Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-08
ROH CONGRESS- TREATED THE
REPORTERS IN 1900.

edited and published by Samuel Harris on
Smith, was OIL the 3lSt of Oc'ober 1900. In il
the editor announced his purpose to publish
newspaper that could claim the reputation O.
'd1huSirg unperyerted facts a Id a special
feature was to give detailed statements from
DAY TO day of the debates and proceedings of
Congress. The first Congress that convened
IN this city was then about to assemble In
order to carry the enterprise into effect the
editor made personal application to the
Speaker OF the House (ThomaS SedgwicL) 10
be permitted TO occupy seats for himself and
another S,erOgrapher within the bar The
Speaker readily signified his assent and set
about making preparations. going so far as
TO order suitable desk to be made, and before
to the speaker consulted him as TO a location
Where Ii would not prove incOnyenient to
menu "l&, and at the anne time be eligible as
to accorSt'cS: &c. He was surprised TO learn
from that officer that objections had been
made to such privileges being extended and
that the Speaker himself had changed his
mad and advocated place without the bar
Iof reporters or the press. THIS did not suit
Mr. smith 5 purpose, and he caused a memo
nal 10 be presented to the House signed py
himself and Thomas Carpenter, his assistant
representing that they had undertaken 10
report the debates at length; that contrary 10
their expectations, they had not received be
M, son to occupy q situation within the bar,
Wi,h0ut which they were unable to state WI, N
fidelity the proceedings, and PRAYING per-
MISSION OF the House 10 be admitted within
the bar
When the memorial was read, the Speaker
rose and said he had beel applied to. verbally
and by letter, by the memOTialiSts for permiS-
sion: that, owing To the structure of the room
and the arrangement of the furniture il ap-
peared to him incOns'Sten with the diglifS of
the House TO grant the permission desired
and, ii granted, they would be overrun with
lntrude.S claiming ST nilar rights.
A discussion followed some taking the same
views as the Speaker. but others taxing sides
with the memOrialiStS finally resolution was
offered that the Speaker be requested to a
sign places within the bar for StenOgraphers
This, after some debate, was referred TO az
iect committee, which a day or two afterwards
reported that il is not eXpedient that the
House should take any order on the memorial
preSentCd.' Quite lengthy de bate followed
on a motion to refer the report 10 committee
of the whole.
position OF admitting repO. terS within the bar
and asked whether they would not in fact,
become officers OF the House. The only differ
ence between them and the officers he con
tended. would be that one would be paid while
tie other would not. He favored the plan of
giving reporters room in the gallery
MI Nicholson said there was ample room
on the floor and the alleged personal inconve-
nlence TO members. In his opinion, did no.
exist,
Mr.. RutIedge favored the innovation asked
Tor and cited an instance in Philadelphia (tre
theh recent place of meeting) where S. ero-
grapher had grossly miSrepreSented a men,
statement had ins0lently refused to do it, and
afterwards added to the previous injury. He
was of course dismissed by the Speake
Now" said MIR. Rut'edge, If any other ste 10
gfapher shall make il his systematic prac ice
to miSteprel ent and continue to hold his placs
on the floor at the tenure of the Speaker pc =
mission he may be dismissed by that otfic'a'
without ceremony"
MIR. GriswOld said only two persons had ap-
piled so far, but If the doors be once opened
there would be no end to the Intrusion. He be-
/ n la nrAta hat 4 hav
erS could not hear in the galleries.
Mr.. Thatcher thought that the Information
derived by the people from peruSal OF the de-
bates was of little con- equence, and he cared
but little for the fate of the resolution before
the House. AS to the convenience of poSi.ior
he doubted il more correct account of the de
bates could be given from situation without
the bar than within 1t. 1t was well known that
Tor Jour or five sessions alter the organization
OF the federal government stenOgraphers never
came within the bar, and their positions were
as remote from the members as would be the
ease outside. Yet by reference TO the de-
bates then taken they would be found correct
ly taken. When the seat of government was
transferred to Philadelphia and Stenographers
occupied places within the bar, complaints in
creaSed-they were taken more Incorrectly,
and two or three of the reporters were actually
turned out, and sent to the upper galleries
The incOrrectness of the published debates did
not arise SO much from an inability to hear
as an inability to take down reported speech.
The conclusions he drew was that if the re-
pOrters were admitted, the public would gain
nothing by II. He had no objection To their
he cared they, might, take any place in TIE
House, even along side of the Speaker
Mr.. Davis said he had heard no substantial
re..>on in support OF the report of the commit
I e. He denied that the reporters could hear
from the point they desired TO place them To
put them there would be a perpetual excuse
for their erroTS-if admitted, they could h. We
no such excuse and, besides they would b
within the power of the HOule. Exclude the
reporters. and you. may as we" shut your
doors.
The question on agreeing to the report o.
the select committee being taken by yeas and
nays, it was carried by the casting vote of the
Speaker-yeaS %, nays As. Matters stood thus
for several days: the { 1itOr and bis steuO-
graphic reporter were excluded from the bar
They did the best they could from their remote
making faithful and correct reports of the pro-
ceedings. Iti altogether probable tat many
OF the members ehafed under the meager pub
lShed reports of their sayings, as in the sue
eeeding days frequent passages in the Con-
gressional proceedings in this paper occurred
IN pare l IKE the following: "Mr; c., in
the first part OF his remarks, was not heard,
owing to our exclusion from the b.r; when
card, he said" &c. &C.
On January 9Th, lS0l, the Speaker had Occa-
son 10 order the Sergeant-aLA Arms to arrest
disOrderly person in the gallery. What pur-
ported to be circumstantial account of the
occurrence was published III next dag s Intel.
Hgencer. and what the Speaker said. The
next day that officer rose to 2 per onal explain
alton, and in bis remarks stated that "there
had been in the public prints of that day
gross Misrepresentation of what had occurred
in the House" In his repoEt of this, the editor,
in parenthesis, state the day following, i'm re-
,@ ton to the Speakers charge of misrepresen-
tatiOn, these are words which convey any
thing or everything; without much latitude of
construction they may be applied moi only to
the act, but the intention. They tend ter,
fore, to impair that character for a sacred ad-
herence to trath, which the iitor claims as of
right. He will not deny his inability ALWAYS
to understand the meaning of the Speake-,
even when he bears all his words. His COMO,
latiOn, however, is that the misfor, June is moi
peculiar 70 himself" The result OF this ret0rt
was told by tie editor the day following. He
stated that she took bis place at the
usual hour in tie. area without the bar
OF the House, which place he had oceu-
pied since the prohibition of the
speaker to occupy a position within the bar.
1he Sergeant alarms addressed the editor
with a verbal message from the Speake", de-
string him to withdraw from the area with
| out ASSIGNING any reason for it. The editor
| Immediately withdrew and took pos Oh in
the upper gallery, from which place he win
| continue to report the proceedings. Uninflu-
enced by personal feeling, and guided by
! due respect for the Speaker, and a sincere re-
| spect for the people of the United States he