The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-09-23

airy rules, when he was just going to
make or had just finished an impas-
stoned speech about it. was something
instructive; and unique.
There was always the ordeal of
learning the ropes" for every incom-
ing alderman who had not served be-
fore in the council This meant finding
out about the regular order of bust
ness, learning how to draw and pre-
sent orders and ordinances, and in
general to get acquainted with the
councils method of carrying on its
business. 1t usually took an alderman
about year to get himself familiar
with these things, so that his first
twoyear term meant actually one
year which would be of any public
value.
On any night when there was to be
a hot contest over any particular or
dinance the galleries would be crowd
ed. and police stationed there to pre-
vent disorder The respective cham
pions of the different sides would be
aloft, and they would cheer wildly at
the speeches made for their various
sides. Sometimes it was necessary to
clear the galleries on account of the
uproar. but usually fe-ccious ham
mering of the mayors gavel, ard a
threat to clear. was enough to hold
the galleries i'm tOierable cheek. There
were old-timers who always came to
the council gallery. just as people at
tend the theaters. for the excitement,
and to hear the speeches. These old
timers were usually on the alert for a
reformer, especially il he had the gift
of biting sarcasm, and fluent and So
norous oratory When this was the
case the clans would gather and cheer
their champion on.
Under the mayors raised platform
the reading clerk and the city clerk
and his assistants sat. and below them
the newspaper men were ranged in q
half moon at the writing desks. The
pages came and went with messages
and papers, and the sergeant-at-arms.
who had nothing at all in the world to
do but chew tobacco and draw
hundred dollars month" salary,
lounged easily around the outskirts.
To the right. and raised from the
council floor. was a set of reserved
seats placed there for visitors, par
ticularly ladies' There was usually
something on hand that interested
them, the piece de resistance in my
time being a cigarette ordinance,
which came and went and was mauled
over and sent to committees and gen.
orally hopscotched and battledOred
and shuttle-cocked from one year to
another But its lady champions were
always on hand, alert and determined,
and apparently undiscouraged and in
discOurageable.
There was such q thing as alder
manic courtesy" both in the way the
aldermen addressed one another, and
in extending privileges to each other
during the sessions of the council
They never thought of disgracing the
council chamber as the senate and
the house of representatives has &C.
casionally disgraced itself. Personal
encounters were unknown. and never
even heard the word liar exchanged,
as l have in the courtroOms and else
where. There was plenty of dignity
in this respect. although the ire
possibility Of the 'kidders" was al
ways in evidence The "kidders" were
those aldermen who had made a repu-
tatiOn in that line in their various
wards, and who rarely lost an OppOr-
tunity to raise a laugh ct the expense
of an opponent. And as ridicule is
so potent as a weapon. the "kidders'
often won by joke what solid argu-
ment would never have gained.
All aldermen who have an eye to
reelection. and most Of them have,
are as tenacious as snapping-turtles
for the Improvement and benefit of
a..