The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-01-05
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Congressional Librarian Con.
gressmen Treaties

From our Regular Correspondents.
WASHINGTON. December 20, lSsi.-lt Is
interesting to sit in the Congressional
library. to watch the members OF Con-
gress and Senators who come in, and
listen to their questions. There Is sort
Of tradition about the Capitol that the
Librarian, Mr.. Spoiiord, knows every
thing, and can answer any and all ques-
tions. They come to him to know the
author of some saying or expression Of
remote origin, to get apt quotations, to
decide upon authorities, and to tell them
just where they can find all about any
matter they have in mind. He is even
asked for the views Of the great men Of
the country, trimming back to the time
OF Washington, upon certain leading
questions. lie has certainly n remark
able fund of information to draw from,
for the collection of books over which
he presides is the greatest in the coun-
try. Though the part OF the Capitol
occupied by the library furnished shelf
room for only 100000 volumes there are
$4,000 slowed away there. A large
number are "colonzedn in the dark and
badly ventilated vaults In the cellar
The shelves along the long aisles of the
| library are piled one above another
with valuable books until they reach
| the roof, two stories high. There are
stored the best collection of newspapers
| in the world. There are continuous
/ files of British papers, running back for
two centuries, and American papers for
over century. The file running the
farthest back of the American publica-
tlons is the Philadelphia North Ameri-
can, which, under the name of the
| Packet, was the first daily paper pub
llshed in America. 1t appeared as the
Packet in III. Afterwards the name
was changed to Claypoll's Advertiser,
then to Pouson's Daily Advertiser, and
nnally, in 1889, to the name it now bears.
like to 20 over to the library when l
am at the capitol, and study the various
phases of Congressional life exhibited
there. Congressman come and go, and
there are so many of them that their
literary Indulgence is diversified. There
are always n few veteran students of
finance and political economy in both
| Houses. Then, the railroad question Is
attracting great deal of attent on now.
There is constant demand for a book
to give in n concise form the legislation
of all the States concerning corporations
and the result of its application. There
is no such book, and don't know that
anybody contemplates preparing one.
As ii Is, the members and Senators de-
YOUR all they can find upon the subject,
and are constantly seeking information.
The social question, so far as 1t enters
into the question of the control of the
body of the people through the influence
of corporations, Is an interesting ques-
ton. l have observed group of MEM
I., ,,Fl,.. tsa,,l AL,
study these questions, and they pay
daily visits to the library. Some of our
legislators evince decided preference
for light reading, novels, poetry and all
kinds of fiction, but chiefly voyages and
travels. Stories of the Arctic regions
and narratives of the explorations in
Africa, along the Congo basin, are much
read. A peculiar feature now observ-
able is the popularity of poetry in this
Congress. All the British and Ameri-
can poets are read.
A careful observer can tell what the
nation Is talking about by watching
what certain active Congressman read.
Apropos, everything relating to treaty
questions is now in great demand.
There are about dozen Senators and
eighteen or nineteen members who
study this question very carefully. |
might add that this Congress reads more
| lnul any vi ITO DItutttcbOIb lOI tWtntN
three years. There are from three to
four thousand books out of the library
all the time. All books are read in which
the question of how far the House may
oppose the Senate in matters of treaties
is discussed. They are always looking
for presidents. There never was body
so eager for precedents as the American
House Of Representatives, and none SO
ready to topple all over.
Mr.. Randall started on his Southern
trip Saturday, accompanied by his wife
and Representative McAdoo. He has
received Invitations to extend his toul
through about twenty Southern cities
but owing to lack of time has been OBJ
, liged to decline all and confine his visit
, to Louisville, Nashville, Birmingham
| and Chattanooga. Several special cor
respondents accompany him on the trip
When the President awoke Christmas
morning he found his stocking filled
with the usual number of hammered sill
, yer button-hooks, toilet articles, umbrel
las with silver heads, choice brands o.
cigars, etc. The servants at the White
House each received bright, new five
dollar gold-piece, from the hand of thei
, master, with the usual Christmas greet
ing. In addition the steward was di
rected to present the family of each ser
want with big, fat turkey.
Samuel j. Tilden has engaged quarter
here for the Inauguration. lie is ex
. pected to arrive March LIST.