The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-04
BY. MICHAEL DAVITT

MICHAEL DAVITT. the noted Irish
VI political leader, was in the gall
lerv of the house Of representa-
tives one day last week listening to the
debate on the London dock bill, says
the Washington Post. Some of the
methods and customs and things that
he observed led him TO speak Of the
relative ways Of the American congress
and the British parliament. of which
he was a member from the early '90s
until 1899, when he resigned because
he could not cOnscientiously remain
while England was waging war against
the South African republics. Then for
Some time he discOursed on English
political institutions and affairs with
some "reminiscences of his own strenu-
Gus career Here is what he said:
Looking down over the Douse here
it surprises me to see so few members
with bald heads. because it is in strik
Ing contrast with the members of the
English commons. There a very large
number are bald. But I think un-
derstand the reason Middle-aged men
appear to predominant here. / notice
Comparatively few old men or young
men. Now. in the commons the great
majority eff the members are either
quite old or quite young. Another thing
is the large number Of women in plain
view in the galleries. I have visited
the house of representatives on each of
the several occasions that 1 came to
Washington, and have before COM
mented on the facilities for women to
watch the proceedings. In the COM
mons the women have TO crowd into
a gallery where they are practically
hidden behind an iron grillwOrk.
g g @
obcerv~aH man, hon favr- min
utes ago rise and make some remarks
without facing the speaker. If MEM
her of the commons would do that he
would be promptly called to order.
The hall of representatives, is a mag
nificent assembly room. The capitol
and its location here on a hill over
looking the country for miles around.
are the finest in the world. but the
hall has one defect-it is so large thaS
member standing in some parts of
it and facing the speaker cannot be
heard in all parts unless his enunci-
alton is exceptionally distinct. So it
is sometimes necessary for a member
TO face around. The house of COM
mons. as you may know. will accom-
modate only about 400 OF the 700 mem
bers. When vote is 90 be tai n on
q very important measure which brings
out "A full attendance chairs have to
W UtuiEiA III AAlE dASiEHs anu dl llAdL
some of the members have to go TO the
galleries for seats.
There has never been a disposition
TO enlarge the commons chamber. 1t
was built many generations ago, when
men sought election to parliament, not
to attend the daily sessions and make
laws for the kingdom, but to get into
London society. In that period which
was in the reign of Charles l, it
was decreed that forty members should
be quorum. and that decree seems
TO be as immutable as the British con-
stitutiOn. So long as the decree stands
st is unlikely that the chamber will he
enlarged, II is as immutabIe as the
decree which made "A little sand glass
a utility on the clerks desk. When a
point of no quorum is raised or il is
desired to have adjournment for the
day the clerk turns the sand glass
Notice is sounded in the corridors and
committee rooms. If when the sand
glass has run out and there is still
no quorum or no demand that the sit
ting continue. the speaker declares the
house adjourned. And (here Mr.. Davitt