N NKHUASKA tho speaker of tlu
houso of representatives Is iinually a
novice. Very few riiriHoiitnt Ivi'H aro
elected for inoid than two tonus ami
tho speakership ordinarily goes to a socotid
tcrm man. At t lie end of IiIh torm an
speaker he ret It oh, either on IiIh own mo
tion or tiiat of the people. Whllo most
of tlioH'i who have presided over t ho Iioiihu
since tile adoption of tho pri'scnt constitu
tion aro living In tho state, but one has
served more than one term as speaker,
lion. J. N. (liillln, one of the two speakers
furnished by the populist party, presided
over tho deliberations of the bonne dining
the sessions of !'.';! and 1M7. lie was
first elected, hh a Hccond-term member, In
lS'J.t, and, being a member of the majority
party, In IM'7 wan again eleeted speaker.
It would be a good thing If his experience
were more often repeated, for It Is cer
tain that an experienced member of tho
legislature can do more good than an In
experienced one; It Is Just as certain that
au experienced presiding olllcer can be
more elllelttit than one not uiqtinllitcd with
the duties. I 'of his own sake, a man
tihould Ik citato to take the position of
spinker without previous experience in the
leghiluturc; for the sake of good work, a
good presiding olllcer should hu kept as
long at) he Is a member and willing to
servo. Mr. tinlllu Is au Illustration of
this, for whatever may bo said of his lit at
term nnd 1 have heard no criticism of It)
It Is certain that in his second term hu
mado ouu of tho ablest and fairest presiding
olllcers the stato has over had. It would
be a good thing for tho stato if wo followed
tho plan of congress and elected and re
elected tho samu speaker as long as his
party stays tu power, and then wo might
develop, In a email way, such men an
lilalue and Randall and I'rlsp and lleed.
Tho hardest work that a speaker has to
do is to ho elected this Is truo of most
oillcos as well. Hut after ho has boon
elected nnd Inducted Into otllco ho has ono
or two hard tnsks. First and foremost
among tbeso is tho selection and appoint
ment of employes. I'sunlly, after a few
of the most important oillcos have been
tilled by election, a resolution is passed
empowering tho speaker to appoint nil
necessary employes. Most people think that
this leaves tho matter entirely lu his hands.
His friends think it and nil those who have
ft lends anxious for Jobs aro glad to believe
It. Hut it is far from tho truth. Whllo
tho actual appointments nro mndo by tho
speaker, practically they are made by tho
members belonging to his political party.
Tho speaker cannot nnd docs not fall to ap
point tho persons named by the members us
lung as there are positions to be tilled. The
trust Hint ho can do Is to consult the dif
ferent members and tlnd out which position
their different applicants aro best titled
An
(Copyright, IM, by H. S. linker.)
l'rof. Ernst Haockel of tho University of
Julia, lu Oeruiauy, Is perhaps the most dis
tinguished living evolutionist, Au asso
ciate nnd co-worker with Dnrwlu, Huxley
and Spencer, ho has lived to see tho theory
of evolution become a generally accepted
scientific law tho world over. Ho has douo
in continental Europe, lu building up the
greut fabric of concrete proof for Darwin s
theory, what Huxley did in England. His
published works now reach tho proportions
of a small library, his "Natural History of
Cioatlou" having been translated into no
fewer than twelve languages.
In a recent interview with l'rof. Haeckel
at his homo In Jena I questioned him re
garding tho future development of the
human race, physical and Intellectual, tho
tendency of tho race, whether progressive
or retrogressive; tho chief Influences work
ing upon modem life, and the probable
trend of progress In sclentltle research.
Tho appended notes of the Interview have
been carefully reviewed and revised by
htm, nnd therefore may stand as au au
thoritative expression of his views. First
ns to the next stages in tho development of
mankind:
"It will bo mostly mental, tho evolution
of a better and liner brain," said l'rof.
Haeckel. "When man's brain began to
develop rapidly there wns no further need
for great changes lu his body. And yet
some physical changes are still goltig on.
Man will probably lose some of his teeth,
there being not tho use for them that there
wns, and there are signs that tho little toes
will also disappear, leaving mau n four
toed anlmnl. Hut these chauges aro of
I houso of representatives Is iinually a the appoint iiu'IUh. No mem- WJM .BhHHHIHBtc'?; 1
for, and then formally make
the appointments. No mem
ber of tho majority really has
less to say about who shall bo
employed than has tho
speaker. A speaker who
should arrogate to himself the
right to nay who should bo
omploycH of the house, even
after ho has been given tho
power by tho house Itself,
would at ouco tlnd himself at
variance with his party mem
bers and entirely without that
support which he must have
to succeed.
