Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-18
AphEREe 70 ANCIENT CUSTOMS
AND ENFORCEMENT OF RED
ISL TAPE RULES.
INTERFERING DESCRIPTION
5* OF HOUSE IN ACTION
Rule. For Debate Long Established
New SPEAKER 40 Vet Has Had No
Opportunity to Weigh Fine Points OF
Parliamentary Law-Membsrs In
eiined to Gossip.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, May 1S.-Every writer,
American and foreign, who has at
tempted to describe the house Of rep
rssentatives in the act Of transact1ng
business has severely criticised the
! lack Of dignity Of that body, the con-
slant hum of conversation, and the
i failure OF members to observe the pro-
4 prieties OF debate which are strictly
! adhered to in the senate. Thus early
| in his career as speaker, Champ Clark
/ has demonstrated that he agrees with
all OF the criticisms aimed at the house
/ and he has set about to correct condl-
/ tons.
! When Champ Clark was elected
| speaker Of the Sixty-second congress
| there was some speculation as to what
kind OF a presiding officer and parlia-
| mentarian ne would prove to be. Inc
| business before the house up to the
| present time has been so restricted enat
| the new speaker has not been caiieo
upon to weigh the fine points OF par
| Elementary law. He has had an oppo1-
! tunity-and he has improved Ito
show how ne proposes to preside over
| the house, and his performances up TO
date rive members reason for the hope
that before his term expires the house
viii, no restored to some sennblance OF
order during the consideration OF bus
| iness.
Debate Rules Definite.
From the time the house was organ
! tied for the first congress the rules
Have been very definite regarding the
| modus operandi of debate. The trainers
of these rules evidently intended that
debate should not degenerate into
free-for- all conversation between
members, without regard to orner
without regard to the presiding onlcef
and worst Of ALL without regard 70
other members OF the house who va,nly
endeayor to follow the proceedings.
l;Aftho the house has been agntins
about tho rules for more than wv"
yAars these particular rules ABOUT LAS
method by which debates may be con-
k6ucted have long since been aorsot'eh;
| II will take man OF courage anu
payisuce 20 break up the present Pa
tice OF noisy conversation. rainc&ins
debate Between members IN z "ono.
tone ana an utter disregard 1oF tne
narf to be played in the proceedings oy
CaarE thinks he has the courage ana
ma ience ana he has started out to en-
force tho rules In that respect It IS
true that The speaker has broken
couple Of xavels in his attempt to prlns
about this reform, and one OF them
happened to be handsomely engraved
raIlet sent to him by his constituents
III Missouri.
Clark PROPOSE TO Rule.
When one member OF the house DE-
sires to ask a question OF ano'ne'
member making q speech ne Is re-
oufred to frst address the cnair' SUI
nit his request wait for the chalr 10
| ,ubmit the request to the member
sneaktnR and until the member gives
consent to the interruption. up 20 Inc
present time this rule has been op-
served in the breach rather tnan IN tlie
Observance. Today, however, the Oh
mmbers who desire to take snort eut
into another mans speech ave being 1of-
si5lv reminded that the new speake.
does not propose to pc lsnofeu suu
that ne does propose to enforce the
r,,1es When Champ Clark Is in the
o.c;- he pays strict attention TO what
is-transpirine on the floor. If a menu
her ignores the chair and thereby vio-
iates the rules, he is reminded OF MS
transgression by a Tesoundins SMASH
of the speakers gavel.
"Does the gentleman from Name
Yield to the gentleman from Ne"
York;" bellows the speaker.
Adhsres to Dienifisd Red Tape.
Mr.. Clark insists on going thru this
form of procedure even II the gentle
man from Maine has yielded and the
aent1eman from New York has pro-
pounded his question and received his
answer. The speaker makes the two
members involved go all thru the per-
Torrance again. II the speaker keeps
on hammer1ng his gavel on his sound
| ing board, and keeps on hammerins
away at the refractory members he
NAV be able to bring about a condition
which will enable debate to proceed
decorously.
It Ia with the gossipy members OF
the house that Speaker Clark ts having
his greatest difficulty. It Is q common
occurrence nowadays for speaker on
the door to be interrupted by crash
Of the speakers gavel. -
Gentlemen desiring to engage IN
conversation will retire to the cloak
rooms" declares the speaker. An
gentlemen standing in the aisies Will
retire 70 their seats. We are transact
ing public business here and every
member has right to hear what Is
said" Other presiding officers have