Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-03-02
SEEN BY A CANUCk.
A Visitor from Canada Writes OF inc
House of Representatives.


To the visitor in the House or REPRE-
sentatives who has been accustomed
TO the severe discipline and strict ue-
corunl of British legislatures tne ues'c
of liberty INDUCED in by the iilelipers
seems somewhat strange. There Is
continual hum of conversation, con-
slant moving about Oh the noor' 'he
frequent formation of groups ol mem.
beers for consultation and. what "ouiu
doubtless be regarded as treason u!
the attendants in the gallery Oh 'he
mother of parliaments, applause from
the spectators at times. Tie American
politician Is often accused Oh over
vehemence and disposition 10 shout
when ordinary tones would oe''e'
serve the purpose. After an hour III
the big chamber of the popular house'
with its continual lin, one can well uh-
tlerstand that the member of Congress
comes naturally by his strideht tones
and strenuous manner Without theiii
he would never be heard by his chat-
tering colleagues, and TO the galleries
he would speak only by gestlcula'oh.
The official reporters suffer greatly
from the noise. Instead Of sitting ut
their desks In front of the Speaker
chair, they find it necessary TO SKIP
about to whatever section of the house
a speaker may be in. dropping into
vacant seat if convenient, but more ire
nuently leaning against n desk. pad III
hand. Unhappy indeed is that mortal
in the middle of whose take there IS
n change of speakers. He may nave
crept close up to "the member from
Michigan" on the extreme left OF the
huge semicircle in which the seats are
arranged. and may have TO make run
like a baseball player for his home
base TO the other side to catch the open
ing remarks OF the member from Ar
kansas" as he rises to interpoSe an OBJ
lection.
It sometimes happens that members
lose their tempers in the heat OF debate.
The bowie knife and the revolver. con-
trary to the belief of many of our kins-
men across the seas, are no longer the
weapons with which these quarrels are
settled. They have been replaced by
the statutes in calf and the inkstand.
which are much more convenient and
less deadly. When row breaks out
on the floor and the combatants come
to close quarters, 1t is the duty of the
sergeant-at-arms to interpose the mace
between them. The mace Is the en-
blem of the civil power. but 1t Is some
what different in appearance from ours
1t consists of bundle of ebony rods
bound together with ligaments OF sill
Yer and having on top silver globe
surmounted by a silver eagle. 1t re-
sembleS the fasces borne by the lictors
before the Roman magistrates. 1t is
known Familiarity as the bird" Just
before the declaration of war with
Spain "the bird did duty in quelling
a row. An excited member had en-
forced his remarks by throwing the
law in a concrete form ut his oppo-
nent's head. The latter made a rush at
his anita Sonist. mutual friends held
them back. while from all sides of the
house came the cry. Sergeant. bring
the Bird The bird was sent forward
to the fighting line as rapidly As posi-
BILE and hostilitieS ceased. The man
who would dare to strike Il blow over
the bird has not Yet entered Con-
greSs. -Toronto Globe.