| Show THE SPEAKERS unprecedented POWERS these new rules go far beyond all precedent here or elsewhere and confer upon the speaker the absolute power to refuse refuge to entertain any motion whatever if he chooses to consider it dilatory although though af the motion itself may be clearly in order and expressly authorized by the very rules under which he be is acting por for instance when a motion is under debate debat ethe the following ng motions are expressly provided for to adjourn to lay lay on the table for the previous onto postpone to a day certain to refer to amend and to postpone indefinitely these motions are always in order alien lien any matter of legislation is under consideration and yet by the new clause insert ed at the instance of the speaker himself he to is authorized to refuse to entertain all or any of them upon the ground that in his bis opinion it is made for the purpose of delay and there is no appeal to the house from his decision unless he may see proper to permit it because he can hold that the appeal itself to is a dilatory proceeding proc eeling eefting one of the rules which has existed ever since congress was organized gani zed it is understood provides that the speaker shall decide all questions of order subject to an appeal by any member but that officer is now clothed with power to deny this ancient right of appeal and make his own will the law of the house no such power was ever before conferred upon a presiding officer in a deliberative body and it is safe to say th it the house of representatives of the united states is the only legislative assembly in the civilized world that would consent to part even temporarily p pora ora rily with the right to coti construe its own rules of proceeding and protect itself against improper deci decisions sious affecting the rights of its members jev ax speaker carlisle in north amer loan iban review |
