The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-03-19

] my 'N' OI IVY lllNt 'tN E'N ih'' '''
galleries of the houses of congress
there to sit and admiro-if eager to
admire something way our laws
are made
The Congressman give cards of adj
mission for the asking, and the cards
merely have to be waved before the
eyes of the ancient doorkeepers TO adj
NIT you to the chairs wherein you may
lounge until adjournment watching the
chosen of the "peepul" at their antics.
Your humble servant, the mere tou-
rist passed a couple of hours observing
| the congressman doing business as
committee of the whole This meant,
in reality, committee of about two
thirds, the absent third being in the
| cloakrooms or smoking rooms or
| somewhere, playing poker or playing
politics, or mayhap attending to the
wants of constituents. Those who re-
manned at their posts acted as skittish
as 2-year-olds about to leave the post,
They gabbed i'm whispers, they told
funny stories, they made paper wads,
they rocked back and forth and whirl-
ed round and round in their easy
chairs. 1t struck me that those chairs
ought to be straight backed and nailed
to the floor-and the members nailed
into them. To see a lot of legislators
like the horses on a merry-go-round, is
torturing to the nerves, however, sti-
mulating it may be to craftsmanship.
VAIN VAIL OF MIR. CHAIRMAN"
Somebody was talking in a loud
monotone when l entered the gallery.
There were half a dozen members on
their feet and for a time 1t was hard
to tell who was speaking, except that
the voice came from the democratic
side of the chamber. The other five
men on their feet were waiting to be
recognized by the chair. The orator,
also, seemed anxious to gain the chair
mans attention, for at the end OF
every phrase he put in, appealingly,
, Mr. Chairman" OF course, Mr.. Chair
man was listening intently? Not at
all. He was leaning sidewise with one
. elbow on his desk and his gavel dang
I ling Imply from three fingers while a
man standing at his side whispered
I long and persuasively in his ear. This
presiding officer wasn't Cannon, OF
] course, for the house chooses a chair
man pro TEN when in committee of the
1 whole The present gavel-wielder was
a long-faced man with a black mus
. tache, resembling John Kendrick
Bangs. He was hugely interested in
what was being whispered to him anc
laughed heartily, while the thunder.
GUS voice on the floor detained, "IT
4 my judgment, Mr.. Chairman" anc
so on.
But Bangs double seemed to know
by instinct when the democratic mono
tone was about to cease and when il
did cease he pulled himself together
long enough to recognize somebody or
| the republican side. All the republi.
cans thereupon ceased rocking and
whispering and gave ear. All the de
1
A PERIOD OF BOREDOM.
The new speaker merely said a few
words and sat down, whereupon an
other democrat jumped up and IN ;
voice that blew the papers off his desi
roared out something about the scan
dals and rottenness" in New York city
1 expected to see this speaker gain rap
attention, but as soon as the member
had taken one glance and identifies
him they Topped over and lost interes
again. Evidently he was well-know
bore. This was confirmed when tn
reporters who had been in the pres
young fellow, who evidently had order
N to stay, no matter what happened, an
NJ who laid his head down on his arm
m and took nap.
While the mighty voice roared o
several members got out of their chair
sauntered down the aisle with thei
thumbs in the armholes of their vest
D. and were seen no more. One grou
o, formed around the desk of a fello1
d with dark hair and solemn visage-th
" picture of DR.. Mary Walker was he
g and listened to a funny story. In tn
&, aisles and in the rear of the ROOF
there was as much noise and as man
IL men standing up as in the rotunda {
Is big hotel. Even the folks in tn
a galleries lost interest in the scandal
Of New York. Only the stenographel
>, wrote on, for with them duty is dut,
= and they are paid S. 600 year to d
it,
Presently the chairman straightene
= up and shouted, Gentlemen will clef
~ the aisles and cease conversation"
:. ENTER KENTUCKY GENTLEMAN
At this the hubbub subsidized frol
fortissimo to forte, and at the san