New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02
\ THE HOUSE
BY FOXCROFT DAVIS


uc freedom of debate and that man could be held
responsible outside for anything said on the floor OF
either House and the duelng practice was dropPeu
in Congress- long before public sentiment abolShed II
elsewhere No libel suit holds for anything said IN open
debate and in every way the freedom of speech is Jea
o,lslv guarded and maintained.
THERE are no secret sessions Of the lower House. the
business OF the people Deflg tldllSdCUeu III 't0
presence of the people. r., CT.
Great galleries line the House like those OF the oed'e
Chamber and are reserved for the same purpose,
public galleries. the Speakers gallery, the members
gallery the diplomatic gallery, and the press 8dIley
The press guards its rights as jealousy as the House
keeps watch over its liberty. The press gallery is te
onl place sacred from the surgng and encoachng pup
lie on momcntous occasions when the masses IN the vast
corridors of the Capitol have overfiowed the galleries.
and have even been admitted to the floor OF the HOUSE
The press gallery which tells the people what their
REPRESENTATIVES are doing remains lnviolate; once
only was an attempt made during the closing houIS VI
Congress- when the crush was immense 10 adinC
women into the press gallery. The Speaker gave the
order; but it was promptly resisted, and contest m
aupraed between the representatives OF the press g
lcrv and the Speaker which resulted IN the speaker
retirement to private life for long time -,
The great Hall Of the House in the south wing OF te
Cano presents the same scene of solid Spendor as IN
the Senate wing the north side. In 1t IS similar
magnificent roof Of stained glass, r1ch carpets oDe
frcplaCCS and luxurious cloaKrooihS' ouU 'ii'iO ~ ~
scmblance ends ..,
The House presents a scene of constant activity and
instead Of the nincty-two dignled and generay eey
Senators, the House has now membership Oi uIcc
hundred and ninetvone This does not include Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES from the new States OF ARIZONA
and New Mexico nor the territorial delegates OF Whicn
the most noticcablcis the Hawaiian delegate whose lega
and accepted is Prince Cupid, OF the late roy"i
Al present the Hall of the House although much
larger has the same furnishings and equipment aS 'c
Senate Chamber with its huge Scmlcrcle OF Mahogany
desks and chairs. This however VIII be changtH III .
H. ,,l., r1fl
more than forty members, due to the increased repre-
scntation shown by the last census. The desks ana
chairs will be removed and will be replaced by bGncheS
as in the British Houses Of Parliament. Every Repre-
sentative will have his numbered seat and on the DeCh
before him will be small shelf to hold books ana papers
The arrangement is nearly comfortable ana agree
able as the present Of desks and chars but te m
crease in membership makes the change necessary ne
resemblance to the Senate, however. ceases with the
inanimatc things.
There is great deal Of cotshness in the House, and
the Speaker on his ais must be able TO WeId the 8t'ei
,igor,slv and often The amenities OF debate are not
ca much observed as in the Senate and much greater
tartncs, Of language permitted; nor 1t often lil
session passes without personal encounter on the oor
of the House This. although recognized as an iinpo
pricv is bv no means serious as the same thin8 oc
curing in the Senate.
THE House meets usually at eleven o'clock ana IN
general presents a lively scene. The pages, OF whom
there are many than in the Senate are KEEP stiy
on the trot ana the lHeSlIlilS o''I0C'' r.. ~.
Speaker or the Speaker pro tenn. or chairman mas MS
work cut out for him.
Bis are introduced by thousands, OF which only COM
paratively few can possibly pass. When the great APP
preparation bills up they have the right OF way ana
the track is cleared for them As in the Senate taTill
legislation is the hardest and it is an old superstition
thu, the father Of tariff bill is generally killed by his
offspring 1t is generally thought that President Nc
Kncv would have survived his wound but that his con
stitu,on had been fatally impaired by his aborS on the
Mckinley tariff bill William l.. Wilson did not survive
the Wilson tariff bill many years nor did Nelson Dngey