Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-05-04
A Precedent Set by JAS. j.. Orr.
columbia Record.)

over the proposition to amend the
rules Of that body so as to curtail
the power Of the Speaker by elimi-
mating him from the committee on
rules, fact of interest to South
Carolina was several times referred
to In the discussion.
1T was during the speakership Of
Hon. James l.. Orr, of South Caro-.
lina-later the organizer and com
mander Of the intrepid Orr's Regi-
ment, c. S. A., member Of the Con-
federate States Senate, still later
Governor Of South Carolina, and then
United States minister to Russia,
where he died--it was during the
speakership Of this distinguished
South Carolinian that the practice OF
making the Speaker member OF
the most important committee Of the
House was begun, and 1t was done
then because Of Speaker Orr's ability
and wisdom as parliamentarian.
There has never been anything in the
rules OF the House providing that the
Speaker shall be member Of the
committee on rules, but the custom
has obtained from the administration
or Speaker Orr, in 1868, until now.
when by the recent action of the
House 1t is expressly provided the
speaker shall not be member OF
that committee.
The Importance of membership on
that committee has increased as tn.
power and authority of the commit
tee have by successive steps been
enhanced. This growth has been due
to the recognized necessity for some
means by which to direct legislation
In body, The membership of which
was becoming more and more un-
wieldy as 1t increased in numbers.
This necessity IS felt in every dcliber-
ative body where the Increase in sub
Jects for legislation, the CONSEQUENT
increase in bills introduced, and tho
increase In members makes It more.
and more difficult for the body to
"hnd ITSELF" as 1t were. AS Con-
gressman Malby, of New York, point
ed out In his speech the other day.
much the same condition, though Of
course in minor degree, existed in
the New York assembly, so that n
rule was adopted some years ago pro-
viding that during the last ten davs
n n l>fll
taken up by members are referred
TO the committee on rules with n
written statement of reasons why
they should be taken up, and the
decision Of the rules committee Is
final.
1t has been found 10 be necessary
In very many legislative bodies to
have steering committee" pos
sessing the authority to determine
what measures shall be considered
by the body and IN what manner
they shall be considered. This places
large responsibility and power in the
hands Of committee, but it is essen
tfal to the orderly transaction of
business, and is helpful so long as
the power and responsibility are not
abused. Should that be done It is
within the power Of the body at any
time to over-rule or even to dis
charge the committee, which IS afte"
all the servant of the body. This IS
the point Speaker Cannon has always
made when he has been accused of
tyranny in the exercise of his an.
thority through the committee on
rules, and logically he has been cor
rect. The majority, however, has
not had the courage until now TO
oVer-rule the committee on rules,
though the fact has been so generally
recognized that the Speaker and his
rules committee have become more
and more arbitrary in the exercise of
their authority.
In his very able and logical speech
on the question then pending, Repre
sentative Townsend, Republican
who has not always been "regular"-
brought all Of this out very clearly.
showing that Speaker Orr was the
first Speaker to be member OF the
rules committee, because he was "a
man learned In parliamentary law
and 1t was thought proper thing
that he should be added to the COM
mlttee. 1t Is not clear, however,
that Speaker Orr was the chairman.
The precedent being established, "it
came to be accepted as a matter OF
course that the SPEAKER would be the
chairman and dominating member OF