St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-08

numbered and thoroughly lntermingled, and
by the hands of page draw said balls, one by
one, from the box, and announce the number
as it is drawn, upon which announcement the
member or delegate whose name or number
on the alphabetical list shall correspond with
the number on the ball shall advance and
choose his seat for the term for which he is
elected.
THIS WAS THE PROGRAM
followed this afternoon. After the organi-
cation of the house the members were hud-
died together in the area at the back of the
seats and the drawing began. 1t is always
all occasion of good deal of interest.
Your average member recognizes the i'm
portance Of having a good seat. 1t is very
important to statesmen who would be able
to control the speakers eye to sit pretty
nearly in front and in easy shout
ing distance of the presiding Off
Ger. If he is too near the speaker
he labors under the embaraSs-
ment of being Overlooked constantly, and
also of not being able to make himself heard
by other members of the house For, of
course, he must face the speaker when
talking, and in so doing, if he occupies a
seat in the front row, he has the audience
behind him. If he is in the back row. or
pretty nearly so, he has the audience pretty
well in front of him, but is so far away
from the speakers desk that he is never
able to catch his eye. 1t is related of the
talented statesman from Colorado, Jim Bel
ford, that he once remarked, commenting
upon his position in the back row OF the
house, that he had caught everything in
Washington, since he had been here, ex-
cept the speakers eye. So these drawings
are looked on with good deal of interest
by the members, and they are sure to be on
hand, If possible, to select their seats when
their numbers are called. 1t has been the
custom for several years to permit the old
est of the members and the recognized
leaders on either side to indicate their
choice of seats before the drawing takes
place. This they usually do by placing a
hat or some other object upon the desk
which they desire to occupy, so that in case
their numbers are not called until late
moment the other members, in selecting
seats, may leave vacant the particular ones
so selected. This privilege is accorded to
very few members. notably Mr.. Kelley,
on the Republican side, whose long term OF
service and acknowledged leadership,
coupled with his age and the
GENUINE RESPECT ENTERTAINED
for him. have given him this particular priv
iege On the Democratic side this honor
is usually conferred upon Mr. Randall, as
it was two years ago, also, upon MI. Cox,
now minister to Turkey. The scene to-day
wa, as it always is. an interesting One
The galleries were filled with spectators,
many of them members of the families of
congressman, witnessing the organization
of the house for the first time, and
anxiously waiting to see what luck would
be awarded the individual in whose especial
welfare they were interested. The pro-
ceedings were similar to those on former
occasions of this character. The members
were requested to withdraw from the seats
which they had been occupying tempo
rariIy, and to take their positions in the
lobby adjoining. The miniature lottery,
with it's 1888 ivory balls, numbered consecu-
lively. was brought in; beside it printed
list of members, also numbered consecu-
lively. Then the drawing began. AS
the first number was called and the
name of the lucky individual was an
nounced, there was shout of congratula-
ton from members on all sides and the
lucky fellow patted on the back as he made
his way. grinning with delight. out OF the
crowd of statesmen into which he had
been packed, and hurried down into the
empty space to select his location. He was
followed Immediately by another and an
other at the rate of several in each minute,
yet the drawing occupied the best part OF
an hour, for the house is now very large
body and has a good many names on its
roll of members. You get very curious
idea of the dignity of the new house by
witnessing this incident of the day. Men
are all grown-up boys and this seems es-
pecially true of congressman. The
JOKES BANDED ABOUT,
the pranks cut. the roars of laughter at the
most trivial incident are comicallties in
dulged in. The jeers and shouts of laugh
ter at the i'll luck of the fellow who was
last to get his seat all tended to render the
scene an amusing one and to remind the
observer that congressman are very much
like other fnen, sometimes more
so. The seats selected to-day will be held
by these members during the entire term OF
the present congress. Those who were so
fortunate as to be in the early part OF the
list have good positions and are cOngratu-
lating themselves. Those who came toward
the latter part of the list and got bad ones
are mad. If it turns out that there are any
deaf gentlemen among the members OF the
house, and there are some, they will prob
ably be able to exchange their seats, If they
are some distance from the speakers desk,
with some of those who were obliged to ac-
cept positions in the front row. ''Richelieu"
Robinson of New York, who was in the
Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth congresses,
was very much afflicted with deafness, and
always occupied front seat. Where it
happens that members get especially bad
seats by reason of being last drawn they
usually have the privilege. when addressing
the chair or the house. of occupying some
vacant desk near the center of the hall.
Almost any member is ready to give his
seat temporarily to allow another to occupy
it while making speech, yet there
is great advantage in having a
seat near the center of the house. where
one may promptly catch the speakers eye
and at the same time be able to make him
self heard in all parts of the house. 1t
gives to the quick-witted and forceful states
man an opportunity to often make record
for himself which he would not be able to
make from a less advantageous position on
the floor. There is great art in being able
to get the floor instantly on impromptu oc-
casions, and to take hand iii many OF
those little skirmishes between the two
sides OF the house which arise in almost
every days session of that body.
IN THE SENATE
the work of distributing the seats is by no