The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-14
BROWN uRl I 5
HISTORY OF
CONGRESS-
Prestige Of House Of Repre-
sentatives Declined When
the Speaker Was Shor1 of
Autocratic Powers.

the Speaker Was Shorl o
Autocratic Powers.
THE LEADERSHIP OF con-
Brown. Indianapolis: Bobbs-
Merrill, $3.50.
/" HE author, d Washington
newspaper man, has col
lected = mass of historical
data relating to Congress and
presented it in an interesting
manner. The book deals In
great detail with the men who
comprised the House of Represen-
tatives FOR 4 period extending
over 100 years and elaborates
on the working Of that body.
from the first Congress to the
present day.
From the early Colonial As.
sembiies down to the present
Congress the author has traced
the development 81 Congress-,
with parallel development of
absolute power placed in the
Speaker OF the House and with.
the destruction % the Speakers
power the consequent loss o.
prestige ii the lower body. In
teresting sidelights are given on
the men who were lsadets -
bygone day and now have
passed beyond the call Of their
constituents.
To excuse the views Of many
holding that unbridled power ii
the hands 81 the Speaker of the
House II against the precepts
Of democracy the author pre-
SCENTS picture OF the first
House Of Representative COM
prIsed Of e handful Of strong,
dominant men. each striving for
mastery, influenced BY jeal-
olsIy. ambition ana perhaps
pecuniary considerations. But
through the strategical position
Of the Speaker, exercising power
that grew with each successive
] Congress. an efficient, flexible
and smoothly functioning law
making body developed.
Through 100 years Of our his
tory the everlasting struggle
between executive and legislative
power goes on. The immortal
Andrew jackson IL presented sue
cessfully withstanding the most
powerful triumvirate Of the age.
The coalition Of Webster, Clay
and Calhoun was impOtent in
leading the House Of Representa-
tives In an encroachment upon
the Executive power and Jack
son. One reads with gathering
admiration, even an approach to
generation, for the gallant ''0ld
Hickory Andrew jackson, the
real leader Of the people. mas
terful, assertive and dominant.
Alone the book excuses itself
for the pen picture presented
Of jackson.
Sidelights on Car Reeds tao
tics In his leadership Of the
House are enlightening. From
the belligerent minority leader,
protesting veherdently against
steam-roller tactics, Reed is seen
to develop into the most ruth
less Of Speakers. With his two
heutenants, Mckinley and Can
non, Gear" Reed welded power
second to none in the country.
And 1t is evident that his ruthless
tactics first sowed the spirit OF
revolt in the West that may be
Hkened to gathering clouds Of
tnsurrection that were to roll
eastward, gathering strength,
and finally to break forever the
absolute and czar-like power Of
the Speaker, who at the time
was the one-time Reed lieuten.
ant, Joseph @. Cannon.
The decline of the prestige of
Congress il laid by the author
to the passing Of the Speakers
power and the modern changes
In politics, such as the direct
primary. women's suffrage and
even the enactment of the Four
teenth Amendment, giving the
slave the right of suffrage. And
to this amendment, in conjunction
with the Eighteenth, the American
supreme contempt for the organic
law of the land is described as a
national characteristic.
A peculiar psychological con-
dition of mind, taking the form
Of self-condemnation, the author
explains, is another reason for
the declining prestige of the
House. Depreciation of effort
seemed to take hold of the mem
bers, and this soon spread to
the country at large.
Drawing parallel from Jack
sons successful battle against
. the encroachment by the House
upon the Executive power, the
author cites the impeachment