This iiuestlou of employes Is tho most
trying that the speaker has, and It docs
not end until the entire session Is over.
Every speaker has a laudable desire to keep
down the number on tho pay roll ns low as
possible nnd still get effective work done,
lie very soon llnds that this is an almost
hopeless task. Each member of tho
majority Is trying to get some constituent
of his a place (ho has probably promised
It) and the minority has no interest in tho
matter and therefore gives the speaker no
help. When the places aro all tilled and
the speaker has determined that thero shall
bo no more some one moves that a clerk
bo given to some committee, and, If the
resolution carries, n new name Is ndded to
the list. Or sometimes, usually Into In the
session, some member introduces a resolu
tion with a long preamble, setting out that
John Doe has been doing work for the house
nnd that ho has received no pay nnd that
the laborer Is worthy of his hlro," etc,
and that tho bookkeeper put him on tho
pay roll. The motion Is usually ndopted,
and thus tho list grows.
OITorn mill lllimlrnt lonn.
To tllustrato: Prior to the session of
1M9 tho secretnry of stato appointed a
carpenter to tlx up tho desks of the mem
bers and such work ns was needed around
the house. Ho worked soma after the
session commenced. On the drawing of
tho first vouchers for employes he wns
paid with tho others, but as thero did not
seem to bo nny need of n carpenter ho
wns told that ho would receive no further
pay. No house corpenter wns nppolnted.
On tho next pny day he presented n claim
for payment as houso enrpeuter. Tho
speaker refubed to approve his voucher
and thought thnt wns the end of It. Hut
It wns not. He was on hand each day.
Whenever a member had nny trouble with
his desk keys (which was not Infrequent
with the miserable desks used) he would
fix It for them and in many ways he made
himself solid with the members. Just be
fore tho session closed a resolution was In
troduced with the usual "whereases," set
ting ut that he had done the work, that
' tho Inborer Is worthy of his hire." etc.,
Interview With the Great Evolutionist
small significance compared with our men
tal development."
field fur future- Thinker,
There are, however, as l'rof. Haeckel
points out, tremendous Influences at work
lu developing mankind a vast and fasci
nating field of study. Man being a product
of natural evolution and development his
Institutions must necessarily be a like
product and the application of the theory
to political and social economy, statecraft
and education are most hopeful fields of
work for future thinkers.
"Life was never more complex than It Is
today," sold l'rof. Hneckel, "and there Is no
prophesying the exact lines of future de
velopment. Man at present seems to be de
veloping or retrograding In masse? by na
tions, and yet under very different In
tlcences. Here in Germany the tendency is
nil toward the centralization of power in
the government, the removal of Individual
responsibility and the working together of
large masses of men as one man. In
America the tendency has been different,
tlere the Individual Is developed: he has
groat powers and responsibilities tho man
Is tho unit- Who shall say how these great
Irtluences will work out?"
At another time l'rof. Haeckel spoko of
the beautiful and accurate pictures of
animals nnd plants now obtainable, where
thirty years ago there were almost none, as
an instance of ono of the lesser and yet
Important Influences of modern life.
Pictures convoy ideas swiftly and accurately,
therefore they serve ns n new and powerful
factor In education scientific education In
particular A man may become com
paratively familiar with the animal forms
7 AV
etc.. and directing the speaker to approve
a voucher for his salary. The resolution
passed and he got the money.
Another llnril l'i-lil-iii.
Another hard problem that the speaker
has to face is tho standing cninmltteer,.
It la to the interest of the presiding olll
cer to have well selected committees to
look nfter the bills that are referred to
them, nnd the task of selecting the dlll'eretit
men of the majority and minority to net
on these is herculean. It Is usually tho
aim of the speaker to put each member of
the majority on a rartaln number of com
mittees and each member of the minority
List of Nebraska
Speakers
(EOIM5E W. fill, I, INS 1S71
M. SESSIONS 1S73
EDWARD S. TOWLE 1S7;.
A MUNI'S NANCE 1S77
C. 1'. MATHEWSON ls7'i
U. H. SHEDD kssi
GEORGE M. HLWlPHRi:V..kS!:i
allen w. field iss.-.
N. V. II A it LAN 1SS7
JOHN C. WATSON iss'.t
S. M. ELDER iv.n
J. N. OAFF1N iy.t;i
C. L. RICHARDS ISO.".
J. N. GAFFIN 1M7
HAUL F. CLAKK 1S'J3
on n certain (usually lss) number. Of
course, some of the committees are more
Important than others, and on these most
of tho members want to servo. Most poo
pie think that to make a reputation In
their legislative work they must be on
tho important committees. This Is a
of the world In n short time, through tho
perfect pictures now obtainable, whereas
a few years ago it would hnvo taken n life
time. IHIht liilliiotiocH at Work.
