of the various measures that come before it.
The late Senator Hoar has estimated that the entire time which the House
allows for this purpose during the two sessions which make up the life
of a Congress "gives an average of no more than two hours apiece to the
committees of the House to report upon, debate, and dispose of all the
subjects of general legislation committed to their charge. From this
time is taken the time consumed in reading the bill, and in calling the
yeas and nays, which may be ordered by one-fifth of the members present,
and which require forty minutes for a single roll-call."[150]

Moreover, the member "who reports the bill dictates how long the debate
shall last, who shall speak on each side, and whether any and what
amendments shall be offered. Any member fit to be intrusted with the
charge of an important measure would be deemed guilty of an inexcusable
blunder if he surrendered the floor which the usages of the House assign
to his control for an hour, without demanding the previous
question."[151]

Nothing more would seem to be necessary to give the committee control of
the situation. True the House may reject the bill which it submits, but
the committee may easily prevent the House from voting upon a measure
which a majority of that body desires to enact.

As there are many committees and the time which the House can give to
the consideration of their reports is limited, it naturally follows that
each committee is anxious to get all other business out of the way in
order that it may have an opportunity to bring the measures which it
has prepared to the attention of the House. This struggle between the
various committees for an opportunity to report the bills which they
have framed and have them considered by the House explains the
acquiescence of that body in a system that so greatly restricts the
freedom of debate. Very rarely will a committee encounter any formidable
opposition in bringing the discussion of its measures to a close.

The speaker's power of recognition is another check upon the majority in
the House. This power which he freely uses in an arbitrary manner
enables him to prevent the introduction of an obnoxious bill by refusing
to recognize a member who wishes to obtain the floor for that
purpose.[152] Moreover, as chairman of the Committee on Rules he
virtually has the power to determine the order in which the various
measures shall be considered by the House. In this way he