Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-01-20
CAPITAL CHAT.
Formal Declaration Of
49,. cs-fsss-.ssya,- g..
Presidential Vote.
Interesting Ceremony Is stsd.
uIed for Feb. 8.
The Scenes Which Will ACCOMPANY
the Joint Session.

Washington. D. c.. Jan. 19.-(SpeciaD
The counting of the electoral votes OF
states in the Hall of Representatives,
February s, is only a formal proceed.
ing but nevertheless one of no little
interest II happens every four years,
of course. and at about the same time
in February. A joint resolution
passed by Senate and House. but
agreed upon prior thereto by the chair
men of the two committees on privi.
leses and elections. known In the
House, however, as the committee on
the election of President, vice-Presi-
dent. and Representatives in Congress.
fixes the date. This year these chair
lien happen to be Senator Julius
Caesar Burrows Ci Michigan. the
debonnair mead of the committee that
for months and months has been in.
quiring into the protests against Sena-
tor Reed Smoot Of Utah, and Repre-
sentative Joseph Holt Gaines OF
Charleston. w. Va. a cultured and
capable Soutnerner. several times
elected to Congress as Republican.
These gentlemen will have nothing
whatever to do with the count, unless
Senator Frye, who will preside at the
joint session of Senate and House,
should designate them as tellers, which
is not improbable. Several members
from each House. at least two, are al
ways designated for this task. A
journal is kept of the joint sessions SO
that the result becomes a part Of the
official records of Senate and House
A joint session of the Senate and
House is always more or less interest
ing here. because of the many unusual
details. 1t is always more pleasant TO
all concerned to have a joint session in
the Hall of Representatives than In the
liail of the Senate. In the first place
the Hall of Representatives. is much
larger and has a greater seating capac-
ity. Not 50 many men get mad on
days of joint sessions in the Hall of the
House. Some of the touchy ones,
who insist upon the dignity of members
and think that u member is entitled to
just as much honor and respect as 4
Senator, members like Col "Pete" Hep
burn of Iowa. for instance. who never
will attend joint session in the Sem
ate chamber because he refuses to be
jostled and elbowed by clerks and
messengers, get along swimmingly
whcE there is n session in the Repre-
sentativeS Hall.
The big hall. made to seat 3S6 MEM
berS. besides having a lot of other
space is. on such occasions, divided on
one side so as to seat the 80 Senators
comfortably. If need be the members
retire to one side of the House. The
spacious swinging chairs are moved
out and smaller cane bottom chairs
that take only half the space sub
stituted. But the very best the Sem
ate can do is to give up one side OF the
chamber to visiting Representatives
and then members must pack them
selves in like sardines. The late ar
rl>als have TO stand against the wall
and fill up any available space that the
Senate clerks. of whom there are many
and who are accorded far greater
privileges in the chamber than are al
lowed at the other end of the Capitol.
leave vacant. The last presence of
both houses in the Senate chamber was
at the funeral Of Senator Hanna last
winter. Then there was terrible
crowding of the members, who walked
over from the House in great dignity.
headed by the Speaker and the Clerk.
but who swarrned in through the Sem
ate entrances like bees. Some depart
ed in disgust. Nowing never to go there
again on such an occasion.
But the House. with plenty Of room
at its disposal. prides itself on the or
derly and dignified way in which Il al
ways receives the Senate. The joint
session of February s will be no excep-
tion. The galleries will be crowded
that day. The spectators will go
early, eager for the unusual scene.
Admission to the galleries will be re-
stricted to those holding cards. Of
which every Senator, and member will
probably have but two. AS soon as
the Senators become seated and Mr..
Frye marches UP to Speaker Cannon's
marble rOstrum. he will be rendered
the gavel. In his time Senator Frye
has presided over some important
joint gatherings of Senate ana House.
(Coutinusd on paSks -