Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-24
THE spEAkERsmP AND CANNON
ISM.

The democrats who viii control the
next house OF representatives are
showing n disposition to borrow trou-
bic for themselves in their anxiety
10 escape the perilg Of what has been
~tersely called Cannonism MIR. Hay,
| Of yirginia. insists that the demo-
| cratic victory was In a sense a result
| OF the protest against an autocratic
| speaker, and thai the next speaker
must be so hodged and curbed by
rules himself that tyranny shall he
eliminated and the popular will OF
the house expressed at all times with
an ease and facility that viii evoke
universal applause. one Of the new
ideas is that there shall be a com
mittee "a choose the committees of
the house, and the speaker In an-
nouncing the appointments win Of
course be performing merely q min
isterial act.
The Philadelphia Ledger gives one
view Of the situation as follows;
IT Is feasible no doubt 20 have such
"a committee, and there need be no
fear that this little CAUCUS could
not perform It's functions well: but
In general the speaker must be
speaker. and he must be powerful, or
he will never force the enormous
business OF the congress TO a Conclus-
lon. The house is, or ought TO be, Il
deiiberatlve body itself, but II the
crude n popular notion shall pre-
vain of creating, instead OF a real
gnan EaVf "a anEkna or A.AANan.r tgaf.fEL.
for the purpose OF performing the
executive functions of the house. bus
mess win lag and the democrats will
exhibit a degree OF incapaclty that
VIII bring at least as much reproach
upon them as C|annonism.
Speaker Reed Instituted what is
called c~annonism. He and his party
had a majority and il became neces-
sary 10 utilize their strength in posi-
tive legislation. Mr.. Reed "saw 10 it,
that the majority ruled in the house.
re did Il, TO be sure, in a very direct |
OF even harsh manner The opposi-
tion protested to be outraged by the
Gear rules" hut there was little dis
from the republicans.
Cannonism first became a men |
10 republicans when a very con- |
siderable body Of republicans them
began to disagree with the |
leadership of thoir own party. The
regulars, who at the time were in |
tho majority, were committed to tariff |
revision They decided how far they \
should go and enacted the law. Even |
In naming the committees Speaker |
Cannon naturally appointed members
We're in accord with the ideas \
OF the majority which controlled his
party. When the insurgents gain con-
troll OF tho republican party. they. too.
VIII apopiut members OF committees
who are In accord with their notions
OF tariff revision, and that sort of
men viii inevitably get on the com-
whether the speaker names
them himself or whether they are APP
pointed 10y q Committee on Commit
tees
The speaker must have large pow
II he abuses those powers his
party should suffer and give way to
another party with discretion 10 make
better use 81 power. Under party
system OF government the speaker
VIII be "A partisan speaker, Selling
Every opportunity to make use ct his
power. Tho only method. apparently.
ot bringing about change IN essentials
would be "a change the system and Is
adopt the English system OF mining n
permanent speaker 90 serve AS "a |,
'oldly impartial moderator OF tho
assembly. This Is not feasible with
10