The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-09-22
the HAT IN PARLIAMENT.
The Important Part IL Plays In Leg
lsIative Life.


Hats play by no means an unimportant
part In the procedure Of the House Of Com
mons says an English writer When or why
they were first worn and how the practice
became fossilized into a custom remains a
mystery. At the meetings Of no other as
semblies In the kingdom, except the two
houses Of Parliament, is it, we believe, either
good taste, or indeed allowable, to remain
hated. The custom may have arisen from a
trifilng cause. as these things sometimes do.
Perhaps some honorable member at some
remote period asked Mr.. Speaker for per-
mission to wear his hat on account Of
draughts, which are not altogether unknown
in the House, and a precedent being once
established-and in Parliament precedents
are everything-it became the rule and not
the exception to remain covered during the
sittings Of the House.
A strict etiquet governs the wearing of hats
in the Commons. An honorable member
who, ignorant or f0rgetful of the forms ofthe
House, attempted to walk to his seat when
covered, would be met with loud cries of
"OrderP and although an absent-minded
member sometimes does so he has never
been known to repeat It,. He must only wear
his hat when seated. Directly he rises he
must doff 1t, though he may only wish to
speak to member behind him or to get a
paper from the table. If any bill or resolu-
ton for which he Is responsible il mentioned
by the speaker member raises his hat and
does not rise, and the same Is done when an
other member alludes to him In the course Of
speech or answers question which he has
put. III he Is not wearing his hat at the time
he immediately puts It on and then raises it
in acknowledgment.
OF course member never speaks in his
hat except on one occasion, which we shall
notice presently. He generally places 1t
carefully on the seat he has Just vacated If
he Is going to make long speech and his
throat requires fabrication, his hat Is the re-
ceptacle for a glass OF water which Is replen-
ished from time to time by an attentive
friend. Members are generally collected
enough to remember. when they Sit down, to
be careful to remove their hats from the
bench.
This is not invariably the case, however,
Tor an honorable member short time ago
acquired universal n0toriety in the House
as 1.-THE member who sat on the hat" He
had just finished maiden speech OF some
length, and in the excitement of the moment
entirely forgot that shiny and well-brushed
title" occupied his seat: He sat down sud-
denly, rather more suddenly, perhaps. than
he had foreseen-for maiden speeches are
famous for uncertainties he sat- I'M
fortunately, on his hat We are not aware
that there was glass Of water in it. but
that might have been, and the example
haps we should say, sinking orators.
We have intimated that there Is one Occa-
sion on which member can, or rather. ac-
cording to the rules, must address the House
with his hat on. This happens when the
House has been cleared for division and
when member desires to raise a point Of
order. To mark the fact that the debate has
been closed and the interruption Is purely in
cidental the member must speak sitting, and
with his hat on.
In addition n the nsas nf hats In tho
House to which we have referred there Is an
other and very common one. No member
being allowed to claim as a right the poses
sion Of any seat the tenure by which they
are held being priority Of occupation) except
in certain cases allowed as a matter Of
courtesy, the practice has arisen Of members
leaving their hats on the seats they desire to
occupy during the sitting.