The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-14
SPEAKER REED FAvORS 1T.
PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE SEATING
ARRANGEMENTS OF THE HOUSE.

The speaker wouid have the Desks Removed
and Denches and Tables substituted-This
was Tried by tho ThlrtJ-Etrth ConEress,
but the Thirty sixth Congress Rejected II.
WASHINGTON, juno 13.-Spoaker Reed and
Representative Beach. advocates o fthe plan to re-
form tho seating arrangements OF tho hall of the
House OF Representatives, have interested our
Consuls-Gcncra at tho various European CAPT.
tails, and the latter are furnishing them doscrip-
lions OF tho several parliamentary chambers.
The Speakers belief is that were the individual
desks removed from the hall and benches
substituted tho business OF the House
would be transacted moro expeditiously, or with
much greater satisfaction than at present.
Members would DO gathered together in a
smaller area, and debate would proceed In q
moro orderly and dignifcd manner. The propo-
sition has been discussed as II 1t were something
new, and never tried in tho American House Of
Representatives. But It il not new oven there.
When in tho Thirty-afth Congress the House
of Representatives abandoned Its old quarters In
the present S~tatuary Hall and occupied the new
hall, 1t was provided with handsome oak desks
and chairs. which had been procured at an ex-
pensc of 800 for each Of the $50 members then
constituting the House. But they did not sat
isfy completely. On Dec. %, 1858. William
Porcher Miles, a Representative from South
Sololliihp % SbolutAo phoNluiu
for the appointment of a special COM
mittee "to consider and report on the
expediency Of removing tho present desks
from the hall. and making such arrangements
Of tho seats of members as will bring them
together in q smaller space for the greater facil-
ity Of hearing and moro orderly debate" This
resolution was agreed to. 10 to So. The debate
on its passage showed the famous Washburne
family divided as to its merits. washburne of
Maine hoping that II would pass, and Wash
burne OF Illinois moving 10 lay 1t on the table.
The special committee was made to consist
Of Miles. Letcher. washburne OF Maine. George
H. Pendleton, and Morris. 1t was not until the
last day of the session, March 3. 1859. that
Chairman Miles was permitted to present the
committees report. The report was accom-
panied by a resolution ordering the desks and
chairs to be removed and benches substituted
therefor. 1t was vigorously opposed. Mr.. Clay
| wanting to know what would be done with the
discarded furniture7 Mr.. Washburne Of Maine
replied that 1t would be retained, so that If the
experiment was not a success, the desks and
chairs could be again used. The resolution was
adopted by q vote OF lo3 TO 70.
1t Is Interesting to observe how almost pre-
cisely similar are the arguments advanced to-
day for the change and those By which the COM
mittee supported the conclusions they had
reached. They said:
1.-The removal OF the desks and bringing the
members together into a more conpac area is
not only expedient and desirable, but would, II ef-
fected, be In itself a most important step toward
many Legislative reforms. . . 1t would
certainly seem as II the very first duty OF a Rep
resentative in Congress was not simply to attend
bodily in his place, but to listen to, understand.
and, when occasion requires 1t, participate In
I'll the sS discussion Isl 10 mnd, proceedings f q the s.b body Sy
hall a very decided Improvement would take
place in the character of Congressional speeches.
heard without screaming themselves hoarse,
and hope to catch the Speakers eye and OBJ
tain the floor without scrambling for It. with the
noise and rociferation Of school boys scr8mblinR
decorous. and orderly debates. and real. legiti.
before us, instead Of interminable discussions.
Dc 9nod libet cnte, addressed in point OF fact to
different constituencies, and not intended for
the ear Of the House
thai AIN . sOnGip; ;Ss H y0i, G saon, tee v rs r believe sld!eSyHe
Gated. the advantages flowing from it viii be so
numerous and apparent as not only to impress
Congress. but the country at large. II will then
be a matter OF surprise TO all that q plan SO
been sooner adopted"
the benches, four large tables were placed In the
corners OF the hall and furnished with station.
cry. 80 TINT members could there answer or in.
dife letters. But the advantages so confidently
predicted to follow the adoption OF the change
did not manifest themselves TO a majority OF the
members in the Thirty.sixth Congress. and in
less than a month after II convened the agita.
ton for a return to the old system was begun.
This was aided by the complaints of d~iscrimina-
ton in the use Of the tables, some members
getting possession Of the drawers in them
for their. individual convenience. to the exclu-
sion OF others. and by the action Of certain mem
Conkling, who boldly had the rejected desks
brought into the hall for their use. Finally, on
Feb. II, 1860, the matter was referred to
another special committee, consisting Of Miles,
Washburne OF Illinois, and Davis OF Indiana. In
four days Mr.. Washburne for himself and Davis
reported hat .he Miles experiment had proved
a failure in every respect, and n resolution WAS
adopted by a vote OF 95 to 80 directing that the
desks and chairs be returned.
Tho tables and benches were removed aud the
experiment was at an end. The tables found a
resting place in committee rooms and the pres
ent Speakers lobby. Most OF the benches went
TO ST. Elizabeth's. the national asylum for tho
insane; the remainder servo to
visitors to the Supreme Court chamber.