The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-04-10
TOM REED In EUROPE
THE Ex-spEAkER'S INTERESTING IN
CURRY IN THE OLD WORLD.

CURRY IN THE OLD WORLD.
IL Goes to Study Foreign Legislatures,
but Harry Smith. the Parliamentary
Expert ut Washington, Could Tell Him
Much That He Wants to Know.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, April 9.-Ex-Speaker
Reed has gone to Europe, it is said, to
make study Of the various legislative
bodies of the Old World. His inquiry
will no doubt prove interesting and
profitable, but it Is not certain that Mr..
Reed will be able to learn more of for
eign legislatures by journey to Europe
than he could by sitting down to talk
with Mr.. Henry H. Smith, journal clerk
Of our own house Of representatives Mr..
Smith is the most noted and perhaps the
most able legislative expert in this
country. Nominally, his duty is to keep
the journal of the house, a very exacting
and important duty, since upon his ac-
curacy and fidelity the legality Of laws
and interests almost beyond estimate in
Importance may often depend.
In practice Mr.. Smith keeps an eye
upon everything and everybody. He
knows about all there is to know. One
minute a new member inquiries Of him
the proper form of drafting bill or res
olution, the next minute the speaker
himself asks to be helped out of par
iamentary tangle. Mr.. Smith is the
recognized authority in Washington on
parliamentary law, practice and prec-
edent and legislative usage. He is one
Of those experts who hold their places
from administration to administration
simply because they are indispensable.
For nearly twenty years he has stood at
his post, just in front of the speaker, jot-
ting down the action of the house on
matters of little or great Importance.
An easy and swift worker, he appears
to be careless, but no one knows better
than he the need of accuracy and eau.
ton, for his record is the only record of
the proceedings of the house that stands
in law. He prompts the reading clerk,
gives suggestions to the bill clerk, and
dozen times or more in day is called
upon by the speaker for information or
suggestion. A speaker would as soon
think of running the house without a
gavel as without Harry Smith. It is
safe to say that no important parlia-
mentary decision has been made in the
house during the last fifteen years with
out consultation with him. Physically
and intellectually he has been ''the right
hand man" of such speakers as Randall,
Carlisle and Reed. Parties and speak
-ers and leaders have come and gone, but
Harry Smith, apparently, goes ON for
ever, the trusted counselor and helper
of ALL
Probably there is no other man in this
country so familiar with parliamentary
and legislative matters in Europe and
America as this noted expert. The rec
ord of our house of representatives from
the days Of the Revolution to the present
time is to him an open hook. Recently
he has made study of the legislative
bodies of Europe for his volume on the
parliamentary history of America, which
congress has purchased for $4,000, but
which has not yet been published.
In Mr.. Smiths opinion the English
parliament is the greatest and most in
teresting legislative body in the world
after the American congress. There is |
not much resemblance between the pop
ular legislative branches of the two great |
English speaking nations. Our house and
senate meet never later than noon, and
often as early as ten in the morning. The
English house of commons meets at four
in the afternoon, and the house of lords
generally at five. English legislators do
not work amid the comforts and luxu-
ries with which our statesmen are sur
rounded. They sit in hard benches, and
have neither desks to write on nor easy
couches to recline upon. Some day, per-
haps, when the country has grown to
twice its present population, our legis-
lators will have to give up their desks,
but their revolving easy chairs, their
luxurious sofas, their cuspidors-never!
The American who goes to parliament
house is surprised III see the commons
and lords sitting with their hats on. The
hat worn is invariably the ''stovepipe"
or "plug." An English NJ P. in any
thing but high hat would create
kTcdJcI ScDsutlOIl Cud.l bllC appear VI
Jerry Simpsons feet, sockless, upon the
top of his desk in the next house. Our
English friends have some very queer
customs handed down to them through |
the ages, and it will be worth while to
read ex-Speaker Reeds comments there
on. For instance, when member comes
into parliament he carries his hat in his
hand, but on sitting down he puts it
upon his head.
If member wishes to speak he takes
off his hat and holds it in his hand;
if he wants to make a long speech he
puts his hat on the bench, though he
does not remove it till he has been recog-
nized by the speaker. But if he wishes
simply to make motion or ask ques-
ton he keeps his hat on his head. 1t
was jokingly said of Mr.. Reed last win
ter that he counted members present II
their hats were hanging in the coat
room; in London the ex-speaker will be
able to see the hat playing an even more
important part in legislation. A hall
full of solemn men sitting close together