The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-12-18
Drawing Seats in Congress-.

Drawing Seats in Congress.
The present method of drawing seats
is not that which prevailed from the
foundation Of the government to the
Forty.eighth Congress. In the latter
Congress, about the year 1883, the man.
ner Of drawing the seats was changed
from the custom which is supposed to
have prevailed from the foundation Of
the government. Until that time the
name of every member was written
upon separate slips of paper and placed
in a box, and as the names were with
drawn the member whose namc was
read selected. his seat and occupied it I'M
til all the seats were chosen. 1t was Oh
jected the fiat pieces Of ralersolued
to each other, and it often happened
that the names of almost all the state
delegations were drawn out together,
the names having been copied from
the roll by States.
Under the new system, in accordance
with which the seats were drawn to.
day, the name of every Representative
and delegate in numbered on the Of
fetal roll in alphabetical order, while
a number Of small tubes or dice cor.
responding to the number of persons
on the roll and numbered from one
consecutiveiy, + placed in the box.
They are then drawn from the box bv
a blindfolded page and the nam of the
member corresponding with the numb
CT Is read.
The drawing of the seats is always
a PURGE of amusement. 1t is not,
however, an amusing ceremony to
those who are unfortunate and VINO
r compelled to wait until the end of
the long roll is reached before they
have an opportunity to select 3 seat.
Those who are thus unfortunate have
only Hobson's choice. They are COM
PEELED to take what is left.
1t: has been the custom for many
years until within a Congress or two
for the House, by unanimous consent,
to permit the dean, or the oldest in
service on either side of the House, to
select his seat in advance of the regular
drawing. This was done for many
years in the case of Judge Kelley on
the Republican side and of Alexander
HI. Stephens on the Democratic side
1t has not been done, however, since a
recent Congress when Mr.. Mills, of
Texas, asked unanimous consent that
MIR. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, who was
the father of the House, be permit.
ted to choose his seat in advance.
Mr.. Bennett, of North Carolina,
objected. Since that time the request
to extend this courtesy to tho older
members of the House has not been
granted. One of the reasons has been
that there we're too many on each side
who assumed that they were entitled
to such special considerations. The
requests came, as to individuals, in such
numbers that the House determined ia
abandon this courteous custom. But
during the last years of Judge Kelley's
service, although there were captlous
objections to this rule, Judge Kelley
obtained his seat in advance of all 9th.
ers without the formal consent of the
House. The last time that objection
was made Mr.. Reed suggested that
Judge Kelley should leave his hat upon
the desk which he wished, and he
believed the. House would respect his
wishes. This House was more cour.
teous. however, than in recent years,
for a resolution was adopted, witk only
trialng objections, that e~x-speakers OF
the House, who were members of this
House, together with those who have
served fourteen years continuously
should be permitted to select Their
seats before the drawing began. There
were a few murmurs of disappvoba.
ton from those who are opposed
to Mr.. Reed under all circumstances.
but the objections were speedily
frowned down, and ex-Speaker Reed,
Mr.. O'Neil. of Pennsylvania, and Mr..
Holman, of Indiana, the two latter
having served for fourteen consecutive
years, were allowed to select their seats.
The courtesy was due to the initiative
which was taken by Mr.. Blount, Of
Georgia, who undoubtedly acted in
accordance with an understanding with
Speaker Crisp of his own State. Int,
Ocean.
Wood wanted at the STAR office.
.syVLot Cl,nII xx-n .o Will, n,,, p.o.