The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-01-20
The Congressional Record.


interesting account of the Congressiona
Record, the paper issued during the session
of Congress and which contains the repor
of the daily proceedings of the nationa
legislature. Says the writer: Since th'
foundation of the government, the name o
this publication has undergone severa
changes. From 1898 to 1924 it wal
known as the annals Of Congress; from
1924 to 1887 as Congressional Debates
from 1887 to 1871 it was called the Con
qressionaL Globe since the latter date i
it has been known as the Congressional
Record.
There is no daily publication in the worlC
so vast as the Record. geographically il
is marvel of taste and accuracy. 1t il
printed in nonpareil type on twelve-by
ten-inch sheet, the columns running in g
three-inch stick; is easy to handle and Of
good mailing size. 1t contains an average
of from IS to 120 pages.
In the House corps of five stenograph,
ers perform the entire work Of reporting
the proceedings, each receiving salary OF
5000 per annum. The reporters alter
nate in what are called "takes,' each esti
mated to fill column of the Record, vary
ing in time from ten to fifteen minutes
afterward retiring successfully to a room
specially fitted for their use, in which there
are ten amanuenses in attendance, two fol-
each stenographer, both taking from his
dictation at the same time. While thus
employed the stenographer corrects and
trims the manuscript already handed in by
the amanuenses. After this careful revis-
ion it is sent at once by special messenger
to the foreman of the Record at the gov
ernment printing office, who distributes the
matter, technically called copy" among
compositors. A galley-proof is taken and
sent to the proof-readers, of whom there
are three. 1t is then corrected and return
ed for a second proof, and, after being re-
vised, it is ready for final print in the Re
cord, to be issued to Congressman and sub
scribers.
In the Senate the work is in charge of
one stenographer who receives a salary of
$25, 900 year He usually employs two
assistants and corps of examiners. The
mode of dictation is similar to that employ
ed in the House, save that the chief report
er is individually responsible for errors OF
his assistants. In the House each steno-
grapher is held personally responsible for
the errors he may commit
Every member and senator is allowed
twenty -four copies of the Record, and it is
optional whether he takes them every day
! Ii Of hn of hn
sion in their yellow jackets, thoroughly in
dexed A majority, however, prefer the
latter form, distributing them among the
libraries and newspapers in their districts,
or sending them direct to favorite con-
stituents.
That the stenographer's task is no easy
one can readily be imagined, owing to the
complex character of public speaking. He
must adapt himself to every form of articu-
lation, from the clear resonant tones of the
scholarly orator to the utterances of the
insipid tyro Coupled with this is the vast
difference in the rate of speaking. The
average rapidity of ordinary conversation
is 125 words per minute, or about two per
second; but this is by no means an unqual-
flied rule. A stenographer is often Obliged
toreport at the rate. of $50 words per minute,
and sometimes it falls as low as 95
which is mere play. Strange as it may
seem, the latter rate is eXasperating to an
expert reporter, and his notes are not as
readily deciphered. AS most Of the speak,
ing in both Houses is done under the five,
minute rule (Which allows a member five
minutes to debate any pending measure it
will readily be seen that the reporters art
is often taxed to its utmost capacity. A
vast amount of matter is printed in the
Record, however, which is never delivered
by the members, under the convenient yet
elastic rule of ''leave to print. Five min
utes debate often cover columns Of the Re
cord under the above license The major
ity of the members are good average talk,
ers; yet there are many who never rise IN
their seats, not possessing the faculty OF
extemporaneousness. Most OF this class are
silent workers, and what they lose in debate
they gain by soliciting aid upon measures in
which they are interested from their fel-
low members. This method of legislation
has its direct compensations, and many
important measures are thus legislated
through Congress.
1t goes without saying that much must
be left to the intelligence of the stenOgra-
pher to make sensible report. All
grammatical mistakes, errors in construc-
ton and Pathological expressions, which
are by no means infrequent with many OF
the gentlemen sent to the national capitol
to represent the people of their section,
must be eliminated by him.
The chief of the reportOrial staff in each
House examines the Record every morn
ing, marking the errors of the compOsitor,
and paragraphs and punctuates it for its
final appearance in book form. One copy
in pamphlet form is placed on the desk OF
each Representative and Senator for the
day session.
Congressional reporting is greatly facili-
tated by the use of arbitrary signs, which
often mean whole sentences-as, "Mr.
Speaker, rise to question of privilege,
is represented by one character. In the
House, reportorial work needs peculiar
dexterity, minutest perception and exces-
sive care. 1t is singularly difficult in the
heat of debate to recognize one member
from another; the eye and hand must work
in unison, as in discussions the reporter is
often obliged to write without looking at
his paper. During the delivery of long
speeches the reporters occupy seats adJoln-
ing or very near the member speaking.
A Washington letter to the Philadelphia
Press describes Mrs Emma ID. E. n.
Southworth, the novelist eden South
worth as some call herr, as tall, spare
woman, with sad, grave face and gray
hair, face of remarkable strength, mouth
and chin indicating great determination,
and forehead full of intellect. Mrs.
Southwork was born in Washington in
1918, married and separated from her hus-
hond when unite Young. She has written