Evening star., 1896-02-29

call the gentleman to order and demand
that his words be taken down." which
means that the words which have been
taken down" under the most trying cir
cumstances are to be instantly written out
by the official reporter and read In the
presence Of the House.
The variety Of subjects discussed, with
their local. literary or historical illusions,
requires that the reading and intelligence
OF the reporter Should be as broad as that
Of the member. The physical and mental
strain which the work entails continues
sometimes without let I'D for many hours;
and the product of Hcrk performed under
conditions so severe is Elazoned the next
morning in cold print before every eye
subject, If erroneous to public correction
Yet the corrections generally are few and
trivial. Throwing out of consideration the
correction of votes. which, being mere
transcripts Of the clerks record, the Of
neral reporters are not responsible for, and
throwing out flso corrections of typo
graphical errors. there Is scarcely .one
correction month. 1t may ell be doubt
ed whether any work of similar character,
even though done under less trying condi-
tionS. can show so small percentage Of
reporting errors and so clean a record of
hahitual and amazing accuracy.
IN February, 1884, a debate on Hawaiian
affairs occurred In the House lasting five
and half hours, during which the stenog-
raphers took down 63,OO0 words. keeping
up an average speed of 200 words min
ute, probably the greatest piece of report
ing ever accomplished.
American System Superior.
The French chamber of deputies is far
less difficult body to report thaa the House
OF Representatives Of the United States
one special reason being that the member
addressing the chen er speaks from the
tribune, like preacher in pulpit, in
stead of here, there. anywhere, as in the
House. But in Frarce 1t takes nearly
q nrI dnr,s. 1NNyfS tn,
the American House. Every word in the
chamber Of deputies is taken down by
three sets of men checking each other.
This is made rece ssary on account of the
inferiority of the French shorthand and
tne lack of Individual dexterity, in COM
parison with the extreme speed and accu-
raGy OF the congressional reporters.
The English house of commons ia not
now. and never has been, reported YER
hatim. The Hansard report is partly made
up from newspaper compilations and Is
not published for several days after the
proceedings lake place Some of Eng
lands greatest men, among them Glad
stone. nave several times made efforts to
secure the adoption of a system similar to
me American. and committee of the
mouse of commons Is row aglin consider
ing the matter There are a few men in
England who are sufficiently skillful short
hand writer's, but 1t would take several
years OF training to make corps as in
vincible and handy as that of either house
OF the American Congress
In Germany the debates are officially re-
ported, but there. too, as in France, the
note takers cannot make a strictly YER
oaom report. They rely on each other for
assistance In patching out rapid speaker,
ana the debates are not printed on the
morning after their delivery.
Inc parliament of Canada Is reported
very Wen, in English and French. but only
!ne debates. and not the legislative action
In detail. are published in the report. In
snort, the reporters Of Congress are the
only ones In the world who make a record
tndt Is complete. as prompt as the COM
Ing of the morning each dav. and which
"hen printed, is practically free from err