The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-14

WIZ enough, even If he is member of
only one important committee. The bills
VIII Dc grouped and referred to subcom-
mlttees. These subcommittee meet once
or twice a week. Some bills require a.
massive researches in the departments 10
insure a proper consideration of their
merits. Outside parties interested in legis-
Iallon VIII claim hearings. The ears of the
new member will be filed with statistics
some correct and others incorrect. His
mind will be BIASED by argument and
commencement until it will be hard for
MIN to determine the proper
course to pursue. The reports of
MS subcommittee will be referred to
the committee proper, and the members of
the subcommittee subjected to a strln fire
OF inquiry. This fire will be usually started
by fellow members, who are LAWYERS, and
VINO seem to take delight in roasting neo-
phytes. The fact that they are away from
court appears only to sharpen their appe-
utes for cross-examinations. They will
quickly ascertain whether the new member
has mastered the question at issue or not
Ii he has not done SO, his report will go up
In smoke. The matter will either again be
referred 20 subcommittee or the commit
Tee proper will take it into its own hands
and make new report upon it.
This Is not all, however. The new mem
Der introduces a score or more of bills at
the request of his constituents. These bills
are referred to committees OF which he is
not member. The constituents interested
will urge him to go before these committees
and argue their bills. If he is the least bit
nervous his head will be in a continual
Whlrl. He has to keep track of the days
specified for the meeting of the different
committees, and also keep track of the sub
committees to which the bills have been
referred Add tO thiS SoOrCc IF raot,a-ts for
public documents, some of which necesSi-
tate visits to the departments. and
MS troubles are increased. If in
sympathy with the administration he
cannot pass from the House 10 his
committee room, or from his committee
room to the House, without being annoyed
by men seeking office Some days the
office-seekers seem to be as thick as mos
Quitoes in Jersey. Even democratic mem
bers do not escape. Officials of their politi-
cal faith who have not yet been smoked out
are ever imploring them to intercede in
their behalf. Democrats who have been
thrown out in defiance of the civil service
law are ever around them, crying either
for reinstatement or for vengence Grand
army democrats point to their
war records and demand satisfaction.
Nor is this all. Scores of women
appeal to the new member. They
appeal to his sense of courtesy and to his
humanity. Some seek places in the depart
ments. and others implore him to urge
claims IN their behalf. While trying to get
an inkling of what Is going on in the House,
their cards are hourly thrust before him.
he Will be importuned in every corridor
and at every door. Appeals will be made to
him IN the elevator, in the restaurant, on
the horse cars and upon the streets. If he
is an Obliglng man he will soon fluid that he
has so many irons in the Legislative fire that
he can't tell one from the other.
Under the new administration of the
House there is set Of new employees. The
new member will not CLEAN much informa-
ton from them. A new doorkeeper was
asked the other day to designate the room
occupied by the committee on appropria-
lions. He declared that he didn't know
where it was, although it was within thirty
feet Of the door which he guarded. An
other attache invariably mistakes Ashbel
T. Fitch for Gen. Charles Tracy of the
Papal Zouaves. While Watchdog Holman
was addressing the House, recently, a new
employee of the House astonished Roswell
T. Flower by asking who the man was that
was talking.
The new member, however, is ever CLEAN
ing information. The fact that a United
States senator is of much more Importance
than member of the House of Representa-
tlves has begun to dawn upon him. He
had realizing sense of this when Chief
Justice Fuller delivered his Grafton upon
George Washington in December last The
new member then learned that it was ETH
quette for members of the House to give up
their seats to senators when they entered
its chamber in a body. He has not yet
learned that while it is etiquette for repre-
s ntatives to sit behind senators in the
House it is also etiquette for them to stand
behind senators while in the Senate cham
Der.
With all the information he has gained.
the new member is still in the primary
class of the legislative school. He will
enter the intermediate class when he tries to
get bill before the House. He will pop up
100 times, and wonder why the speaker
can't see him. He will long be unable to
understand why it is that a score of more
of old members are allowed to talk upon
any subject at almost any time, while he is
unable to get in a word edge ise
And when he does get an opportunity
to sail into the sea of debate, he will be
still more astonished. Unless his sails are
well trimmed and he is on an even keel.
some old member will be sure to slack his
Sheet-rope or throw his wheel hard a-lee
when he is least expecting it. A few of the
old members sympathize with the young
fellows when they make their first effort to
navigate the sea of legislation, but there is
many an old boy who takes malicious de-
light In stranding and wrecking a new
craft. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.