Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1902-05-02
ITALIAN LAWMAKERS.
Noisy Scenes the Ruls in Chief Legis.
l8tivs Body


The Italian chamber Of deputies
is a noisy place, and The American vs-
liiors who attend its sessions think
better Of our house of representa-
tives, says W. T. Curtis, in Tie Chica-
20 Record-Ilerald Tie disorder is
no worse than that which habitually
occurs in Other European parliaments,
those of Austria and Hungary being
even worse than that Of Italy. The
Italians are am excitgble people, and
iniroduce a great deal OF gymnastics
into their oratory and conversation.
Hence an orator in the chamber of
deputies who swings his arms and
pylates his body like "a jumping jack is
smplyinGu.gingin the national char
acierIstc liza member Of the house
Of representatives at Washington
should act that way the sergeant-at-
arms would take him over TO the
Asylum Of St. Elizabeth.
Italian statesmen lose their tenn
pers easily They are even more hot
hcailrd than the Frenchmen, and
therefore the sessions Of the chamber
are very interesting to people who
like to see scraps" When an orator
Of one political group makes an asser-
ton that is offensive to the members
of another group they 60 not hesitate
to interrupt and contradict him, and
frequently five or six members are on
the floor gesticulating wildly while
the president of the chamber rings a
Little be.linstead Of pounding his desk
with a mallet, like the speaker Of our
house at home.
There was a funny scene the other
day. A certain socialist agitator from
the city Of Ravenna named Enrico
Ferri made a speech on some subject
concerning the working classes and
was quite Incorporate in some Of his
assertions-so much so that he was
called TO order repeatedly. Hefnally
lost his temper and let go Of very Wig
: orous and insulting epithets at the
distinguished colleagues who had op-
posed him. For this he was called to
order, and, as he refused to take his
seat or even stop talking, the presi-
dent of the chamber directed the chief
bouncer TO fire him out. This cere-
many was performed in a most artis-
tic manner. The sergeant-at-arms
seized the honorable gen tleman by the
seat Of his trousers with one hand and
his coat collar with the other and
hustled him down the main aisle so
rapidly that the victim scarcely re-
allied what was going on until he
found himself in the vestibule, where
he stamped and ragged and shouted
and behaved generally Xix an angry
Italian.
As soon as the bouncer returned to
the chamber and reported to the pres
! ident that his orders had been exc
cuted what might be called a spirit
Of Cancellation took possession. One
of the conservatives who had been the
target Of Signor Ferris assault arose
and in a dignifed and gentlemanly
manner asked that all reference to the
incident be omitted from the official
report of the proceedings, and that
the order of the president ejecting his
antagonist be rescinded. The lead
ers Of the socialist party received the
| proposition in the same spirit and
were explaining to the president and
all concerned that Signor Ferri did
not intend to give of'ense or violate
the propriety Of the chamber, when
their eloquence was drowned by a
crashing of glass, and fragments Of a
large ornamental door went flying in
every direction The disheveled hair
and bloodsbot eyes Of Signor Ferri APP
pearedLhrough the hole that he had
broken and he shouted in stentorian
tones that the president of the parlia-
ment and all its members were a lot of
tyrants, despots, swindlers, thieves
and hypocrites
This dramatic performance ter
minated the proceedings. 1t was so
comical that half the members Of the
chamber broke into roars Of laughter,
while sjgnor Ferris friends, who were
testifying TO his gentle disposition
and kindly sentiments, sat down in
confusion.
Letter Four Yards Long.