Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-14

disclosed that out of sixty-odd members
about dozen willing to do all the
talking. Their colleagues resent this, and
charge them with wanting to talk to the
galleries
In this instance the galleries simply mean
the public, which crowds into the rear of
the hall with great regularity. The repre-
sentativeS themselves have remarked that
they have nearly the same audience every
day. The general public contents itself with
reading the reports which the newspapers
give of be proceedings. These are usually
quite full, even to tiresomeness. 1t was the
discovery of one observer that "the beauties
of elegant discourse could be lost through
the spiritual abstraction of an audience
with appetite
This was delicate way of stating that
many of the spectators are office seekers.
They lay in wait for the congressman and
buttonhole them till the sessions are
opened. Then they take their places and
listen to the debates. while seeing that no
congressman escapes by side door. 1t is
all very old and very common in the
United States. but it continues to be
novel experience for the Cuban legislators.
One of the representatives says that they
are like swarm of bees. meaning the
office-SeekerS, while another compares
them to ant hill. But this is one of the
responsibilities of public life, and, since
they voted themselves salaries, the con-
gressmen get no sympathy whatever when
they complain of the way the oftice-seekers
poster them.
During the early sessions or the mousse
the range of discussion was wide. yet was
not wide enough to suit some of the MEM
bers. One group wanted a general discus
sion on the state of the country This
was for the purpose OF enabling the politi-
cal parties to align themselves formally
a basis of being for or against the admin
istration of President Palma. 1t was
rtificia1 attempt, and the house did not
take kindly to it.
Ostensibly the political division was FORM
ed when the republicans, so-called organ
lied the house by vote of thirty-one
against twenty-nine cast by the nationals.
This however, represented no real division
of party sentiment. 1t merely a natu-
raj grouping over the distribution of the
patronage. One representative, who is a
national, told me he thought the victorious
faction had acted very badly, because, al
though there was only slight difference in
the percentage of numerical strength. it had
taken 80 per cent of the patronage to itself
and left the rival group only 20 per cent. L
told him that in American legislative bodies
it was not customary to give the minority
even 30 per cent Of the patronage.
Though the house showed no willingness
to enter upon an academic debate on the
state of the country, the proposition that 1t
should do so gave a chance for the display
of considerable oratory. One member, who
took the floor frequently, was called by his
Colleagues Mont Pelee," and they pro-
fessed mock terror whenever Mont Pelee''
showed signs of eruption 1t is hardly fair,
but 1t is proof that the sense of humor is
not lacking among the Cuban representa-
tiVeS.
An Effort Of Fairness.
In the debates an effort L. made to pre-
serve fairness, so that each side shall be
heard alternately, but sometimes the speak
er has puzzling problems to determine A
member asks the floor EN- pro o on con-
trap Cor or againsD asks the presiding
officer. En- pro on contra" (for and
against). replies the member, who wants
to support part of the proposition. and OPP
pose another part of it. Parliamentary pro-
cedure in the Cuban house has not yet
reached the exact point where the question
can be divided with a clear understanding
OF what the division means. and the presd-
ing officer finally rules that the member
must cOnfine himself to the part of the
proposition which he opposes, because the
preceding speaker had supported it as a
whole.
AS the membership is not large the menu
Der who ''pido la palabra'' casks the floor
is pretty sure to catch the speakers eye and
to be heard in his turn. But the proceed
irgs at times grow very monotonous with
members rising to ''rectify" what some
body else has said.
Parliamentary Practice.
Points of order are not very common
since the house has not completed and
adopted it's code of rules. This Is the sub
ject which is now being considered in daily
sessiohS very IuiI cOde was formulated
by a special committee. and it's work ia
carefully sifted The criticism made of the
code Is that under 1t the representatives
subject themselves to discipline such as only
regimental commanders have power to in
f1fct on soldiers under their command Yet
the Latin idea of parliamentary etiquette Is
rigid and the members do not seem unwil-
ling to put themselves in straight Jackets
One practice both In the house and senate
differs from that which obtains in the Gem,
gress OF the United States or In state iegis-
latures. This is in the introduction of pro-
posed Legislative measures. Instead OF
single member Introducing his bill and
standing sponsor for ii, the custom In for
three or more members to present II as
their joint product. In this way have been
presented projects for the payment of the