Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-16
Organizing q New Congress

Edgar C. snyder---

For the fifth time in the history OF congress
the office of clerk of the house of representatives
becomes of supreme political Importance.
No party has majority in the house-elect OF
the Sixty-hfth congress. The process OF organi-
zation OF the new house must begin with the clerk
OF the present house presiding until speaker Is
elected. By tme-honored practice fashioned after
the rule of the British Parliament, the clerk IN
the next former congress takes the char ana
holds it until the speaker is chosen. That prac-
tice, with one exception has been followed in the
American house ever since the first congress.
Congress had been running along smoothly for
fifty years on this understanding when in 1852,
house was elected which politically so
heterogeneous mass that just what were the
duties Of the clerk presiding officer came seri-
ously into question. The first clerk to be en-
tangled by difficulty was Hugh A. Garland OF Viz
gnia in the Twenty-sxth congress-l839 A
house had been elected without any party hav-
ing a majority, the parties then contending for
power being wings and democrats 1t proved to
be the most disorderly and uncomfortable house
that had met in the history Of congress. Gar
land, who had been clerk in the preceding con-
gress, according to custom, took the chair at
the opening of the Twenty sixth congress and
proceeded to call the roll The call had got as
far as the state of New Jersey, when the clerk
stopped, calling attention to the fact that the
claims of five of the seats from that state
decide what action should be taken as to them.
The members of the house had been expecting
trouble over New Jerseys representation That
state had law providing for the election OF its
six members en- block, the six receiving the high
est number of votes being elected. 1t had been
very close election, with both wings and demo-
Gratis claiming victory and charging fraud against
each other. One party brought certificates from
the governor and the other certificates from the
secretary of state. The wings had the governor,
H. IL II @f
the five members who had the governors certif-
Gates there was an angry protest from the house
wings The clerk refused to proceed until the
house decided the question for itself. The demo-
Gratis were quite as insistent and vehement
the whigs charging fraud and declaring the clerk
had right to yield to the dctation of the wings.
Thereupon arose a long and acrimonious debate
as to the duties of the clerk 1t continued ten
days, at times it was characterized by the wild
est disorder. The sergeant-at-arms was kept busy
with his mace, trying to restore order and pre-
vent members from riotous conduct Words led
to blows and there were not few hsticuf fights.
It was the venerable John Quincy Adams then
in his seventy-second year and serving his third
term in the house since he had been president,
who led the way to a settlement Eloquently re-
bukng the house for the conduct which destroyed
its usefulness he ventured to put question to it
which called for vote. Representative R. Barn
well Rhett of South Carolina offered a resolution
that Mr.. Adams preside until speaker was
elected The resolution was adopted and that
after some days of debate led to the election OF
Robert M. T. Hunter (democraD OF Virginia,
who had evnced fair disposition toward the
wings, on the eleventh ballot sFe+
The next close contest over the, organization of
the house occurred in the Thirty-tirst congress,
when Clerk Thomas J. Campbell OF Tennessee had
to preside and Robert c. Winthrop of Massachu-
sets was chosen speaker, and again in the Thirty
fourth congress, when Clerk John w. Forney of
Pennsylvania presided until Nathaniel P. Banks
Of Massachusetts, was chosen speaker. Another
political conglomerate composed the house. The
whg party was about to break up, the repub-
licans were growing and northern and southern
democrats were at odds, though together they had
a plurality Of the strength Banks was finally
elected after struggle from early in December
until February l. The next and last great strug-
gle over organization, and the most seriously ex-
citing to the entire country was inl the Thirty
sixth congress- When James c. Allen of Illinois
had to preside as clerk until a choice of speaker.
In each of the last prolonged contests for
speaker over hundred different members re-
ceiyed votes in the balloting. In the Thirty
sixth over half the members were voted for A
resolution to vote for all the members alphabet
cally to try out their strength was seriously con-
sidered. One member thought the house ought
to resolve to have no light, fuel or food until
speaker was elected. On January 80 John Sher-
man. the republican candidate, who had been re-
ceiving the votes Of his party all along, while the
democrats were voting for first one and then an
other Of their leaders, withdrew. On February
William Pennington (republican) who had been
governor OF New Jersey, was elected speaker
Then the much-tried clerk, James c. Allen found
relief 1t was some time in April before the other
officers of the house were elected. 1t is singu-
lar fact that Pennsylvanians have held the office
Of clerk during half the life OF congress, with
Kentucky next in possession
South Trimble, present clerk due to preside
at the opening of the next congress, should APP
proach the ordeal with no misgivings. He has
been three terms a member Of the house and
has had an experience presiding over legisa-
tive body amid tragicaly troublous times un-
equaled by any living man. He was speaker of
the Kentucky legislature during the Goebel con-
test for governor, when not only Goebel lost his
life by assassination, but within a month over
thirty men were killed in and around the state
capital, when the state militia backed by $500
armed mountaineers, sworn to prevent GoebePs
seating, precipitated period that tried the souls
Of all Kentuckians. Speaker Trmble so we'll &C
quilted himself that his people elected him to
congress- Retiring at the end of his third term
he was elected clerk in the Sixty-second con-
gress, post in which he has more than met the
expectations of his democratic supporters and
won the appreciation of all parties
Whether Clerk Trimble will succeed himself
largely depends upon himself. Barring death or
resignation he will be confronted with a house
composed of 2ls democrats, 2l5 republicans and
| FIVE belonging to neither party. The FIVE not