The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1883-07-14

AZ leUptU, abuut utteen minutes dtreT
the time set for beginning the session,
in marked contrast to American
punctuality,-.he speaker rings bell
and at once commands perfect quiet
and order. The hats are removed. and
members take their seats. There is
no form of devotion as in the United
States. The clerk of the house ad-
vances TO tie tribune and reads the
minutes OF yesterday, droning them
off in Il perfunctory way, very much
as legislative reading clerks do all over
the world. The members in some
cases follow the reader with attention,
but generally they fall to talking again,
and the chamber relapses into it's nor
NAL disorder. After the journal of
yesterday was read the speaker touched
a bell, and all the members rose in
their places, while gentleman escort.
ed by two deputies advanced in front
of the presiding officer and listened TO
a short formula read by the clerk.
This incident proved to be the swear
ing in of city judge, who, heing an
elective magistrate, took his cath OF
otfice In presence of the popular
branch Of the legislature. No sooner
had the newly-qualifi I'd judge retired
| than the speaker touched his nell
again and we were informed that tAe
open session for the day was over and
that the chamber was about to 90 into
q snort executive session before aG.
journmcpt.
While there is = general resemblance
between the chamber OF deputies and
the house of representatives, they pre-
sent many points of differences. The
Mexican house elects new speaker
every month, and gives him but limit
ed powers. The system of standing
committees is, with some notifications
like that of the United States The
most important difference, d perhaps, is
the fact that in Mexico the cabinet
ministers are permitted 10 explain and
defend their items In the budget, and
can be required to do so by resolution
of the tive houses. But they are not
members Of tine legislature as in the
British parliament; holding their office
simply mt the request Of the presiden,
of the republic, the appointments not
even requiring confirmation bv the zen,
ate, as in the United States. Their ap
Ipearance in the house lis simply as q
convenience. and results, ~ no doubt
TUald be the case if the custom was
adopted at Washington, in the expe1i-
ton of public business.
One other important .@atuTe should
be noted. Ia Mexico, congress issues
patent rights. A citizen or foreigner
wishing q patent proceeds sc if ne de-
sired any other special legislation en-
acted. He sends i'll petition, which
Is referred to an intermediary ,ommit-
tee, which is kind of grand jury tc
decide whether il is worth while ia
trouble q standing committee with lie
| consideration. II the bill has, so tC
speak, a prma facie case, the fact is
| leported 10 the house and the apprC-
| pirate reference made. After this the
| bill takes mach as in the United States
1t may be plgeon-holeG IN committee
or be reported favorsbly and die on
the speakers table, or perish in the
senate or between the two hOusts on
amendments, or be vetoed 20 death
after passing safely through ne fS-
tigues and dangers Of parliamentary
routine. Fornlerley few patents were
| sought, but Of late the iudustria, awak-
ening has brought u host of applica-
tions. and the members are becoming
little restive under the amount OF
work involved, and are thinking OF
turning it over to one of the executive
branches of the government. Such
are some of the features of the Mexi-
can congress as leeis alive machine.
Its character as Il political body mist
be reserved for another letter.