The sun., 1908-02-02
TEKNG LAWS IN WASHINGTON
DAILY PERFORMANCE or TEE
BOTSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Apuarent COnfusl0n-Spcaker CannOn'S
COutrOI-UprOar the RuIe-stOFy Tel.
ing and Visiting OT NIombers-OrAtlons
NOBODY Hears-NOVIce and Veteran.

WASHINGTON. Feb. Ito be a gallery
uod in the House Of Representatives is TO
have a free seat at q unique performance.
In that particular wing Of the national
Capitol they make more laws and do Il
With fewer symptoms Of law making than
anywhere else in the world.
The performance IL scheduled to begin
M noon. but most spectators like 20 be on
hand bASore that time. Early birds stragels
10 soon after II. take up claims In the front
row and settle down 10 contemplation of
the serried ranks Of seats below them.
AT that time not half dozen Of those
ssats are occupied One by ons q corporal'S
guard Of members strolls In. The place
Is quiet.
The pages in their two corners are
RossipinR in the subduAd tones Of which
later they seem TO have a monopoly. The
few members read the morning paper or
york on documents, blandly unconscious
that a young man few seats on il making
rapid sketches Of them.
Half past II comeA. So do more Con-
sressrnen So do other folks who have q
pass which admits them 20 the floor when
the House is not In session. Reporters Are
getting expressions OF opinion from chair
men Of committees. Even mp In the gallery
one hears the ohairmAn's. Nov my boysl'
And one knows that the boys are pressing
him TOO hard.
odd figures in hsts Of the long ago and
cvercoats Of the never was, at least in
New York, wander down the aisles like so
many lost causes. They are constituents
from back home. Their Representatives
have sent them passes TO the floor. good for
one day. The passes are not good after
il:S and the Representatives are careful
not to arrive before that hour.
At precieely 1l45 one Of the clerks for
nnally announces the time and requests all
persons not having the privilege Of the
hoor 70 leave. OF course, they don't leave
Immediately. But at five minutes TO II
sny loiterers are hustled out by House
ohicials. who 60 up the aisles saying, times
up Times upl7
A few women may be seen on the hoor
alnnosr any morning before the House il
cleared. They are relatives or friends Of
the Representatives.
By the time the clock is ready 10 Join
hands at u there is a fair sprinkling Of
members. Congressrnen are a demonstra-
tive LOT. Probably they form the habit
while they are campaigning Anyhow.
thew are given 10 shaking hands with one
smother TO shaking two hands, to putting
en- arm around q colleague shoulders. 10
pokins him in the ribs, 20 tapping him on
the knee.
Az precisely - O'Clock Uncle Joe comes
In At the right Of the Speakers desk. goes
up the steps. lays his cigar down At his left
with the lighted end carefully adjusted 20
ss not 70 scorch the white marble. He
doesn't always put his cigar there, because
be doesn't always bring one into the House
~ith him. Even when he does bring one
In he never smokes it within the sacred
precincts.
Some of the members are not 30 par
tIcular, but those who smoke At all do IL
IN as unobtrneive a way az they can man
age, pufs lew, far between and almost
nnokeIees There is some sort Of rule
sgsinst smoking on the floor during a
session, but t's a case II -If We don't care.
whose business is II, anyway
As soon "a Uncle Joe Ia at his post-and
he is a. punctual as the clock itself-the
blind chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Couden, prays.
He does it as slowly a. IL he felt bis way
through speech as we'll as through the
material world.
Everybody in the House. from the Speaker
70 the smallest red headed hoy in the pages
corner, Jew or Gentle. orthodox or atheist.
stands during the prayer. The general
attitude IL respectful, but a sharp glance
shows that many heads are not bowed
and that some Of the members are frankly
scanning the galleries
Amen
The instant the word il pronounced
hubbub sets in. The Speakers high voice
IL heard somewhere in the medley OF sound
and the clerk begins TO read the journal.
No one pays the slightest attention.
Why should any one? Everybody knows
II all. anyway. The time is devoted to a
grand powwow OF visiting. consulting.
story telling. planning and dickering.
late comers arrive. Pages fly around.
It's hoorah. boys, everywhere.
BY this time the important members are
pretty sure 20 be in their seats. or in come
body else's seat. For it is by no means
safe 70 try TO spot them by the places they
ocrupy half the time. II you see a man
unlock a desk and get out his papers you
can be sure he belongs in that seat. Other
wise there's no telling.
Col Pete Hepburn s as little given TO
straying from his ain swivel chair as any
man in rhe House. There he sits and rocks
and rocks. back and forth, back and forth.
watching. listening studying.
Representative Cole OF Ohio ought to be
able 10 make a good bit il he could rent
ont his seat H. is next to Hepburn's and
somebody is always dropping Into it for a
heart 10 heart talk with Col. Pete.
You can go to any session Of the House
and be reasonably certain Of seeing the
men whose names are known throughout
the country. They are not the ones whose
places are vacant day after day. The big
white head OF Payne Is mighty sure 20 be
q landmark at the seat he occupies, right In
front of Dalzell who can also be counted
on TO be there for almost every session.
Payne perambulates around more or
less, his hands in his trousers pockets,
though how he finds those pockets is a
problem not to be appreciated by any one
who has not seen the figure OF the Repub-
lican leader.
Across the aisle from Payne sits Gen.
Keifer Of Ohio. who was himself Speaker
~ the House once. His chief claim TO
notice lt present IL the fact that he wears
a two tined coat in the daytime.
Il is not strictly dress coat. for il is
6,,ttnnod that thara Ia ~ II snuOlty acro.s