Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-25
A pEsKLEss HOUSE
Representatives and the New Order
at the Capitol in Washinaton.

Representatives and the New OroeF
at the Capitol In Washington.
The house Of representatives pre-
sents a changed appearance by reason
Of the removal of the S93 little desks
used by the Sixty-second congress and
the substitution therefor Of nearly 450
semi detached chairs as a substitute,
In order to accommodate the great in
crease in numbers Of the Sixty-third
over the Sixty-second congress. This
change in the formal arrangements Of
the house was necessitated, primarily,
by the increased number of sittings,
but nevertheless there was second
ary reason on which the change was
based, and that was the expediency Of
shortening the periods of speechmak-
ing and thereby facilitating action up
on, rather than talk.
Anglophiles In Washington are dis
posed now to refer to the new seats In
the house as ''the benches" This is
very English and tremendously par
liamentary, but It isn't true. They are
to all intents and purposes chairs, only
they are stationary, fixed and immov-
able, distinct advantage to certain
members who have been in the habit
Of endeavoring to convert the old-time
swivel chairs so-long used In the house,
into reclining chairs, with the result
of frequent and noisy precipltations to
the floor. The chairs in the house to-
day are arranged In blocks Of four or
five, never less than three, and to tip
one over would require the concerted
effort Of all the members occupying
the block. BY means Of this innova-
ton the dignity Of the house, as we'll
as the equilibrium Of It's members Is
preserved.
In the days Of the old swivel chairs,
tumbles were frequent. There was a
spring in the back of the old-fash-
toned chairs, which, when subjected
to too great strains, was apt to snap
with a sharp report, whereupon the
chair keeled over, sometimes landing
its occupant on the carpet. The heav-
Ter the congressman, the greater the
strain on the chair and the oftener
the collapse. ar no. t ~
So much for the physical advantages
Of the new system. The benefit to the
administration Of business in the
house is figured in this wise: The only
chance for q member to lug into the
chamber reams Of substantiating doc
uments for his arguments, Is for him
to make advance arrangements, either
with the majority (. or the minority
leader, for space at one or the other
Of the tables which are set In the body
Of the house. There are but two OF
these tables and each accommodates
but four men. Failing to effect this
arrangement, the member with too
much to say is compelled to distribute
his documentary crutches in various
nearby chairs or upon the floor. It is
expected that this arrangement will
serve to subdue tendencies to verdos-
ity.
1t was different In the old days. One
of the desks then in use could accom-
date q dozen or more volumes. Two
hour speeches In which the member
talked for twenty minutes and read
for the remaining hundred OF his al
lotment were not infrequent. General
debate, that twilight zone between the
and the actual conversion Of the house
into q real business-like body-the
committee Of the whole house on the
state Of the Union-had become more
or less a nuisance. Under the new
system there will be no chance, or at
least small chance, for the congress
man with nothing to say to waste the
time of the house. This change
marks an approach, at least the first
step. In the direction Of the more bus
inesslike procedure employed in the
British house Of commons. There
speeches are presumed to be the extern
poraneous productions Of the men,
bers. It Is against custom to read q
speech In the house of commons. II
the member desires to inject statisti-
cal matter into his argument or to
make q verbatim quotation in brief
support Of his contention, he may re-
fer to memoranda; otherwise he talks
at and does not read to the speaker.
The house Of commons believes that
business Is benefited and debate
shortened by this method. The men,
ber not an extemporaneou orator is
compelled to memorize what he has to
say, and the house gets the benefit In
exact measure with his mennonite
limitations.
The development OF the new scheme
in the house Of representatives, itis
hoped, will result in a tendency
among members Of congress to shorten
their speeches.