Then there nro other influences to which
Prof. Haeckel has often called attention.
In Europe there Is the Inlluence of what
he calls military selection, all tho young
men being taken at a certain ago, removed
from productive labor or study and put
through exactly similar training for ono or
two j ears. In America there Is no such
influence. How such training or lack of It
will develop tho race Is a question to which
the future must furnish thr solution.
Haeckel also speaks of medical selection ns
one of the powerful modem Influences.
Medical science has made great strides In
the past few years: It saves many lives that
otherwise would have been lost, nnd
frequently it keeps people with dangerous
diseases alive for years. This must not
only tend to breed a sickly race, but It
necessarily swells tho population largely,
tho crowding bringing with It new and dif
ficult problems.
Tho earth Is now almost wholly ln
hnbtted; there nre no longer nny new plnces
for Immigration nnd tho development of
virgin land. This means tho elimination of
that potent Influence which has had so great
a share In the progress of the world dur
ing the lost few hundred years. Tho con
test must now change Instead of discover
ing and settling new continents and fighting
savages civilized man must set himself
to n terrilie new struggle for existence be
tween the oldfr nations for instance, in
commerce and trade, tariffs, spheres of in-
great mistake. In congress
it is true that a pel son
must ordinarily be on the
committee to ho hoard
either for or against n
measure. Hut in our leg
islature this Is not so; any
one can be heard on any
bill, and there Is no power
to prevent. A member who parliamentary rules, as well as by the rules
Is not on tho important 0f the houso, and still inoio by that gen
eommlttees has as much i desire for fairness that any ren-
chanco to do good work and
make a reputation as those
on tho committee, and, be
cause his time Is not so fully taken up by
committee work, frequently more. Hut the
new members do not know this, and most
of the members nro now.
In the Inst sisslon tin re weie forty-four
standing committees, with n total of :','7
members. To arrange these satisfactory
to the members, to say nothing of others,
was no small Job. Tho speaker usually
has from Thursday afternoon to the fol
lowing Monday to do this work in, and It
is not to bo wondered at that hu frequently
makes mistakes.
After ho thinks that ho has thu work of
arranging tho committees all done ho
frequently has to mnko many changes.
Some member wants to bo put on somu
other commlttco or ho left off ono that ho
Is slated for. If possible, tho speaker de
sires to accominodnto him nnd this In
volves many changes. I'iiIush there Is some
one on tile commlttco to which tho niem
br aspires that enn bo changed with hltn,
shifting has to ho mndo on perhaps a dozen
before a proper arrangement is mndo.
At tho hist session, after tho committees
liVd nil iioi.il nrrn ii i.o'i r i V ",",,,,,,,B,,B iMIr populist member obtained tho rccog
ne ,t 1 T,7, T mim,,"R,- Hl.m f tho chair and tne lloor. He moved
1 nMu.?"H"" "Ri".hy n Knr inasmuch as the time fixed for ad-
proiecuvo association to have a certain
member put on tho commlttco on llsh culture
and game. This Is a commlttco that few
caro to bo on. and. of course, tho speaker
was willing to mako tho change. To do It
required changes on nlno different com
mittees. This wnH only ono of ninny
changes that It seemed necessary to mako
nfter tho work was supposrd to bo finished.
Work of I Ik- Spoil l.cr I In, .
With tho above exceptions tho position of
spenker Is not a dllllcult ono to nil. Tho
members usually strive to help rather than
to hinder him In tho discharge of his
duties. Onco establish a belief that ho
Intends to ho fair nnd there will ho little
disagreement between him and tho mem
bers. This Is as truo of tho minority ns
of tho majority. It is possible for a nu ni
her to cause tho speaker a good deal of
annoyance, It Is true, but th,H iniolv
occurs, unless ho himself Is arbitrary
"ii'giiiu or unrnir. Frequently
nro made to get him Into ,,
attempt
tangle on
parllnmontry practice, hut those nr.. n..
good-natured and for the put pas of testing
v , u ,,ml "'''. most
asil) adaptable, most resourceful, ,
favored nations w, wll, 1n,r , l
spoko of tho remarkable retrogression ,
tho Latin races during the last few decades
us n striking Instai.co of this new struggle -especially
the retrogression of on.o p,,or
tn jpaln. Ho also called attention to the
sudden upward progress of Japan it i,
as oyer, the struggle between th species for
existence, and the sharper tin, struggle
wl hln certain limits tho greater iho de
velopment of the strong.
