Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-20
ALEXANDRIA,, VA.
MONDAY EVENING, JUNE -.

THE House OF Representatives Is
gradually freeing itself from the tyr
amy of its own rules. On the suppo-
sion that it could not trust itself TO ar
range an order Of business or TO secure
the prompt consideration OF measures
which a majority desired 10 pass, the
House had intrusted the powers OF
initiative and Of veto largely to agents
and agencies Of its own creation. As
a result of the reaction against the fill
clustering methods which prior to 1870
had made the popular branch the play
thing of any little group Of obStruc-
tionists excessive authority was vested
in the speaker, and in the committees
The former was made not only par
Gamentary autocrat, with power to sup
press filibustering, but also censor of
legislation. I'm his capacity As char
man of the committee on rules, the
other members Of which he named, ne
dominated the business OF the House,
deciding what reported bills should he
considered and to what extent they
should be open to amendment. \
further effective check on the right OF
the majority to carry out its Will was
furnished i'm the rule forbidding the
discharge of a committee from the con-
sideration of bill, except on report
from the committee on rules Com
mittees controlled by the speaker were
thus enabled to smother measures
which he might think it undesirable TO
have considered. The lack of any
method by which a majority could
compel action on bill held in a com
mittee aided in putting absolute con
troll of legislative business IN the hands
of the speaker and the little group OF
his leutenants at the head of the lead
ing committees. The House tcrmi-
mated last winter after sensational
struggle the speakers association with
the committee on rules and gave that
body a much more Independent status
by enlarging it and making it elective,
instead of appointiye. 1t is no'' IN a
fair way to become the agent OF the
House, instead of an instrument OF
the speaker. But the veto on lcgiSla-
ton posse. sed by the committees, which
was consistent enough with the one-man-
power theory Of government, was soon
felt to be out of harmony with the new
order Of rule by the majority. 1t was
dispensed with on Friday last as a use
less survival. On that day, through
the persistent efforts of the democrats
and insurgents, a rule was adopted
giving a majority OF the House the
right to take bill out Of the custody
of committee which delayed unduly
in acting upon it and put it on the
House calendar. Concerning this
change in the rules the New York Tri-
bune says:
Such change in procedure would
have been hooted at as prepOSterOus
two years ago. But many things have
happened since this Congress opened.
The autocratic power of the speaker
has been broken and the House is rap
idly reacquiring the habit Of Self-goy-
eminent. The recent debate OH the IN
terstate commerce bill was a striking
demonstration of the body'S recovered
self-confdence. The interstate COM
merce bill, as it passed. represented the
judgment Of the members themselves
and not the Judgment Of a few leaders.
Ii carried more weight therefore, with
the Senate than any House measure
passed in the long person of onc-man
rule. Members see now that they can
trust themselves to consider measure
in all its details, and they will not again
consent to return to the old plan OF
letting a few leaders say what provisions
in a bill shall or shall not be voted
upon in the House. An era of great
er freedom and larger responsibility m
the popular branch Of Congress Is al
ready in sight Ghe Houses capacity
will be increased and It's influence will
be strengthened 10y fuller exercise of
the long neglected functions Of initia-
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