The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-19
HEPBURN ON RULES
Iowa Member Makes Farewell
Address in the House.
SCORES METHOD OF SPEAKER
Declares IL Constituents Knew Real
Conditions They Would Rise Up an
Arms and Demand that Their Right
No More BE Voted Away as Has
Been Done in Recent Years.

Near the close OF service OF more than
twenty years IN Congress, Representative
William P Hepburn. OF Iowa, delivered q
farewell address yesterday. making a
spirited. and at times bitter, attack upon
the rules governing the conduct Of bust
ness in the Lower House.
IN the last election the veteran Iowan
was defeated FOR reelection by Demo
crat. For g time he entertained the hope
that he would be able to retain his seat
through a contest, but he was advised
against taking such step. Mr.. Hepburn
has been active throughout the present
session as a leader Of the House RepubIi-
cans who advocate a change IN the rules
Notice was given that he would discuss
the subject yesterday. Accordingly. when
he rose in his place every seat on the
floor was occupied and the galleries were
crowded
Speaker Cannon Interested.
Mr.. Hepburn was IN fine form. He drove
home his points against the House rules
with bitter satire. keen wit. and ridicule-
he had no more interested auditor than
.
veterans were antagonists on the floor Of
the House. and some OF the most bitter
debates In the annals OF Congress contain
the names OF Cannon and Hepburn as
principals.
I can discuss this question with less
tirhidity than some Others" declared Mr..
Hepburn. because I viii not be here IN
the new Congress"
He asserted that IL the people knew the
exact state Of affairs in the House the
power arrogated by the Speaker and the
Committee on Rules. there would be agi-
tatiOn that would force the leaders to
yield consent 20 radical changes in pro-
ceduTe.
There IS already agitation on this
question" he asserted. Tt viii continue,
There'H come a day when this agitation
viii challenge the attention Of the people,
and when The attention of the people Is
once centered on this question there viii
be no difficulty n taking from the Speaker
the immense political power that he now
exercises
The Reed rules. so-caIled. Mr.. Hepburn
said were devised for the mob They
we're invoked 20 meet conditions that
were intoIerabIe Under the Reed rules
The House had escaped from the irrespOn-
sibility OF mob rule, but it had not es-
capped from the Speaker. He was the all
controlling factor now.
Speaker Net Blamed.
None OF the animadversion upon the
Speaker can be imputed personally 70 the
gentleman VINO now occupies the chair, -
said Mr.. Hepburn. IF We are 10 have a
benevolent despot the present Speaker
would be my choice q a despot."
Mr.. Hepburn insisted, however. that the
power exercised by the Speaker came
from his arbitrary Interpretation Of the
rules, the right given him 20 appoint
committees and 20 select the chaIrmen OF
committees. and his dictatorlsl attitude
OF refusing 10 recognize members TO call
up bills except BY prearrangement- He
urged as a remedy that the power OF
appointing committees should be taken
from the Speaker: that IN addition COM
mittees should be left free 10 name their
own ChaiTmen. and furthermore. that
one day a week should be set aside for
the consideration OF bills on the House
calendar
COmmends Democrats Principle.
reference was MADE 0Y M Hepburn 10
the plank in the last national platform OF
the Democratic party denouncing the rules
OF the House as al present enforced. II
an one Of those who would condemn the
Ten Commandments II by some acct
dent the Democratic party should adopt
them said M Hepburn
For fifty years It has been my duty 10
criticise the Democratic party. but this
particular plank IS consoling to my soul" (
The Constitution did not make the Office /
OF Speaker one Of great magnitude Mr. /
Hepburn Contended- L vas mentioned
only once in the Constitution: namely. in
that section authorizing the House TO ap-
point Speaker and other officers
The presiding officer or the House had
become powerful through rights vested
IN him BY the membership, and by right
vested in himself by Interpretation
Mr. Hepburn said he expected to see
no changes made in the rules at this
session. nor al the session that would
begin in March. but Il Il had been Or
dained that Congress was not 10 meet
until next December. he expressed the be- 1
lief that public opinion would have en-
forced the leaders to consent TO much
needed reforms in the present methods
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