The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-09
MAKING U. S. SENATOR'S
Procedure in the Two Branches of
the General Assembly of
Maryland.
NUMEROUS PRELIMINARY EXERCISES.
Rules That Govern in the Selection of
Representatives to Sit in the United
States Senate-SOme Interesting Facts
Concerning the Procedure.


meeting of the Legislature began last
week. There was an informal con-
ference of Republican Senators and
members in Baltimore Friday. 1t has
been many years since the Legislature
met on New Years day, but, accord
ing to the Constitution, it is called to-
gether to meet on the first Wednes-
day in January, and, holiday or no
holiday, on that day it must meet.
At noon on Wednesday the Chief
Clerk of the last House and the Sec
rotary of the last Senate will call their
respective bodies. Each will call the
roll of members of the body. who, ac-
cording to the certification of the Sec
rotary of State, are entitled to prima-
facie seats in his respective chamber.
Then temporary presiding officers
will be named and the temporary Off
GERS will receive motions, respectively,
for Speaker of the House and Presi-
dent of the Senate. These will be
elected according to the caucus pro-
grammes and will take their seats
with little speeches. The other Off
GERS, known as desk officers, will then
be elected, as selected by the caucus.
Three members of the House and two
from the Senate are then appointed
to notify the Governor that both
bodies have organized and are pre-
pared to receive any communication
he may have to make to them. They
wait on the Governor, and after lit
tie time return and make the report
that the Governor will shortly com
municate with them in writing The
Secretary of State appears in each
chamber in turn with the annual
message of the Governor, which is
read, and each Senator and member
is supplied with a printed copy.
Then, after passing orders provid-
ing for the appointment of commit
tees by the presiding officers and 9th
ers orders perfecting the organization,
it is usually the custom to adjourn
for about week, while the Speaker
and President make up the commit
tees, for without the committees
hardly wheel can turn.
In Senatorial year, such as this,
the election of United States Sena-
tor begins on the second Tuesday af-
ter the organization of the Legisla-
ture. 1t will, therefore, begin this
year on Tuesday, January 10. The
procedure is all carefully laid down
in the laws of the United States and
is not governed by local statutes at all
On the day before the balloting be-
gins the House usually sends mes
sage to the Senate notifying it of its
intention the next day at noon to
commence the balloting, and the
Senate replies, agreeing. On the day
in question the speaker of the House
and the President of the Senate at
exactly noon announce that the bal
loting will commence, and the clerks
are ordered to call the roll. AS each
mans name is called he arises in his
seat and names his choice. The re-
suits are then cast up and announced.
Each body on the first day ballots
separately. If it is found however,
that they have not agreed upon the
same man, they are required to meet
in joint session on the following day.
The members of the House go to the
Senate Chamber with the sergeant
alarms and accompany the Senators
to the House Chamber.
The Senators occupy seats in front
of the Speaker, who becomes the pre-
siding officer of the joint session, but
the President of the Senate sits be-
side him. If it is found that each
body has selected the same man and
that he has received majority of all
the Members and Senators elected,
the Speaker of the House then de-
clares that he is fully elected. If no
choice is made the joint session may
take another if it so orders, or it may
adjourn. They are required to take
at least one ballot each day, however,
Sundays excepted, until choice has
been made, whereupon the joint ses-
sion is dissolved permanently.