The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-11
THE SCRIBES OF CONGRESS.
How They Make immortal the Say
ings OF Statesmen.
SHORTHAND WRITING A SCIENCE
Places for Life and Same Salaries ns
COnGrcssmcn. Hut Every Long
TariH Debate Kills one.
Washington Post.

With the exception Of twelve consular
clerks, the only life positions in the civil
service of the government are held by the
reporters OF the house and senate. These
men get the same pay as members of con-
grcss. and they earn 1t. There Is no other
kind OF stenographic work that requires
so much skill and intelligence. and the la
Dor is so hard that according to common
saying. every long tariff debate Kills one
OF these experts. At the same time. the
places they occupy are OF sufficient honor
and emoument to be regarded as extremely
desirable. and during about half of the
time that is, when congress is not in ses.
sion. they are not obliged to do anything at
all. From the 4th day OF next March to the
following December, unless there should
be an extra session they draw their sala-
ries while enjoying the luxury of absolute
idleness.
Five men attend to the stenographic
business on the floor OF the house They
get $4,000 per annum each, and are called
officially reporters OF debates" Their
names are Brown White. Devine, Wclch
and Irland. Brown is the oldest in years
and in length Of service, and he Is consid-
cred. therefore. as the dean" of the
CORPS. However. this Is matter purely
honorary. the reporters taking charge of
the Copy" by turns, week and week
about There used to be chief stenoe-
rapher, named McElhone who had general
supervision of the work He received $1,000
per annum; but he died three years ago.
aud the office and extra pay were abol-
| shed
TWO large and we'll lighted rooms in the
basement OF the capitol are provided for
the exclusive use of the reporters Of the
| house Each man has his own desk,
amanuenss. grapbophone and typewriter
| He must pay the alnaneunsis out OF his
salary. and is also Obliged to hire the
rraphophone: but for the latter expense
he is reimbursed II is here that all INC
work of preparing the house copy Tor
the Conversational Record is done. After q
| member has made a speech on subject
which he considers important. he drops
| in and looks over the typewritten cory
which has been made from the shorthand
| notes He alters 1t as much as ne likes
and some times very materially though
| there is sort of understanding to tht
effect that he has no right to change Inc
| sense. Abuses Of this privilege gave rise
to A number OF sharp disputes during the
last session of congress.
Even keen-wpten person in the nous'
gallery is puzzled to imagine how the re-
norters on the floor keep track of all tina
!. .o,, no follow set speech may no
" atearont mat.
be oi'hcuit' nut II 10 eu'''
ter when in a lively debate members arr
speaking from different parts OF th'
chamber, intcrlupting each other and tax
| ing Two OF th'ee at o''N'
there is regular oratorc1l scrimmage
| CO dot tho etioc, Tn an unframed observe
is mai If yoritsble Babel But in tn,
husinsss as in ANYTHING else. facility i
ohta;nsd hv nrac,ice. II is rarely that
word is missed by the reporter, who doe
travels about the floor. placing himself IL
the very midst of the disputauts and Otter
standing at the elbow OF a speaker hote
DOOR anu 'o" ii,t,, tn 90, hin, m ard ,iv
him seat n there is none vacant nea
by
or course 'he sIta''S' ho''N,s ""
, a'en -, raoocniya members nv thei,
voices. In tumult. If he falls to i1entif!
a speaker he credits the words 10 mem
/ ber:" but this is rare Al the opening
a new congress there is trouble III learning
the names and faces of new members o
whom there are likely TO be hundreds
Fortunately. however freshly-eiec'ed rep
resenta,ives are not much addicted to tax
ing. they wait n while IN silence 10 go
their bearing Meanwhile the reporter find'
out who they are and fixes them on th'
! tablets OF his BRAIN. IL Us easy enough IN al
| emergency 10 put down brlcf Description
of man. such MS red whiskers and bald
head and to find out atterward VINO ne
is. AS for rapid talking, 100 words minute
is fast for congressman. The record ~
the present congress is held by Johnson, Of
Indiana. who speaks at the rate OF ZIG
words minute, WIN me utmost c'earnes'
Of delivery aud enumeration. berry oil Ken
lucky. and Mcclure OF California are very
fast takers.
Two OF the five reporters OF debates arr
always present on the floor when the hous,
is in so,sion One of them ,s waIt.ng. Will,
,,,,, - ,oon I'D,
'ne DINER worhs' lne 'a''s' 'aAes iVV' WIZ"
Of notes.-the knows just about how man!
pages of his note book that much makes
a,d tho, ho,ds nm his tbumh as a signal I,