The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-03-08

In view Of the fact that the Fifty
ninth session of the United States con-
gress will come to q close on the COM
Ing Monday, the following well writ
ten description of congress and it's
ways, a product from the pen of Mrs.
Burton l.. French, formerly Miss Win
ME Hartley of Norfolk, will be OF in
terest in Norfolk and Creighton, where
the writer also formerly resided, as
well as in other portions of the coun-
try. Mrs. French was formerly a
teacher In the schools at Madison and
at Tilden. Her paper, which was read
before the past weeks session of the
Wednesday club in Norfolk, is as fol.
lows:
1t would be interesting to take the
opening day of congress, since March
next begins the Goth congress, of
which next winters session will be
its first session.
The choosing of seats Is the first
thing to be done in organizing in the
house, and 1t is very interesting, too.
Seats are changed every congress, not
every session, members holding the
same seats for each term, two years.
Seats are arranged in semi-circles,
the speakers desk being the center Of
the circles. There are as many seats
given to one party as to the other, but
since one party always forms large
majority, it naturally follows that
some of them must sit on the side
given over to the enemy" Those
forming the overflow must take their
seats in the Cherokee Strip" a tier
of seats along the wall at the speakers
extreme right and left. This is con-
sidered most unfortunate and, need
less to say, the daily house journal
does not record what members say
when they must choose in the "Cher-
okee Strip" For example, the repub-
lican majority is now very strong-so
strong that it fills the republican side
of the house chamber and the Chero-
kee Strip on the democratic side is
nearly filled by the overflow of repub-
licans.
Balloting for seats is in this way:
order, Adams being No. l. Should
there be two members by that name,
the senior in service ranks first. Mar
bles bearing corresponding numbers
are placed in box, page is blind
folded and draws these marbles, one
at time. Say he draws marble No.
141 first: the member whose number
t. 4 OH Nf oil 1o &c
In this way old and powerful members
must take equal chances with the
young or new members for good seats.
Sometimes one sees very pretty cour-
tesies extended. A new member may
draw early; he takes the seat formerly
occupid by some old and powerful
member who is yet waiting to draw;
then finally when the old member
draws, the young member leaves the
seat and goes and escorts the old men,
Der to his old seat and himself takes
the seat the old member last chose.
Old members appreciate this and
sometimes they become the champions
of the young members who show them
the courtesy and so powerful aid is
given to the new man. Wives are al
ways most interested in this drawing
of seats, as each wife wants to see
her husband in advantageous location;
consequently the galleries are full of
wives and daughters. AS the process
is long they often sit without lunch
con to see it finished. Seats chosen,
business in routine begins in earnest
Not the least interesting thing to be
seen any day in congress, is the way
in which reporting is done. At the
reporters table sit four to six report
ers, the most skilled in their profess
sion, as much is demanded of them
and no mistakes must be made. These
men draw a salary of $4,000 annually
and they make no blunders. They
must familiariZe themselves with mem
bers at once. Few new members have
anything to say for some time and
that helps tn n. A member rises to
speak; down the aisle nearest him
slides a reporter so noiselessly and
unobtrusively that the casual onlook
er would not see him at all; not
word has been lost the reporter writes
in short hand for two to three min
utes, then he raises his face once; up
the aisle slides another reporter and
perhaps in the middle of a sentence
begins to write; the first man goes out
to machine, typewrites his notes,
sends them through chute to the
printer and returns to the reporters
table. Thus the ceaseless round of
reporting goes on; No. lifts his face,
a third man takes his place, and so on,
and No, is back ready to report be-
fore they need him. All reporting is
done in ink, an ink well is carried in
the left hand and the pen used has
the finest point - this makes clear
notes; the printer arranges these frag-
ments according to number and the
member who has made a speech at
5 o'clock may proofread Ii at 9 o'clock