The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-28

continue usually four or five hours. Often
in the early days of the session nothing
is done beyond little routine, lasting an
hour or so, but in the latter part OF the
session there comes rush of neglected
business, and long days, and even night
sittings become necessary i'll order to get
even the most urgent matters disposed of.
The first session of each congress, called
the long session, can be prolonged as the
two houses see fit, but the last, or short
session, closes by constitutional limita-
ton, on the 4th of March.
The senate is dignifed body, and its
members rarely transgress in any way tie
strict rules of official decorum. There
are no exciting scenes or noisy debates
in that end of the capitol, and the pro-
ceedings seldom possess much interest to
the outside observer. Debates in the SEN
ate are conducted on the go-as-you-please
plan, senators having the right to speak
as long as they please; as, for instance,
in the Fitz-John Porter debate, when Sen
ator Logan occupied two consecutive
days. Whenever the subject in hand is
not interesting, and the senator who is
wound up happens not to be an en-
tertaining speaker, most of the
senators stroll out TO the retiring
room to smoke or sit at their desks and
write letters until it is all over. The
passages-at-arms between senators are
usually mild in character. On one occa-
sion, when a senator had finished speak
ing, another opposed to him in the argu-
ment remarked that :" it is generally I'M
derstood the gentleman rests his mind
while talking to which the other re-
torted with: "The gentleman reminds
me of a sterile tract of land in Virginia,
which was said to be poor by nature and
exhausted by cultivation"
1t is the house of representatives that
J furnishes most of the entertainment for
those who observe the course of legisla-
ton from the galleries. Among residents
of Washington the house is frequently
termed the bear garden" and it often
resembles something of that description.
Scenes are often enacted in the hall which
can only be compared to bedlam turned
loose. 1t is always more or less in state
of confusion. Members as rule take no
interest in the proceedings except when
an exciting political discussion is going
on. When the house is full, there are
| over OOO uuuuIeu SOuuiOLloI, 'diiouoiJ
occupied, on the floor of the hall. They
are reading the newspapers, chatting
with each other, writing letters, collecting
material for speeches, examining bills,
and doing almost everything but listening
to the proceedings. At times the con-
fusion is so great that an unsophisticated
person, coming upon the scene for the
first time in his life, would fancy that the
house was taking a recess, and that no
business was under consideration. Never
theless, in just such inextricable tangles
of talk and racket as this the house of
representatives is engaged in making
laws. Each member keeps track of the
condition of the special bills or measures
in which he is interested, and when they
come up he is on the alert to help them
along. Then he subsidies. Trading among
members, or clog rolling" as it is called,
whereby they help each other on pet
schemes, is the means of getting through
successfully great deal of legislation
that ought to fail.
During what is called the morning
hour" which comes Immediately after the
reading of the journal, resolutions may
be offered or motions to suspend the
rules to take up certain matters, may be
made, and that hour is a prolific season of
lively passages. Before making motion
or offering a resolution, it is necessary
that the member should be recognized by
the speaker and given the floor. That
trick of catching the speakers eye" is
one of the hardest things new member
has to learn. 1t is no unusual thing to
see member rise in his place and cry,
'Mr. Speaker" time after time for days
in succession without even being noticed,
When Sam Randall was speaker, he would
seldom allow member whose designs he
did not know to have an opportunity to
drop "bombshells" into the camp. he
would fail persistently to sec or hear
member whom he suspected of a purpose
to introduce politics or other subjects in
imical to himself or his party. Mr.