Show Ir 1 t y f v 11 f 11 f 1 I HATS IN PARLIAMENT THEY PLAY A PART IN MAKING MAKINO ENGLAND'S LAWS Vied flied t to Hold Bold Their Boats Seats Seats-Mr Sir Glad Glad- tone Once Convulsed the House Bouse by Clapping on a lilt of Borrowed nead Headgear Hats off oft strangers Is the cry which rings throughout t the house of commons when business a at St St. Stephens Stephen's Stephens Stephen's Stephens Stephen's Steph Steph- ens en's begins It Is uttered In a loud sonorous voice by a big burly policeman policeman police police- man who Is the most genial autocrat In parliament says the London Mail Mall The hat bat plays a very Important part In parliament par par- It It Is quite as Important to the members as a good suit of clothes A hat Is necessary to put on a seat If Ifa ifa a member wants to reserve reserve it during a full dress debate a hat Is necessary If Ifa ifa ifa a member wants to challenge a divIsion division division divi divI- sion for tor he must c do o It with his head covered There was a funny scene in jn the house one night when Mr Gladstone rose to put a a. question on a division The G. G O. O M M. always left his hat In the private room set apart for the l leader ader of ot the house Knowing that he could not legally challenge the division with his head uncovered unco he looked helplessly helplessly helplessly help help- lessly around A hat was was was' offered to him and he eagerly seized it It was wasa a beautiful shiny hat about four sizes too small for tor his noble head Mr Gladstone stuck It on top of his head with reckless Impetuosity and the house convulsed with laughter at the spectacle A pantomime clown with a atoy atoy atoy toy hat never cut a more comical figure Mr Joseph Cowen the rugged d democrat democrat demo demo- mo- mo crat who once represented Newcastle Newcastle- was the first member in the house of ofIn ofin ofin In one day with a wide-awake wide hat At that time the silk hat was considered considered considered consid consid- ered the Indispensable headgear of parliament parliament parliament par par- and nobody dared to Introduce another type Rugged Joe with his hatred of or shams and fashions stalked In one day with a wide-awake wide hat The house was staggered Such a what hat hat had never been seen within the sacred precincts From that hour the decline of the silk hat commenced Now we have had Keir Hardie In a tweed cap John Burns In a bowler and Sir Wilfrid Lawson In a hat of spotless white The shiniest hats In the house belong to the boot and collar brigade There There are a number of men In the house whose hats are as Immaculate as their collars ollars i i r r I y 6 t f u l 1 1 t When Jr Mr Ir Bobby Spencer and M Mr J Sidney Herbert now elevated to another another an an- f f other place were In the house th their lr s' s i 3 hats were miracles of ebony t ty Bobby Dobby was reported to wear f three collars a day and two hats n hats a Piccadilly shiner tor or the afternoon and anda 1 1 a crusher for the evening Lord 11 N Elcho Sir Herbert Maxwell Mr Percy m Allsopp and Mr Emmott Barlow Darlow are r. r r the best representatives In the house of the boot and collar brigade From the tops of their shiny hats to the tips of their shiny boots they are dressed t with scrupulous care They take the war paint of Piccadilly Into the shades of Westminster and brighten up the dull corridors with their radiance Mr u t Herbert Gladstone Sir Donald Currie Currle l r and Lord Arthur Hill favor the white hat They bring viii visions Ions of the Derby into the house long before that classic 5 event ent comes off To complete the he picture plc- plc f ture most of them wear spats of or similar sim sim- liar ilar purity Then they look festive in in- 1 deed To secure a good place In parliament parliament par par- r it Is necessary for tor a member 1 to present himself before or during S prayers Then he can deposit his baton hat bat haton on a seat and reserve It for the rest of the da day but he must on no account 5 have two hats Why Because many years ago members used to visit the house before prayers put a duplicate hat on a good seat and retire from the house until It was convenient to re re- re w turn Then the owner of ot the hat was h sure of a good seat during the most exciting exciting exciting ex ex- d citing debate Mr Biggar Biggar- upset the hat conspiracy and from that day to this It has been ordained that no 7 honorable member must leave his hat K lying about the house whIle hile he Is enjoying en- en enjoying enjoying en en- the pleasure of ot the day his head covered elsewhere |