I asked l'rof. Haeckel what In his opinion
were the next great avenues of development
In sclentltle research.
iolileii IJra (lf m'I'iioi
"I believe " ho said, "that tho .mietee.ill,
century has been tho golden era of scion, o
that thero will never again , so mat.v
discoveries of profound Importance
Indeed, he is of the opinion that there
are no more great universal generalizations
to bo made, like the law of tho conservation
of energy, tho attraction of gravitation and
the theory of natural evolution. He thinks
the work of future scientists w deal
largely with tho application of the great
principles and generalizations already well
knewn Ry this he does not mean that
wonderful now scientific discoveries will
not bo made, but thnt they will not have
tho profound Importance of these funda
mental laws.
"I look for tho greatest future develop,
ment In the science of chemlstrv." ho said
Ho spoko of the attempts now being made
tc show that the seventy or more so called
elementary substances may in reality be
only the forms of n few more elementary
the speaker's capacity, rather than real
hostility. The members usunlly rally to
tho support of tho presiding olllcer In a
contest of this kind, regardless of party,
unless, Indeed, It be a political question,
when ho receives only tho support of his
own party and cures for no other.
Ordinarily the powers of the speaker nro
limited, lie Is governed by well settled
resotitatlve body of Americans Insist upon.
Let the spenker persistently Ignore parlia
mentary rules or establish a reputation for
unfair treatment nnd ho speedily loses his
inlluence and his power Is taken away by
the house itself.
Thero ate times, however, when the pre
siding olllcer has to take a strong hold on
tho reins of power and control regardless
of rules mid sometimes regardless of the
house itself. These are rare occasions,
however, and the ability to grasp them
when they come marks the capacity of the
speaker, rulformly the speaker Is upheld
by the house as soon ns It realizes the im
portance of the position taken by him This
of course assumes tint this arbitrary ruling
Is exceptional and lu a great emergency.
In the session of 1S!0 a time had been
agreed on by both houses at which to ad
journ sine die. When that time arrived the
work was not completed. Tho two houses
disagreed on some Items In the general
appropriation bill. Several conference
committees had boon appointed without any
result. Thero wns no other work to do
A largo number of the members were tem
porarily absent. At this point nn onthusl-
Joiirnmctit had arrived tho house ndjourn
without day. The motion wns regular and
in order, and, In tho condition the house
was In, was liable to carry. This would
have left the state without any general
appropriation bill, which would have neces
sitated an extra session of tho legislature
at great expense. In this crisis the speaker
refused to put tho motion, refused to en
tetiain an appeal from his ruling, recog
nized .mother member while tho former one
had the lloor and proeei ded with tho busi
ness of the house. This proceeding on the
part of the speaker was arbitrary, but It
was Justified by tho exigencies of tho occa
sion and wns sustained by the house.
A session of tho legislature is short and
intense. Tho speaker is nlways busy and
must lie alert. Hut the work Is easy and
the responsibility Is not groat. With a
desire nnd a determination to treat ovor
member and every measure fairly ho hat
tiiiihing that need pernio or bothor hltn.
PAUL F. CLAKK.
Spuikor of the Houso of Representatives
isn't.
substances, mentioning tho speculation that
science would one day find that thero was
really only one substance at tho basis of
all things- one element of which tho so
called seventy odd elements nro merely
forms of dllt'oront composition of atoms.
Tho conversation as to tho outlook In
elumlstry drifted naturally to that subject
which has so often presented Itself to the
Imaginative scientist, that of the ability
of men to produce a living substance b
artificial processes. In other words to make
life. Haeckel believes firmly that some da
this will be done, that It Is not at all be
yond the range of science, strange nnd Im
probable ns It may seen. Wo had been
sitting nt the open windows of Hneckel's
study. The professor pointed outside to the
beautiful green foliage of the garden.
"It Is only what those plants are doing
all the time," ho said, "taking so tnan
parts of carbon, hydrogen, nltrogrcn, oxy
gon and so on and combining them Into ,,u?
albuminous substance which we call proto
plasm, the living substance. Scletico can
combine these elements Just as nature docs,
the proportions being exactly known, but
not ot to produce life. The albumen mole
cule Is cry complicated. Science does n"
know ot just how the various atoms or
carbon, oxygen and so on which compose
It are united and all attempts to solve tho
problem of the albumen molecule, what It
reall Is and how the elements nre Joined
with It. have been so far without avail
Hut 1 bellow firmly that this great question
will mono day be solved. If U Is. then the
lu ttil, ial production of life will bo a possi
bility "
