Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-04-23
NNPIA WASHINGTON FRIDAY MORNING. APRIL % 1909
TRUTHS ABOUT AUTOCRAT CANNON
his Fule Has Been the Most DiseracefuI
o'ot Upon Representative Methods
ELM, Wash, April 20, 1909

o' upon Representative Methods.
lELu, Wash, April 20, 1909
Ed. STANDARD:
wonder if the American pconIe
ever think of the travestv on liberty
ds eNempIltled in the lower House of
congress by the rules of the House ?
0ah anyone conceive of a more des-
potic power than that conferred on
the Speaker of the House by those
rules 1t is absolutely despotic.
lie Is permitted to name all the
committees in the House. He desip-
Dates as chairman of each committee
Il man who will follow his direction
and control as nearly As may be the
action of the committee in all mat
ters pertaining to it. He expects
the chairman To Sec to it that no bill
Is reported from the committee that
does not merit the Speaker 5 ap-
prOval. All bills are first referred to
committees for investigation. After
Il bill has been considered and re-
ported by the committee. it is placed |
on the calender for consideration
by the House. But no bill can be
called up without first securing the |
recognition of the Speaker. A mem
Der in the discharge of his duty NAV |
rise in his place and address the !
Speaker, who asks, if he doesn't al |
ready know, For what purpose
does the gentleman rise ~ Answer
is made then, and if the Speaker does
not wish to recognize the member,
he replies: ." cannot recognize you |
for that purpose The member has |
no recourse. His work is done In |
addition to this power lodged in the
Car of the House, he appoints IA
Committee on Rules, of which he is
chairman, consisting of five persons.
The members of this committee at
present are the following Oligarchs:
Dalzcll, of Pennsylvania and Shcr-
man of New YOrk-together with
Payne, of New York, chairman of
Ways and Means-and Lawney of
Minnesota, chairman of the Commit
tee on Appropriations These five
men, including the Speaker, arbitra-
rily dictate what legislation shall be
considered by Il body of 39l duly
elected representatives of the people
OF the United States-this boasted
land of the free. The machinery of
legislation is in their hands. They
hold their amazing power by dispens-
ing committee chairmanships and ap-
pOrtlonnG among the members the
expenditures Of public moneys. Isit
any wonder the people can't get any
of the reforms they have been seek
ing for so many years in vain ? Is
1t surprising that the people have
been plundcred to u greater extent
than was ever before known in the
history of the world, for the purpose
OF building up an Oligarchy of lecher-
Gus cormorantS whose only object in
life is to wallOw in luxurious idlenesS
Is this what our forefathers fought.
bled and died for? Did they ever
dream that their postcrity would
dare To trample the Goddess of Lib.
erty under foot and deSecrate the
temple of liberty by elevatlng the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives tOa throne of power equal to
that of the Car of Russia Don't
talk to me about the blessings of
free government when one man has
the power to dictate to 800 members
of Congress, employed by the peo-
pie at good salaries to lcgislate for
their interests, as to what bills shall
have consideration.
The Democratic party have tried
for years to modify those rules, as
well rs a goOdly number of Repub-
licanS, but without success. They
demand, lst, that the Committee on
Rules. now appointed by the Speak
er, which arbitrarily determines what
legislation shall be considered by the
House, be appointed Oy genuinely
representative committee made up
of members from geographical groups
of States. I'd, That this popularity
elected Committee on Rules shall
elect the chairman and members of
the standing committees of the
House, which frame legislation. 3D.,
That one day in the week open dis
cussion of any important measures
on the calendar may be obtained by
right and not by favor of the Speaker.
In short, these Democrats and con-
servative Republicans by striking
directly at the biographical control
of the House and by attempting to
put an end to the farce of debates
and discussions under the sole dircc-
tion of the Speaker, appear to the
voicing of widespread popular de-
maId that the House of Representa-
tives be made really representative
and responsive to the will Of the
people.
Now | ask in the name of common
sense is there any reason why these
amendments to the rules should not |
be made? Are they not in accord |
with the principles of our govern
ment? The people of republic
should have the right to make their
demands through their Representa-
tiveS and not through the Speaker of
the House. J. c. Cos.