Show I 1 le D DESPOTISM IN CONGRESS V 1 16 tho rho san pr incisco call cail condemns A I 1 the tactics of cannon in these words k what Is congress doing apparently 1 nothing but in marking arking time uncle joel joa cannon blocks tho the gap and con congressmen gross see themselves branded as cannons I 1 sheep athe the policy of inaction Is regarded as cute politics in a presidential ident ial year but tile the wisdom of that judgment may bo be doubted the american people hate a coward I 1 it if Is quite true that the largo membership of the house has hag compelled k that body to surrender in large I 1 measure its deliberative functions t to 0 th the 0 several committees consideration of measures the floor of the house ma may be regarded as virtually vi extinct the debates in ave become puerile the congressional record of tho the I 1 present session Is a barren waste tot bf t words somo ol of the speeches are inter larded with silly billy doggerel the product I 1 of congressmen stuff that wo would uld not be tolerated from a 4 ears 1 to lilt the of the house of representatives they are simply killing allne ti methe the people alme I 1 this condition of lethargy expressed in fiddle faddle comes from the relegation of all legislative power to a n sin sfa glo man the process s Is simple deliberation on treasur measurer Is relegated t to Com committees the committees ao are th tho 0 croat creatures ures or ahe tb e speaker and they 4 it I 1 1 take orders from alo th 0 supreme power through tho the committee on rules the speaker aicer exercises further arbitrary I 1 powers by which bills can be shelved I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 and discussion suppressed on tho the floor tho the lower house Is no longer a deliberative assembly but a complete despotism Poti granting that despotism may be endorsed indorsed indor endorsed indorsed Indor sed it if it be benevolent and 10 wise there is a question about cannons benevolence and grave doubt of his wisdom he Is doing politics by the exercise of arbitrary power and the whole country is watching the performance for mance with a full understanding of the motive the first law of cannons being is to keep keeli away from and suppress anything that roosevelt apro proposes if tile the house is to rehabilitate itself in hi public confidence and respect it must ake measures to limit the powers of the speaker the present house is so much degraded by y its condition of servitude that its proceedings stand at about the level of a schoolboys debating 1 soc kocl feiy ety I 1 |