Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-20
HOUSE PAGES HOLD
BIG MOCK SESSION

LIZ HIhOOtN O1OShObN
There was a session of the house Of
representatives. Saturday morning, OF
which no journal was written. 1t trans
acted a lot OF business, though, while 1t
worked.
| Three members of the minor house,
after the major house had cleaned up
] lot of local bills and adjourned early for
| the weekend, held II among themselves.
| One page presided as speaker, a second
| oficiated as clerk and a third was
observation-disclosures" representing what
ever county he happened to be seated in.
bills for third reading!" solemnly an
nounced the diminutive speaker of the
| minor house, with thunderous thump of
! the real speakers gavel on the real speak
| er's desk
All through the nearly deserted hall
! members of the real house were seated or
! standing, writing letters, working on bills.
comforting among themselves. Some of
them lifted their heads when the minor
| session" was called to order and COM
posed themselves to the amusement of
Witnessing its unconscious humor. In the
galleries were half dozen fair visitors
| who had dropped In to see what the house
looked like.
Mr. Speakerl" demanded the gentle
man-at-large in a throaty treble.
'The gentleman from Floyd" recognized
the speaker because the gentleman-at-
large happened to be seated at the desk
| of Mr.. Wright of Floyd.
II ask unanimous consent to introduce
billy announced the gentleman from
Floyd temporarily.
THE gentleman from Floyd asks unan-
lmous consent at this time to introduce a
bill" droned the speaker. "Is there OBJ
jection?" 49,.
The house was still as the grave, while
the gentleman from Floyd continued
standing. The clerk did not object, and
there was nobody else to say him nay.
There is no objection. The gentleman
from Floyd will send his bill to the
| clerks desk" droned the speaker.
The gentleman from Floyd clapped his
hands imperiously. "Pagew he yelled.
Where's a pager"
Bring it up yourself, then" retorted
the speaker. "-E
All the members of the major house
who were lingering after their own ses-
sion had caught on by this time, and
were paused to watch the proceedings.
The clerk began. his reading of a real
| bill which Journal Clerk Gresham, busy
at his desk with the affairs of the major
house, had let the gentleman from
Floyd have with an admonition to be
careful with 1t. e5- TO-
MCLATCHEY IN MINIATURE.
"A bill to be entitled an act to repeal
an act amending an act creating a COM
mission for the protection of dog-fennel
In the state of Georgia. began the minor
clerk, reading the caption. His mono
tone was that of Reading Clerk Nc
Clatchey, whose sonorous voice rever-
berates through the sessions of the major
| house. BE II enacted by authority Of
the general assembly of Georgia, and 1t
is hereby enacted by authority of the
same that from and afer the passage of
| this act the rumble dumble bumpity-
rumdum mum-m-m bill read for the third
time!" 1t was McClatchey, in miniature,
| in a hurry.
"Mr. Speaker demanded the ubiquitous
| gentleman-at-large.
THE gentleman from Dolly recog-
nized the speaker, because the gentle
man-at-large was in the seat of Mr..
1 Heard of Dooly.
ASK the clerk to read louder" deman-
ded the gentleman from Dolly.
This is a general bill-Set down.
tbundered the speaker; and the gentle
| man from Dooly collapsed.
! i"The question now is upon the passage
NJ the bill" droned the speaker, with an
unparliamentary scowl at the glgghns
member from Dooly. Those OF you VINO
are in favor of the passage of the bill will
indicate the same by rising ana remain
ing standing till you are counted.
The clerk mumbled and counted the sol
itarv hand of the gentleman from Dooly.
"Reverse!" ordered the speaker.
Again the clerk mumbled and counted
/ the solitary hand of the member from
| Doolv. He turned and mumbled to the
speaker.
NO QUORUM VOTING.
mo quorum voting!' announced the
speaker. The lingering major house held
it's sides and hid itself behind papers and
books. Senator Gordy, of the major SEN
| ate. came in and took front seat. His
credentials were not questioned.
Again the vote was taken. Again the
| clerk mumbled and counted the hand of
! the member from Dooly with that of the
real senator from the Twenty-fourth in
| favor of the passage of the bill Again he
mumbIed and counted the solitary hand
of the member from Dooly against the
| passage of the bill
"Mr. Speaker! demanded the gentle
man-at-large.
'The gentleman from Bibb! recognized
the speaker, the gentleman-at-large hav-
ing shifted his seat
1T move to table the bill!'
1.-THE gentleman from Bibb asks unani-
nous consent TO table the BILL" ANNOUNCE
ed the speaker, correcting the parliament
| airy error IT'S there objection?"
IT object!" shouted the gentleman from
J Bibb.
The speaker scorned him with wither-
ing glance and announced the result of
the vote-'110 to II. This bill having re-
| ceived the requisite constitutional ma
jority is therefore passed! The clerk viii
read the next bill"
But at this juncture Engrossing Clerk
Moore of the major house, came in and
gathered up all the bills in sight, and
there was nothing more for the clerk to-