Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-26
mcnt beyond doubt would quickly nu
lify the ancient law.
OLDER RECORDS NOT AU-
THENTIC
TIIENTIC


THENTIC
From diaries, memoirs. and personal
papers of old time members, 1t has
| been possible to compile a more or less
i fragmentary record of tho proceedings
of parliament all the way back to the
Norman conquest OF England in 1866
Some historians have taken these rec
ords as authentic and first-hand, al
tho they cannot be accepted in this
class.
The first records OF the proceedings
OF our own congress were semi-official
beginning in 1S4S. An organ called the
Congressional Globe.'' was published
with accounts OF the proceedings of the
house and senate as nearly exactly
recorded as was possible then. The re-
lay system first introduced in England
was employed in reporting the debates
OF congress.
Records of congressional talk and
action before this date were compiled
for newspapers and other unofficial
sources by Jacob Gales. His son sue
cceded him in this work, forming n
partnership with one William Scaton,
They published "A paper called the In
telligencer." This publication carried
accounts of some speeches and debates
and compilations OF earlier records un-
til the establishment of the "ConEres-
Gales reported tho two principal
speeches made by Daniel Webster.
Young Gales and his partner covered
the proceedings OF both the senate and
house
In 1878 congress formally took over
tho job of reporting its own proceed
lnEs. Then 1t WAS that the Congress
ional Record was established. which
appears now every morning during
sessions of congress. with the prior
days legislative history in It. Tho
whole stanographic reporting staff of
l.N
over when the Record was inauGur-
ated
Today In both the senate and house
six official reporters are responsible
for getting into the Record everything
that occurs, Tho relay system. de-
veloped to high point OF efficiency. Is
employed. No definite period for TAX
Ing notes on tho floor Is assigned to
the mon. hut each man signals for re-
lief after he has taken notes which in
his Judgment will. when printed
amount to a column and a half in tho
Congressional Record.
HIGH SPEED IN TRANSCRIPTION.
As soon as he is relieved. tho ofric-
ial reporter goes TO his office and
makes wax talking machine records
OF what he has in his notes. These are
put on racks. and Transcribed by eN-
pert typists al top speed. These sheets
60 TO the government printing office.
and the record Is printed from them.
Tho permanent record is made up ten
days afterward This gives congress
mon and senator's an opportunity to
revise and eNteuy their remarks.
The system is SO perfected in tho
house of representatives" Mr.. Gray
satd. that even after the stormicst
legislative days there is no delay In
getting the typewritten copy to the
government printing office. Because
OF tho relay system and tho point OF
perfection IT has reached In congress.
When the session ends after hours and
hours Of continuous debate, tho work
OF recording what was said Is done half
an hour after the Adjournment OF tho
house.
House official reporters have much
harder time than their colleagues In
tho senate. Tho senate chamber is
much smaller there are but ~ SEN
ators whose faces and voices tho Of
ncial Eteuographers must know. and
senators as a rule remain At their
desks when they talk In tho house 1t
is not uncommon to soc an official re-
porter chasing all over tho noisy cham
ber during give and take talk In
which scores OF members arc partlci-
pufiuE