The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-26

Confusion Twice Confoundcd-E efforts to So
euro Ordcr-An Epidemic of Chin Music.
Rough and Tumble Debates-l3ow Rules
Are violated Twenty Famous Men.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2s.-[Special. lin
the house Of representatives. as elsewhere,
tho old saying is true that when the cats
away tho mice will play. During the re-
cent absence of Speaker Crisp In search OF
health tho house. always more or less
noisy, has been unusually turbulent Durx
ing the Hawaiian debate and at other
times tho disorder was asextraordinary. Tho
speaker pro tcmporc, Mr.. Richardson Of
Tennessee, is fairly good presiding oiii-
Ger, but Of course lac Is not the equal of
the speaker. Mr.. Crisp is one Of tho best
chairmen ever seen in Washington. Prac-
tice has helped him TO attain perfection.
and it is now comparatively easy matter
for him To maintain order where a ioss OK
perieuced man goes 10 pieces.
Noise and Confusion.
Visitors TO tho house wondor how any
business can bc done amid the noise and
confusion. Let me give you SCENE from
the floor one, too, that Is OF almost daily
occurrences: Ono of tho weak voiced mem.
bers-say Judge Turner Of Georgia OF Mr..
Holman OF Indiana--is trying To make a
speech. He cannot bc heard 20 feet away.
A large number OF members are gathered
In front Of tho speakers desk listening.
They can hear what is going on. but scy-
eral hundred meinbcrs to the right or lett,
with this wall OF human forms In front of
them, cannot hear word Therefore they
Al. f..II
ing and laughing, and thus the hall of tho
house IN made to resemble tho icor of a
stock exchange. The business Is all being
done in enc little pit. In a little circlc. aud
the remainder of the scono Is ono Of con-
fusion.
Presently some member rises and APP
peals to the chair for order. The speaker
hammers vigorously with his Gaycl. Gen
tlcinen viii cease conversation and takc
their seats" Rapi Rapl Gentlemen
will t;.ko their seats and stop talking. Wo
must have order" Rapl Rapi Slowly
and reluctantly tho standing statesmen
move away tv their seats. Tho scmblanco
Of order is restored. But in about ten
minutes another crowd gathers, another
ring Ia formed, and moro loud talking
ard laughter arc heard behind tho human
wall Now tho speaker Is even more Wig
oruus in his efforts to secure order. kapi
rap rapl gops the gavel till the stri,ngcr
In tho gallery thinks tho speakers desk
will be hammered into splintors. Gen.
Llcmon will take their seats. Order must
be restored. Gentlemen will cease CONVEX
sation.' Rap-tap-rap- tapl
But tho gentlemen do not all obey.
Talking Is heard at tho right of the chair
and also at tho extreme left. Now the
speaker adopts more severe tactics. Lcok-
ing nt tho group To the hight, the speaker
says THE gentlemen at tho right of the
chair will please suspend conversation.
Tho members thus adnonishcd take heed
and keep quiet. Then the speaker turns
his attention 10 the talking members al
the left, anu thoy arc promptly squelched.
But In "a few minutes the epidemic OF con-
versution breaks out ia all parts of the
hall Thus it goes all day long, and 1T Is
only now and then when something Is
suid that really interests the members that
IL IL possible TO hear all over the hall.
Ft1 All In Whirl.
Now moriscrs CT the house find these
rough end tumble debates rather trying
10 their nerves. Accustomed, as many Ut
them hnyo been, TO work In courtroOms.
they have ample confidence In their ability
TO piyu good account of themselves on
the fluur. But when they get into "a scriin-
mage with dozen members intcrrupting
and asking questions relevant aud irrcl-
evnnt, not to say irrcvorcnt, IL Is easy To
lose ones head and have ones brain TO
into whirl. Only the Veterans Of thc
house ere able TO 60 unscathcd through
these parliamentary storms.
Visitors to tho houso are surprised at
tho buldncss with which the rules Of tho
house arc violated. Ono Of tho rules OF
tho body is that there shall be- no smoking
on The floor. OF course this Is practically
u dead lotte-. No one expects rule like
this 10 30 cnfcrccd. Every one Smokes as
muoh as ho plcascs. But this freedom is
carried to pretty tall oxtroinc when ncin-
bers mako speeches with cigars In their
mouths. If cared TO do so, could name
statesmen who bavo repeatedly addressed
the house while smoking. OF course n
man cannot worry we'll talk and smoke at
tho samc tiiro, aud therefore 10 is ncccssa-
~ for tho orn,or 10 hold his cigar in his
hand wllic speaking. l,ut 10 certainly Is
air Cifense 10 ono's s sunso OF tho proprictics
when a n.omhcr talks and smokes alter
nntrly, pumcmating his remarks with nm
occasional Whit. 1t makes tho house OF
representatives look ton much like "a pulit'
ical convention.
Help lor u lew MEMBER.
A now irombcr rose tho other day dur
ing discussion ofsomc matter pertaining
TO public buildings and said, Mr.. Chair
innn. would like 20 say word. =" "i)id
understand tho gentlemen to inov" to
str,ko oUt the last word of the amend
mcnts'' inquirctl tho good natured speaker
sugRcstlvcly. Yes, yes" replied tho
mc,nl,cr eagerly, glad 20 have his pnrlia'
mcntary Path 80 noatly pointed out To
him,
sitting In the press gallery of the house
and locking over the statesmen on tho
iloor below, wondered how many OF them
wcrc actually known TO tho country, how
many have populations as wide ad. the
land, how many would be recognized hy
ha,nc in any fairly intelligent circle,
With this idea in mind l made "a census
of the house and put down the names OF
al, those incmbers who, in my Judgment,
are known throughout the country, Anu
how many DO you suppose tounds Just