The Bottineau courant., 1904-12-02
JAPAN'S PARLIAMENT.
Businesslike Methods Of House
of Representatives.
IT'S WORK RAPIDLY TRANSACTED.


portance Brought Forward, Debat-
ed and Passed or Rejected In Less
Than a Week Only Parliament
Which, Keeps Full Verbatim Re-
port of Its Proceedings.
Modern Japan in founding her insti-
tutions has had the advantage of be-
ing able to use as models the best
throughout the civilized world. says
the Portland Oregonian. Those who
have seen the parliament at Tokyo at
work say that it is the most business
like institution in the world, and there
is little talk in proportion to the work
accomplished.
The work goes forward very rapid
ly. Even government bill Of the
greatest Importance is brought for
ward, debated and passed or rejected
IN less than a week. Speechmaking on
the part of the members is discourag-
cd. -Four or five new acts OF all sorts
are an average weeks work. This is
because it is rule that when the
government or q private member wish
es to introduce new bill it is not al
lowed to be presented to the house at
the outset 1t must first be submitted
to committee, which in private
makes a thorough examination of it
and digests all the arguments for and
against it which are likely to be used
in the contest. Then the committee
sends the bill along to tile house with
lengthy report upon it, and in nine
cases out of ten the parliament is guild,
ed by the report upon it and decides
upon the measure with very little dis
cussiOn.
Though they are elected by constitu-
encies in just the same manner as in
the United States, each member is paid
at the rate of more than $50 week
for his services. The actual salary
paid them is $1,000 session. but ses-
sion lasts only twelve weeks. There
are 376 members in the house. and
when a man is elected he gets num-
ber for the purpose of Identification
and is usually referred to by it, no
matter where he may be. This number
Is painted in big figures Oh hinged
flap, which is attached to his desk in
the parliament chamber. When he is
seated he raises the flap on its hinge
as sign that he is ready for work for
the day. When he leaves the sitting he
lays the number fiat again. The flap
also serves another purpose. During
a debate, when the member wishes to
show his approval or disapproval Of
what is being said or to attract atten-
ton to his claim to be allowed to speak.
he rattles this flap and by long prac-
tice has become so skillful that he can
make more noise this way than any
other. When he wishes to make
speech he further emphasizes his de-
sire by shouting out his number. and If
the president wishes to recognize him
he repeats the number.
In the center of the chamber Is q high
tribune, and when member wishes to
speak he takes his stand there in view
Of the whole house. The president sits
just behind him and rings bell when
ever there is any breach Of order. The
chamber is semicircular in form, and
the members sit together at little
groups of desks, three or four togeth-
er, all around.
Every word spoken in the house of
representatives in Tokyo from the day
of it's opening has been taken down and
carefully preserved. This is the only
parliament in the world which has
complete verbatim report Of all its pro-
ceedings. Shortly before its establish
ment party Of students invented n
system Of shorthand which was capable
of graphing with the difficulties Of the
japanese language. and after practice
they found they could keep pace with
the fastest speaker When the new
parliament was formed some Of these
stenographers were engaged. with the
result that the parliament records are
cOmDlete