New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02

II pie of the United States the great IciTS' .io
~ source of all power, the basis upon when the
great supcrstrlcturc of the Government rests when
dates back TO the Magma Charta and whose immediate
ancestor was the first Parliament OF Henry III inc
fifteenth century, In Hcnrys Parliament, the repre-
erntativcs Of the people established finally and forever
that all revenue bills must originate in the lower house
which should hold the purse of the people and without
which not wheel in the legislative the executive oi 'e
judicial branch of the Government could turn.
II is because of this Parliament that there IS no
Wavs and Means Committee in the Senate, ana that
when any treaty or commercial arrangement or any
thing involving the payment OF money Is IIt .t
duccd any appointment or legislation is propoSed me
House Of Representatives raises It's mighty n'ld' anu
settles the matter according to the will OF the people
through their representatives. For 1t can deicat any
measure or any person, by merely declining 10 appo-
pirate the money necessary to pay for that measure or
person W. ,,t,. ,,.o
scnts lis business to the House OF Representatives, ana
the House goes into Committee OF the Whole House on
the State Of the Union the asscnbage at once resolves
,scf into a body as absolutely democratic as the Saxon
Witcnagcmot or the New England town meeting. Every
symbol of popular assembage is rellgouSly observed
The Speaker leaves the chair, and chairman IS cected
who is not the Speaker. Not even SO ihuCi as Ic
prestige of the regular presiding officer IS allowed 10
hamper the freedom Of debate. The Speaker goes down
to the floor and has privileges than the newest
or most obscure member OF the House
THE mace. the emblem Of authority, is put under the
Speakers table, to show that the House dcioefat,S
vthout interference from anybody The mace IS really
q weapon a stout wooden stick with metal mead ana
rsrd 10 be the favoritc weapon Of fighting priests OF the
Middle AGES They were forbidden by ecclesiastical
law to use swords but got around the law by using he
mace terrible weapon against the anoTcd men OF the
time In the choice Of the mace as the type Of au'h0
itv the idea Of democracy was ugidly earned OUT. III
the carly DAYS only few men out OF the Wlolc "cic
rborilcd 10 wear swords: but any and all OF the people
could Use good stout stick, and 50 the weapon OF their
aicscs the People was chosen When the Speaker pre-
sides, and any members show signs OF induging IN Sti-
. and will not obey the speaker gavcl, the sergeant
, r,n. ~ his dcputy is directed 10 SHOW the mace.
r AZ f,,uctionarv sczcS the and marches up TO the
offending members who are supposed 10 De a"cd iiiIo
good behavior at sight OF this big stick
Not long .go when two members got INTO row. ana
+, s.r,u.l AZ, = blows were about 70 be exchanged,
So. I.nnon promptly ordered the Sergeant at
Arm, to show them the mace. ne sergeant LOOK tne
mace marched up TO the two bcligcrcnlS' ana SJood'
-,ig,. IN hand maicsCalv before them MS, now
ever had not the slightest effect. and the Sergeant
IL, Arms anxously inquired Of a member sitting next
what am | TO do with the mace now;
To which the member responded IN stage Whisper
peck en- on the head with IT..
Thi, brought down the House, and roar Of laughter
and applause followed, in which even the bcIlgercn'S
were obliged to Join.
In general however before the mace can bc shown,
the members, rush in and separate men whose tcnpcrS
have, GOT the better Of them who have exchanged the
ne or the blow that always follows. Members engaging
IN these rows are always called before the bar oi thc
House ana SlcrniE i'Ph"l'',' "s "', =, ~" ~
talks Ike Dutch uncle to them and calls them by
name This manning" is the only time a member name
+, used IN debate He is at other times the member
from So and So, or the gentleman from So and 50.
These collisions rarely, ever, occur between mem
L.r, anywhere except on the floor OF the House
Everything is permitted in the freedom OF debate, nor
is member held accountable outside for anything he
may saw on the floor Through thi, freedom Of speech
members say things they would not dare to utter else
where In the old days ducs followed The exchange OF
the Ic and the Gravcs-C illcy duel the John Randolph
ami Henry Clay duel, and many historical encounters