The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-20
Use FoR Hat IN PARLIAMENT.
When It Must BE Worn and Can "a
Laid Aside.

deal of the parliamentary rites con.
nected with 1t have no symbolic or
igln, but arose from the simple cir.
cuinstance that the House Of Com.
mons has never provided itself with
hat rail, says the Pail Mall Gazette.
The Lords have lordly hat pegs just
outside the inner doors of the Cham.
Der, and you may see the peers
names boldly printed in proper Sc.
quence of precedence, beginning with
royal dukes and ending with the new.
est barons. But the lowlier Commons
have to carry their hats about with
them, and so laws had to be made to
govern the nice behavior of member
In relation to his hat.
A member may wear his hat at ali
times in the Chamber except when he
Is ON his feet. Even If he be leaning
over bench TO speak to a fellow
member behind him he should raise
his hat, for his body is then in theo-
retical motion. But there is one point
In parliamentary debate when he must
wear his hat, and wear it sitting. This
is in the interval between calling di.
| vision and clearing the House, wnen
| the sand-glass on the table is turned
| over to count the two minutes. If a
member then wishes to raise a point
| Of order, he must speak covered and
| citing in his place.
Some years ago new member
| wished to raise point Of order after
division had been called He rose
| In his place, and the House-always
keen guardian to its etiquette
roared at him "Order, order!" In
the tumult the new members gather.
ed from his neighbors that he must
wear his hat. So, putting il on, but
still standing, he began airesh. Then
the cries of "Order, order!" were
louder than ever, and the new mem
ber, catching the words, you must
do 1t sitting down" sat down-and
took off his hat! Still more furious
came the cries of "Order, order!" anC
the member, already bewildered, be
came maddened by the Instruction
roared at him: "Do both together.
He turned to his friends to shout
stand up?" And then, in despair, his
friends seized him, forced him in hii
seat, put on his hat, and said: Nov
speak!" But all he could then mutte
was: "T've clean forgotten what
was going to say
1t was in similar case that Mr.
Gladstone, having left his hat In
room, had to borrow one from col
league VITO took a very small size
, and the G. o. Ms gravity heightened
the comic effect of small hat precar
iously wobbling, on a massive heal
Mr.. Will Crooks recently had to re
sort to the same expedient. when tn
! House was very excited, and what
. called "an ngly scene" was brewing
Bat the hat handed to him was n yer
/. ialSish opera hat, Of brimmy shap
Z and opulent curves, and the gathern
clouds were dispersed by the heart
t breath of laughter.
$ The Parliamentary hat is a usefl
9 implement. 1t serves as sort {
workbox for the NJ P., and is stuffe
with official papers, orders of the da.
notes for speeches-and speeches tbs
e are never delivered. If u membe
r Is alluded to in debate, he raises h
!, hat is acknowledgement; when a Min
Ister answers members question
the member raises his hat; when ii
Opposed oils are going through. I'll
Patronage Secretary raises his hi
instead of opening bis mouth and ma
= ing formal motion.
The Parliamentary hat, again, S
Q cures a members seat for the sittir
u If the member Is present during pra
IL ers. But the procedure has had i
o abuses, and led to rulings from Il
Chair on the proper practice OF Il
e Parliamentary hat. During the gre
Home Rule days, When all the 81
e members turned up to struggle f
= the 400 odd seats provided, a prom
II nent Liberal Unionist, son of ST
more prominent personagt', enterC
the House laden with ancient hea
gear, which he strewed along Il
. benches claimed by the faithful I
v tainers of his father. An irish mel
,s ber admlring tho device. copied IL
T. the interests of his friends. and so 4
: Speaker was called upon to rule o
the fraudulent hat, and TO insist
:. the honest working headgear and Il
. bodily presence of the member
: conditions necessary to valid tenuI
~ There Is no satisfaction in seeing
- member sit on his soft crush hat
"A Indeed, he has the best of the jol
~ which Is unfair and mean to him.
n sit on a deerstalker is to pay II
compliment; to spoil the shape ev
of bowler is to triie with the Hou
and with ones opportunities. VIII
~ the House loves beyond anything
to hear the hearty crackly cruuCh
n, silk hat
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