The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-12
SINGULAR SINS
IN PARLIAMENT
Iron Clad Rules That Must Not
Be Broken
SOME ANCIENT CUSTOMS
The New Member lie Constantly in Hot
Water Trying to Deport Himself
According to the Strict
Laws of the Body.
SOME ANCIENT CUSTOMS
From the Boston Herald.

from the Boston Herald.
There ought to be written and pub
lished Guide for the New M. p" in
dignantly exclaimed member of the
British Parliament who was elected at
one of last years by-elections ut is
fatty impossible for any man to become
familiar with our complicated code of
Parliamentary usage merely through the
good offices of his friends.
Il am tired" he continued, "of having
Order, orderl' shouted at me on every
occasion when, quite innocently trans
gress one of the multitudinous rules
which constitute the law of the House
of Commons"
Some of these rules are quickly learned.
It Is sure to be pointed out to the young
NJ P. that he must not, in making a.
speech, mention any member by name
Ny honorable friend, the member for
so-and-so," is the correct form
To address the House as Gentlemen"
Is equally anathema. Honorable mem
bers' is the proper method. The name
OF the king may not be brought into
any debate, while the House of Lords is
only alluded to as another place" Fin
ally 1t is an absolute rule that a member
in debate must never address himself to
any one but the speaker
The new member Is also specially in
structed in the use of the hat. He learns
that he must take 1t off when he enters
the House, and must keep it Off so long
as he remains standing at the bar of the
House, or until he reaches his seat Then
he puts il on again h1lf xUhap he r-icas 70
ask question or address the House, he
doffs 1t once more
This much he learns at once but there
is further refinement of hat etiquette
A member desiring to address the chair
after the House has been declared for a
division must do SO seated and with his
hat on. The reason no one knows, but
there is the rule embodied in a standing
order of ancient date.
No less a parsonage than the late Mr..
Gladstone once transgressed this order.
The House was in committee upon an
Irish land BILL and had been cleared for
a division when members were amazed
to see the premier himself standing at
the table. bareheaded, endeavoring to
make a speech.
A roar of "Orderi" rose. But Mr.. Glad
stone had left his hat In his private room.
Half a dozen were offered by his follow
ers He accepted Sir Farrer Herschell's.
1t was three sizes too small, but he bal
anced it somehow on his vast Uranium
and said what he had to say.
It is very curious coincidence that In
February, 1904 almost exactly % years
later, the late premier's son, Mr.. Herbert
Gladstone, repeated the irregularity of
his deceased father.
On this occasion It was Sir Joseph Leese
! who came to the rescue. AS it happened,
his hat was as much too big for the son
as Sir Farrar's had been small for the
father, and the House shrieked with
laughter at the eclipse which followed.
Iecturing to the boys of a well known
school, Sir Benjamin Stone told the story
of the red border lines of the mating
which covers the floor of the House. Dur
ing the parliamentary struggles of the
times of Charles I, heated discussions
sometimes ended in blows. Lines we're
therefore drawn down the center Of the
House beyond which the opposing par
ties might not go.
To this day, If member in the excite
ment of making a speech should move
both feet beyond the narrow rugs which
lie inside the lines, he will be very quick
ly reminded of the fact by loud shouts
from all parts of the House.
A member may read as much as he likes
while in his seat-provided he confines his
attention to Blue Books and the like doc
I uments. But let him not venture to open
a newspaper within the sacred precincts
He will very soon be hauled over the
Goals