Show THE SPEAKER IN legislation IN the ap ril arena henry Georg Goo nr jr has baa an article on the speaker in england and america it is somewhat anomalous that the official denominated speaker in our legislative bodies is the only member who do does not speak on any question before the assembly and should he desire to speak be must abrogate him bit functions as speaker for the time and call some other member to take the chair the term speaker as applied to the presiding officer of an american legislature is borrowed from england in the british parliament the speaker to Is the representative of the commons who rho speaks the crown As barly as edward III the house spokesman was known as mr speaker 12 at the present ti time when a new parliament meets the queen through the lords the commons to the bar of the lords and signifies her pleasure that the former choose a representative to speak for them the commons return to their house elect or choose a speaker whose nam nam is submitted to her majesty who generally y ratifies the appointment the gentleman then becomes mr speaker and is also presiding officer of the house of commons except in the matter of speaking for the house to the crown the english official has little more t to do than act as chairman of the body he has no power over committee appointments be cannot advance or retard bills he cannot affect legislation in any way his duty his bis simply to interpret form forms corders orders and rules he must recognize anew mem berand the floor to a member who has not spoken in the house in preference to other members rising at the same time in case of H k tie he be has a casting vote but his vote is subject to subsequent revision by the house the intention Is 18 to deprive the office entirely of political partisanship and it has succeeded the speaker of the house of representatives presenta tives at washington is a 8 much more important functionary than his english brother he appoints till BI the committees which direct and shape legislation he can retard or promote bills bill through these there com dittes of course the manner of procedure durein in the house is largely of his creation inasmuch as he is ie the supposed font of inspiration for the committee on rules he can recognize or ignore any member at discretion he is a party man in every sene and his great aim to is usually to promote party policy the english speaker receives a sa salary of annually paid from the consolidated fund he is provided with a magnificent official residence and on retirement is eligible to a pension of a year the american speaker receives a year only more than the ordinary member he must find his bis own lodgings and bear all his bis expenses there is not even an official corner of any kind provided for him except his bis desk deck and room in the house and when outside the house he carries his mee in his hat bat he is not a speaker Speak erl in the english sense and really there to is little in calling him anything but mr chairman |