The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-14
T. B. REED,
8OURKE COCHRAN.

BOURNE COCkRAN. L. Is. REED,
lie expense, but the BARRIERS were retained,
and now a shave, some refreshing bay rum
and a bath are awaiting any senator who
feels u little frazzled from his eXacting
duties.
The house will look a little different now
to its members, as under the new appor
tionment act made to fit the 1890 census
room had to be made for 25 more members
than were in the last house. This addition
to the seating capacity has considerably
diminished the quarters where members
may Toll at ease and hear what is going on,
and now most Of them will nave to literally
obey the rules and go to the cloakroo1ns
when they want to smoke and swap remi-
niscences.
The provision for the new membersis only
temporary. and the house may be called on
to make permanent arrangements for it's
w accommodation later in the session.
There are several plans for this drawn and
before the speaker. The most radical is
that of Bourlle Cochran, who, being an ora
tor, naturally wants the accessories, when
changed, to be favorable to members with
c gift of eloquent talk.
He purposes to completely change the
hall and remode it on the style of the Eng
lish house of m Mr.. Cochran wants
all the desks move and benches provided
for the members. Nowadays a member at
tends to IL large part of his correspondence
while the speaking is going on about him.
Tammany's orator wants to compel men
to listen CT leave the hall, and he thinks
this will be the result if no desks be pro
vided. His plan contamplates a much
Emaller hall than the present one, which
10 so large as to strain the voice of three
3ourths of the members. Mr.. Cochran has
the support OF ex-Speaher Reed for his plan,
which is really their joint production. Mr..
Reed also would like more attention paid
TO the general debates and fuller publica-
ton in the newspapers.
The plan Of these two leading members
would involve such a great change that its
chances Of adoption IRE slim. Speaker
Crisp recognized the fact that it could only
hs adopted after long debate and so in the
last congress simply put this and other
plans involving considerable expenditure
sway and merely added the necessary addi-
tsonal seats, the expense OF which could be
kesne by the contingent fund.
The ndage that every change makes an
other change may be again ~exemplifed in
this matter. This year for the first time
each representative has authority TO en-
pl6y Il clerk and pay him out OF the public
tgsasury not over 500 n month. Members
will therefore not be under the same neccs-
ssty of personally writing their correspond
cnee, and this fact and the need of quar-
ters in which to dictate correspondence to
their clerks may do more than eloquence
and reason to model our house of represent.
A6ives on the plan of the English com
MONS.
6PeakerC Crisp has a newdesk top. He needs
4 The old top is in the cabinet makers. The
cloth is worn and the wood denied, pock-
marked and splintered. Water, it is said,
wears away q stone in time, and the constant
thump of the speakers gavel in his efforts
to keep the hous in order while u dozen
members are lung shifting ut once tells
sadly on his desk in the course of a con-
Rress. The blows with the gavel are not
always Gentle taps. In real breezy times
they would be enough to put Peter Jack
son to sleep if landed on the jaw of the
negro pugilist. Crisp's last sounding board
u eaten away for a distance two feet long