Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-07-01
MAD SCRAMBLE FOR
SEATS DEPLORAB[E

ATLANTA, June 30.-The house of
representatives did something Thurs
day that no other house has done in
twenty-eight years, to a certainty. and
probably thing no other house has
ever done.
It is the time-honored custom for
the seats in the house to be selected
ty drawing numbers from hat That
is to say, the members OF the house
retire to the halls and corridors. The
clerk puts in hat little slips of paper
on which are written the names of the
counties of the state. A man blind
folded draws out these slips, the clerk
reads aloud the name of the county,
ard the door-keepers at the three doors
call out the name of the waiting rep
resentatives in the hall, who come
forward as the names of their coun-
ties are called and pick their choice of
seats. The first one whose county is
called gets the first choice, and the
last one gets the last choice. Such
has been the. custom in the past, and
such was the custom attempted to be
followed yesterday, but something
went wrong.
Instead of staying outside until the
names of their counties were called,
the representatives waited until four
or FIVE were called, and then they
ran over the door-keepers and swarm
ed into the house and made grand
rush for the choice seats. Members
reproached them in scathing terms for
their bad manners and disregard of
the rules of the game They got up
and struggled out, most reluctantly,
and then rushed the door-keepers
again.
Four times hand running they re-
peated the performance, until finally
the new speaker John n. Holder, rose
up and said some things to them that
made them feel ashamed for such fla
grant disregard of custom and ETH
quette, and finally on the fifth attempt
some semblance of order was observed.
But it took an hour and half to
seat the members, and the delivery OF
Governor Harris farewell message was
delayed until Friday as consequence
of the delay.
Before the drawing commenced, the
house as usual gave first choice to
the Confederate veteran members, OF
W HON there are very few; then gave
second choice to Representative Atkin-
son, of Fulton, an eXjustice of the
state supreme court, to Representa-
tive Hall, of Bib, veteran member
OF the house, and to Representatives
Rurwell, Of Hancock, and Culpepper,
of Meriwether, and Jones, of Coweta,
the unsuccessful candidates for
speaker. Representative Burwell chose
the aisle seat to the right of the
speaker which has been occupied for
the past four years by Representative
Blackwell, of Fulton, chairman of the
lrules committee of the house; Repre-
sentative Jones chose the seat imme-
diately behind him; Representative
Culpepper chose the aisle seat imme-
diately across tie aisle; Representa-
tive Hall chose the one behind him,
and Representative Atkinson chose the
one behind him.
The 1917-1S house is going to be an
lunruly body. unless all indications fail.
The taking of the four ballots for
speaker on the opening day was mark
ed by all kinds of disorder The tumul-
tuous misbehavior yesterday in the
drawing for seats, which resembled a
school-boy performance, was even
worse. Speaker Holder found it eX,
tremely difficult to bring the house ,
attention, and he is going to have his
hands full until the representatives
work off their surplus pep"
The senate transacted no business
yesterday, as it was waiting for the
house to organize, although large
number of bills were introduced.