Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-07-18

dered to do so by the speaker Al
that time rule was adopted prohib
iting the admission of women to the
house OF commons, and their little
gallery is theoretically supposed to be
outside of it. Places in the ladies
gallery are balloted for week in ad.
vance, and the competition is so keen
that often members fail to secure
seats even once during a session. The
speakers wife has little gallery of
her own. which admits only three or
four persons, and that is usually re
served for the wives OF high govern.
ment officials.
The house of commons. however. is
quite social center and the terrace,
which extends the entire length of the
parliament building and looks upon
the Thames. is used in pleasant wealth
er as rendezvous. There are also
dinning-rooms. where the wives of
members give dinner parties and en-
tertain the friends of their husbands.
Readers of novels of London life and
British politics will remember i'm.
portant scenes described as having oc-
CURED in the dinning rooms and on
the terrace of the parliament house
Mrs. Murphy Wards story of Mar
celia gives several graphic descrip-
tions.
The house of lords generally per-
mits the commons to run things and
| seldom interferes. Laws passed by
| the commons are usually ratified by
/ do ,t,it oh . l.,
government is always in the majority
| according to the unwritten consitua-
| ton. When it ceases to control legis-
| lation it goes out OF office and an cleo
tion is ordered. The peers are usually
| loyal supporters of the government
| except when their own rights and pre-
negatives are attacked. But no peer
is allowed on the floor of the house
of commons. He cannot cross the
threshold Nor can a king. No king
has entered or attempted to enter the
| the house of commons since the time
of Charles L.. and the minutes ad-
| opted in, .commenoration of his invas-
ion of the sanctity of the parliament
| lie always in sight of all the members
to. this day as a perpetual reminder.
! The journal of that date is kept under
| n glass case
When n member of the house be-
| comes a peer he cannot remain. At
once upon the death of his father or
upon announcement of his appoint
ment he Is compelled to leave and
cannot enter again Many ambitious
young lords have attempted to re-
tain their seats In the house because
1t offers wider and more active field
| of usefulness than the sleepy and con
| servative house of lords. but none has
| ever been able to do so.
Lord Selborne. the present minister
| Of naval affairs. was very useful
| and influential member of the house
| of commons before he inherited his
title, and there has been no more
popular man in that body He hap
pened to be deeply interested in GER
| tain Legislation at the time he became
| a peer and desired to remain in the
house of commons until 1t was dis.
posed Of But upon his appearance
there after the death of his father a
hundred fingers were pointed at him
| and dozen men called attention to
| the presence of stranger in the
| house. whereupon the speaker ordered
| the sergeant-at-arms to eject him. His
desire and his motives were so well
| known that his friends in the house
had a great deal of fun over the In
cident and made an unnecessary dem
| onstration.
! "
| house of lords to the house OF com
mons 1t is carried by clerk. preceded
and escorted by that fearful and won.
derful official known as the black
rod, who Is a sort OF sergeant-at-arms
| for the lords. When the ushers see
him coming down the long corridor
in his resplendant livery they quick.
ly notify the sergeant-at-arms, who
| slams and locks the door of the house
OF commons and seizes the mace
| which he holds aloft In defiance OF
all enemies and intruders. When the
black rod pounds on the door four
| times the sergeant-at-arms of the
house opens peepbole and asks who
is there and what is wanted. Upon
receiving the information. he reports
with great ceremony. to the speaker
of the house, who orders him to open
the door and receive the message
The black rod is then admitted, but
cannot advance farther than the bar
which is gate few feet from the
threshold.
The proceedings of both houses are
all conducted according to such old
fashioned and formal methods. Tho
formula has not been changed for 80,
years.
When parliament opens each day
the scene is very Impressive. The
speaker. as in Washington does MOI
slip in through back door and tax,
his seat behind the desk and bans
his gavel on the table and shout.
THE house will now he In order
The chaplain will now offer prayer.
According to the traditions OF G0'
years the speaker of the house o
/ f.rrp ynnpa autnra tha main door wpar y