ADAMS: I'HK CONIROL (Jl 1 H L-: PURSK. 225 



that the will of the majority is often defeated. It is the Speaker 

 who in the last analysis controls legislation, and it is against the 

 exercise of such power by him, under the committee system, that this 

 argument is directed rather than against the chairmen of committees. 



By selecting chairmen whose views agree with his own the Speaker 

 has a direct influence upon the course of legislation. In addition 

 to this he has power even against the chairman he has himself selected, 

 as in the event of a conference committee when the appointment of 

 the three House members devolves upon him. Yet the Speaker also, 

 all-powerful as he is, is personally responsible, not to the nation, but 

 to the one congressional district from which he is elected. It is true, 

 the force of party or public opinion serves to control the Speaker 

 inasmuch as his political ambition and loyalty to party will prevent 

 him from conducting his office so as to violate party pledges or 

 policy. The importance of these indirect methods of control is not 

 to be underestimated, yet there should be some real check so as to 

 secure effective responsibility. 



There are but two officials in the national government in whose 

 election the voter has a direct voice. These are the President of the 

 United States and the representative in Congress. If the voter fails 

 to secure effective control of the purse through the representative, 

 he can turn only to the President; hence arises the importance of 

 Presidential elections in determining popular wishes. The Presiden- 

 tial nominee, in his letter of acceptance, outlines his policy and his 

 propositions for legislation. The voter of the country, certain to 

 have his own ideas upon public questions, accepts these declarations 

 of the nominees as the basis upon which he decides how he will 

 cast his ballot, and believes that in his vote he has given effective 

 force to his legislative wishes. But the President, for whom he has 

 voted, has no more direct influence over legislation than has the 

 voter himself. Occasionally we have a President who, by mere force 

 of character, gains a powerful influence over his party and compels 

 its members in Congress to do his bidding. But as a general rule 

 our Presidents do not exert any real influence on the origination of 

 legislation. Nevertheless voters hold the President responsible for a 

 power which he cannot -exercise, and if the legislation, for which the 

 Speaker of the House and his heads of committees are responsible, 

 does not satisfy the people, they refuse to support the President at 

 the next election. Men think that the policy of the government in 

 matters of legislation is decided by the election of a Presidential can- 

 didate while the fact is that the voters simply express an opinion 

 which an irresponsible chairman of a committee is in no way com- 

 pelled to regard. budgetary legislation is of the utmost importance 



