Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-13

IK XE5l having the recoSnltlOIl VI ,hC
lkesA6Issll chair, he will look about him
and say: This. the senate OF
the United States, the most powerful,
potent and puissant deliberative assem-
bly, on earth" And there is not one TO
say him nay, for upon this subject
Aldrich agrees with Gore, Hale with
La Toilette, Lodge with Tillman, every
senator with every other senator sen
ators are not oppressed with false
modesty which forbids them publicly
to declare their appreciation OF the
worth and dignity of the body to which
they have the honor to belong. Every
session witnesses from one to fifty pub
lie declarations of the faith of the sem
ators in the senate. 1t may be Bailey
Of Texas who. gracefully brushing
raven lock from his altitudinous brow,
declares in sonorous tones the doctrine
of senatorial responsibility. 1t may be
Hale of Maine who. frowning disap-
proval upon some luckless wight guilty
Of the crime of youth in tones sepulchal
voices the litany of senatorial cour-
tesy and department. 1t may be Daniel
of Virginia who, knowing his patriclan
face recalls to every mind the portraits
Of the fathers of the republic, pleads
with plebeian radicals not to disturb the
precedents of a glorious past. But
whoever it may be there is none to take
him lightly.
LAS a man thinketh, so is he" The
house of representatives refuses to take
itself seriously, the senate declines TO
consider itself in any other light. Every
senator looks upon the senate as the
highest and mightiest parliamentary
body in the world. And they are right
No other house in any parliament has
so much power. Granted by the con-
stitution equal rights with the lower
house in all legislative matters except
the origination of tax bills and con-
siderable share in the executive branch
of the government, il has gathered to
itself by usurpation and by the volun-
tary abdication Of rights by the lower
house, practically all legislative power
The senate is supreme. No matter
what the house does, the senate will
do 1t over, and in the end the house
usually submits to the senate's will.
On account of the rigidity of the
rules OF the house of representatives
true deliberation has been made impos-
sible in that body. Men have come to
regard the senate as the only delibera-
tive body left in the national govern
ment. Despite the theory OF the con-
stitution, 1t appears to be true, in a
majority of instances, that the senate
is more responsible IN shaping legisia-
tion to meet the needs of the nation
than is the house of representatives.
This estimate of the senate has been
growing ever since the adoption of the
Reed rules in the house. 1t is said that
the house is ruled by one man, while in
the senate every man may have his
say; that the house rushes, measures
through the legislative mill without
giving the opportunity for amendment,
While in the senate every senator may
offer as many amendments as he desires
and may have each Of them considered
and voted upon.
Against these claims for the superior
ity of the senate as a tribune of the
rcople may be set some very cold faces.
The house may rush bills through in
haste, but ii does accord public hear
ings before full committees on many
important measures, while the senate
committee will consider the same
measures in secret session of the ma
jority members. 1t was thus that the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill was consid-
cred. The house committee gave pub
lie hearings and invited the people 10
come and say their say. The senate
committee. where the bill actually was
shaped. considered it in secret, not per-
hitting even the Democratic members
Of the committee to be present.
Uncle Joe" Cannon has carefully
pointed out on a number of occasions
that the boasted freedom Of debate in
the senate operates to make much talk
during the first part of the session,
but that when adjournment approaches
the senate passes bills with rapidity
which is impossible in the house. And
Uncle Joe" is right, for the senate
machine. to all intents and purposes, is
lust as powerful as the house organiza-
ton except when 1t is opposed by a
determined hlibuster. As such fill
| busters are prevented in all but eX-
ceptional cases by senatorial courtesy