliamentary rulings
and depended upon the loyalty OF his fol-
lowing on the floor % sustain the chair IN
the event Of an appeal
The modern doctrine Of the use Of the
Iaa----4--- -rr--eF.-sH -. .-w-TTfrRaT h. rr.-
was the result OF the efforts Of the New
England representatives to prevent wal
with England. Under the rules then obtain.
ing the opposition could have delayed ac-
ton for an indefinite time. The previous
question was ordered. the new cnnstruc'
ton Of It's meaning given to IT and thC
majority triumphed.
The SUCCESSORS to Clay in the speaker.
ship did not hesitate to make use Of The
power which he had given to the position
tbut for mRny years little prestige twas addet
to the chair. Only one speaker Of th'
house. however. was absolutely nonparti
san. regarding his position as that Of 4
moderator such as IS held by the speaker
Of the House OF Commons in England. H
was Robert NJ 7. Hunter of Virginia, TIT
youngest man ever elected speaker, he be
ing but 90 years old when he took the gave
IN lpoa- AlQIlnb me sA1Img uaAA lGAulnb VI
to the civil war the chair was the refus'
of mediocrity. During the war period AMI
the early reconstruction era the speake
was the servant OF Thaddeus Stevens. TIL
overwhelming republican majority mad
strong rules unneccssary-there was no on
position 10 crush.
As the democratic party began to com
back to life James G. Blaine became tn
speaker Of the house. He added 10 IN
power OF the position OF speaker by assert
ing the right to grant or withhold :ecog
milton at his pleasure This is the speak
ers greatest individual power, and With
out it the present method of legislattv
procedure In the house could not exist L
/ the senate. neither the power to order tn
I previous question nor the right to gran
/ preferential recognition is tolerated. MT
3 Blaine was the first speaker to make US