Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-14
THE SENATE CEGATk..G0yEs.
Of these fnStisEtions-'Ehe
Democratic Room the yosliest-Why
H'EaiS is E'hus-CloaI9-Teon. yOEes-E-oIy
Executive Session Secrcts E.esaa Out.

1 FccuIiarfsies of these snstig..tiens-'E'Ie
Democratic Room the Josliesf-Uhy
| HEsiS is E'hgs-CloaI9-Teons yOEes-s-OI
| Executive Session Secrets leak Out.
| The Senate cIoak-rooms are the reccsSes
where the Senators hang their hats and coats
and relax their dignity. There is a cl0ak-room
| on each side OF the Senate extending from the
main or south entrance round to the side en-
frances on the east aud west. respectively. The
one on the republican side is reserved for re-
| publican Senators; that on the democratic side
| for the democrats. Each Senator has peg
underneath which his name is inscribed and on
which he hangs his coat and hat. The Sena-
tors right and title to the peg marked in his
name is regarded perfect and deSccnds to
| his successors. Nothing but senatorial wraps
ever adorns these pegs. 1t would be a violent
infraction of senatorial dignity for any outsider
| TO use one of these pe~s. The rights Of repub-
lican senator's are confined to the republican
clOak-r0Om on the east side and those of demo-
Gratis to the democratic cloak-room on the west
| side OF the chamber.
WHERE C0NKLENG HUNG HIS HAT.
This custom has been ignored only in one no.
table instance. Senator Conkling, during his
service, always hung his hat and cloak in the
democratic room. He had the peg nearest the
door leading into the Senate chamber. Though
he made use Of that c!oakro be spent less
time in it than, perhaps. any other republican
senator He rarely ever stopped longer than
was required to dof or don his wraps. Why
Senator Conkling made himself the single eX-
ceptiOn to the rule observed by all others of
using the cloak-room of their respective side
was source of wonder to a great many: but no
explanation was ever made. 1t is somewhat
remarkable fact, observed by all visitors to the
cloak-rooms. that there is marked difference
IN the general tone and character impaired to
the two.
THERE Is MORE soCTABuTry
in the democratic room than in the other 1t
seems as if it were easier for the Senators to Law
aside their oppressive dignity In the democratic
room. When republican Senators want to un-
bend Tor lille aud, while smoking cigar ex-
change funny stories. tell Jokes, etc, they fire.
quentiy visit the democratic cloak-room. There
IS al air Of dignity and decorum which contin-
ually peryades the republican room; it is not
visible in the democratic room. Ii has been
| suggested, by way Of explanation of this. that
the most rigid stcblers for senatorial dignity
are On the republican side, ana they act as
sort OF damper upon their less stately associates
SENATOR EDMUNDS' PRACTICAL. JOKE.
Many good stories and jokes upon Senators
find vent through the cloak-rooms Upon one
occasion discussion In cloak-rooms enlightened
the Senators to the fact that Joke had been
practiced upon them all. 1t was at a time when
the secrets Of the daily executive sessions were
leaking out freely. In fact. the executive pro-
ceedings were no secret, for the newspapers
daily published everything that was said and
done which was worth publishing Senator
EdmundS is a strict constructionist of all rules
and laws. He believes in making executive
sessions secret. No newspaper reporter ever
found leak in him. 1t is doubtful if any one
ever tried. In one of the executive sessions
the subject of the accuracy with which the
papers got reports OF proceedings supposed to
be secret was brought up by Mr. Edmunds who
protested against it and insisted that it should
be stopped. At his instance all the doors of the
gallery were examined to see if they were
locked, and all the recesses were looked into to
see if any eavesdroppng reporter had con-
ceaed himself within the chamber Senatorial
dignity even stopped TO look under the benches
in the galleries and under the seats in the
reporters gallery. or course, no intruding re-
porter was discovered, and the Senate was con- |
WINGED that none save those legally entitled TO
be present heard the proceedings. Notwith- |
standing this precautiOn, the newspapers con-
tinuedto publish full reports OF the secret ses-
sions. including the expedition to and search of
the galleries. After day or two's talk over |
the matter it dawned upon the Senatorial mind |
that MI Edmunds had. in fact discovered the |
method of leaking, by the search he instituted |
He had compelled the Senators to demonstrate !
that the only way in which the secrets got out |
was by some Senator telling them. He was not |
willing TO stand up in the Senate and Intimate |
that the Senators gave away executive secrets |
but he compelled the Senate to show itself that |
the body contained the leaks.
JOKE UPON SENATOR FAIR
good joke was told by brother Sena- |
tor upon Senator Fair recently. The Nevada |
Senator called upon a widow of this city, who |
formerly resided on the Pacific Coast The |
widow has bright little girl five or six years |
of age. Senator Fair during his visit got on |
such friendly terms with this young Miss that |
she insisted upon showing him her doll 1t was |
a very common rag doll, but the little girl Of |
course thought it beauty. The Senator left |
without being aware that the rag doll was in |
his coat pocket where the child had put it. He |
discovered it the next day. however and in
stead Of. returning it to the juvenile owner, |
sent her box containing q number of very |
handsome dolls. Upon his next visit to the |
house, of course the little girl and her mother |
thanked him for his present. 1t CHANGED that |
there were several persons In the parlor on the |
occasion. Looking into the Senator's face the /
child said: "My mama said you could have sent /
her thousand dollars instead of those dolls /
and never missed it; you're so rich"
We see that bill for the relief Of Owen Long |
has been recently introduced into the House. IL |
Congress could make an appropriation Cor /
,y,clr t,oo hoov,