The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-29
HOUSE ETIQUETTE.
HATS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN
PARLIAMENT.

HATS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN
PARLIAMENT.
no Member Is Allowed to Read n News.
paper-Old Customs That Are Still Ad-
hered To-NearIy 700 Members with
Seats For Only $50.
When new member makes his first an
pcaranco in tho house of commons no bns
to be escorted to the table to take tho oath
Dy TWO other members of parliament
This is one of tho immcmorial usages of
the mousse or commons. 1t originated in a
Tar remote past whom 1t was really neces-
sary In order to prevent PRESERVATION that
two mombers of tho house should identify
the claimant of scat after n byolcction
as the person named in the writ of the re-
turning officer
Tho prccaution has been unnecessary for
many year. But such Is tho reluctance
OF the house OF commons to part with any
VI It's quaint and antique ceremonies that
1t is still retained, and though represent
ntive may como to the bar of tho house as
the unanimous choice of n constituency of
10, 600 electors and produce his credentials
he Will not be permitted to take his seat
unless no con get two mombors to act rs
his sponsors.
DR.. Kcncaly, tho famous counsel for
"thc claimant" presented himself at the
bar unattended after his election for Spoke
upon-Trcnt in February, 1875. Tho speak
er Informed him of tho usage Of the house,
and us ho could not get two members to
accompany him to the table no was Obliged
TO leave.
1t was only bya special resolution of tho
house, moved by Mr.. Disracli, its leader mt
tho time, that DIR. Ecnealy was allowed to
take his seat without complying with the
usual practice.
When men assemble together in social
lite, us in thcatcr or ut meeting, the
ordinary custom is to uncover while they
aro seated and to don their hats as they
enter or leave tho place
In parliamentary life that rulo is rcvers-
cd. Members can wear their hats only
when they arc seated on tho benches AS
they walk to tho seats or rise to leave tho
chamber they must DO uncovered. This
custom Is tho source of much confusion
and embarrassment to new members.
Tho house never fails to show its resent
mcnt of breach of its etiquette however
slight. 1t will, without distinction of par
ty, unanimously roar with Indignation at
new member who, ignorant or unminti-
full of the parliamentary custom, wears his
chamber
An offending member, startled by the
shout which greeted him rs he was leaving
tho chamber with his hat on his head in
stead of his hand, paused in the middle of
the floor and looked around with min
glcd expression of fright and perplexity.
Hat, haiti shouted tho house.
This only embarrassed him tho moro.
He felt his trousers pockets and his coat
tails for the offending article of attire. He
even looked mt his feet to see If he We're
wearing it at that extremity of his person.
1t Is impossible to conjecture what might
have happened further had not DR.. Tanner
walked up to tho offending member, and
amid tho loud laughter of the house polite
~ took off his hat and then handed it to
him with u courtly bow.
The hat plays many Important parts in
parliamentary customs. 1t also contrib
utes occasionally to the gaycty OF lifo in
the house Of commons. No incident is
greeted with more hearty laughter than
the spectacle OF member, after Il magnifi-
cent pcroration, Pumping down on his
silk hat on tho bench behind him.
The bashful and awkward member gen.
orally figures In those accidents, but the
misfortune has befallcn even old and cool
parliamentary hands like Mr. Chamber
lain and Sir William Harcourt and has
completely spoiled tho effects of few of
their most eloquent speeches.
y few years ago Mr.. r. G. Webster,
member for East st. Pancras, sat down
after his maiden speech on new silk hat,
which ho had provided in honor of the aus
picious occasion, and rs he was ruefully
surveying his battered hcadgcar, to tho
amusement of the unfcclng spectators,
Mr.. Edward Harrington, an Irish repre-
sentative, rose and gravcly said, Mr.
Speaker, permit mo to congratulate the
honorable mcmbcr on tho happy circum-
stance that when he snt on his hat his head
was not in it." Tho strident call of Or
der, ordcr" from tho speaker was drown
cd in roars of laughter.
In probably every other legislative cham
Der in the world each member has q special
seat allotted to him. But though there
are $40 members in tho commons the
chamber, strangely enough, was built to
accommodate only about half that number,
and the only mombers who are certain of
seats are ministers and ex-ministcrs, the
occupants respectively of the treasury bench
and tho first opposition bench.
Tho consequence is that on occasions of
great interest there is always scramble
for places. A largo crowd of members
gathered mt Westminster in the early morn
ing of the evening on which Mr. Gladstone
introduced the home rule bill of 1892 and
when, after hours of waiting, the door Civ
ing Immediate entrance to the chamber
was opened ut Il. m, so mad was the
rush for seats TINT several members were
crushed, knocked down and trampled
upon.-Chambers' Journal
Reasons For Disinherfting