HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Hon. Samuel W. McCall, United States Representative from Massachusetts, addressed the members of the Union last night on "The National House of Representatives."

Mr. McCall began by saying that the representative is the only officer of the United States government that is voted for directly by the people. It is for this reason that the House of Representatives has come to be called the popular branch of Congress. The House has almost the same duties as the Senate; indeed, in their legislative capacities they are almost identical. One difference is that the House must originate all bills for raising revenue. This was supposed, at the time of the framing of the Constitution, to be a very great power, and that the power of the Senate would be neutralized thereby, but it has not returned out to be of great importance. The reason for this is that the Senate can amend bills of this nature, providing only that the article is not changed; or, as it has been aptly said, "the House has the power to touch the button and watch the Senate form a tariff bill."

Unfortunately in some cases the House has been considered a sort of kindergarten to the Senate. Many men have been members of the House just to wait for the time when they should become senators, but most of these have been disappointed. Yet a number of the most eminent men in the history of the country say service in the House, among whom we might mention the four Presidents, Madison, Polk, Garfield, and McKinley.

If the House were a small body as it used to be, or as the Senate is, there would be time for everybody to be heard and to present all bills that they wished. But there are such a number of bills at this present time, that it has been necessary to make rules giving preference to certain classes of bills; and a Committee on rules is appointed with power to designate the privileged measures. The Speaker of the House is compelled to recognize any man who tries to pass a privileged bill, except on two days of each month, called days of suspension. During these two days only is the Speaker an autocrat. As the Speaker is chosen from the members and is selected for pre-eminent talent, it is very natural that he should be the leader of the members. Mr. Cannon, the present Speaker, has often been called a despot, but he is a most benevolent despot.

A large part of the time of the House is taken up with appropriation bills. The session of Congress which has just closed was of ten weeks' duration and during that time, one thousand million dollars was appropriated, or ten millions a week. We are now passing through a veritable orgy of Extravagance. With an enormous debt, and a large annual defleit, the Ways and Means Committee is now considering the revision of the tariff, and on next Tuesday will present a bill to Congress which, it is hoped, will increase the annual revenue by one hundred millions of dollars.