The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-25

member shouts for the regular order. IL
may be unfinished business. or privileged
matters may come TO the front What
ever is taken up is sure to lead TO dls-
QUESTION Half the members Of tho House
begin 10 write letters or read newspapers.
When a debate ensucs, they stop WHINE
md listen for a minute TO tho oTdtpr. TX
Il concerns something In which thov are
Interested. they move near him ana pos
sibly participate In the discussion III rot
they resume answers to correspondents
ond tho reading OF their newspapers.
vote of the House always attracts at
,ention Members listen for the calling
~ their names. and frequently lose the
rim OF the call while in conversation WIN
their colleagues. As the vote IL ABOUT 20
he announced some representative Usually
appears In the area, saying: Mr.. Speak
or. l desire to vote
THE VOTE.
A, this Mr. Reed In accordance win
the rules. asks: WAS the gentleman IN
the han when his name was calledY'
II the reply Is In tho Affirmative the
Sneaker eazes steadily at the representa-
tive. and inquiries: was inc gentleman
listening and failed TO hear his name call
ed?'
II tho answer Is still in the affirmative
tho Sneaker stares at him. surveying him
from head to foot for twenty or more sec
onds. and then. apparently half satisfied
that the gentleman has told the truth, he
eays. The clerk will call the name OF
the gentleman"
When this IS done the answer comes
ave" or no" and Is recorded on the
taly-shcet. The clerk then tabulates the
vote. and passes It 10 the Speaker on
slip OF paper. Mr.. Reed arises from his
seat. as required by the rules, and an
nounces the result in stereotyped words
ION this question the yeas are -, and
the navs are 800. The ayes have II, and
the bill is passed" or vice versa If the
member in charge Of the bin is an expert
he will Immediately move Ito reconsider
and Law that motion on the table II ne
IS inexperienced, the Speaker VIII sug-
positively gaze at him. II the gaze Is
without result, and the neophyte is mod
est and unassumlng, the Speaker aids him
by saying in a low tone, as II addressing
the clerk: THE gentleman moves TO re-
consider and 10 lay that motion on the
table. Without objection 1t is so or
dered."
A feature Of the House is the irritator
He rarely makes speech himself. but IS
always asking questions Of those who do
venture into the domain Of debate. Good
natured members permit the Interrupted.
while others nettled by the annoyance.
appeal TO the Speaker. who invariably
SAYS "The gentleman declines TO be in
terrupted." At times the irritated be-
comes the irritator. and the irritator the
irritated as was instanced by Mr.. Ben
jamin +. Butler in his retort Of "Shoo
fyl don't bodder me-" when interrupted
by Sunset Cox.
And so the business Of the House runs
on, with points Of order and questions
Of privilege. discussions and roll calls.
until the shades Of night begin to ap-
pear. Then Mr. Dngley or some other
leader Of the majority moves that the
House adjourn. As the members don
their hats and overcoats and leave the
hall the janitors assistants appear with
brooms and waste baskets and clear mp
the litter. Within an hour all the doors
are locked. and silence reigns until the
ensuing day.
AMOS. ]. CUMMINGS.