The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-04-29

nation you wish, and may do so.
There is nothing about the enclosure
worth CARRYING off, but the railing i'm
plies that there is, and gives an air of
the greatest importance to the person
who sits behind it. There are 10
bonds, securities, cash. (nor even OF
fetal papers, from which the veil of
secrecy has not been removed) to be
protected. Such ratings are unnec-
essary, except in a few cases; are not
democratic, and are extravagant. They
do not keep out the loafer nor the
brazen faced, but are distasteful to the
public, and are an imposition on the
wel!-meaning stranger.
l have been unable to discover any
law under which the departments are
closed to the public at 2 P. NJ. ; but do
find q Statute (sec. l62 of the Revised
Statutes) which provides that from
October l, 10 April l, they "shall be
kept open for the transaction of pub
lie business at least eight hours, and
from the first of April, to the first of
October, at least ten hours each day,
excepting Sundays and holidays
Eight hours are Icing enough ut any
time, but they arc really open to the
public only about five hours. "Public
business" is certainly MOI confined to
the officials who are within the walls
of these buildings ; the people outside
have something Of the kind TO ~"trans-
act" and are often greatly embarr S.
ed for the want ofiime in which III do
il. There is loss of time and money
to them, and a days delay and an cx-
ira hotel bill are not calculated to pro-
duce amiability.
While | am OH this department bust
ness l must say that they are remark
ably deficient in one respect. While
they are provided with luxurious
toilet rooms for their occupants they
have o II for the weary stranger.
These rooms in some OF the depart
ments arc usually undertook and key,
and if you make diligent inquiry you
may succeed i'll finding where the keys
are. More hospitality should be ex-
tended.
The secret sessions of tho Senate
are getting to be u good deal ridiculed.
Many Senators are in favor of opening
the doors to The public. Senators oc-
casionaliy pretend TO make-a slip and
let out something in their speeches or
motions which are generally consider
cd i'll executive session, but they are
usually those who favor the abolition
of secret sessions. One ofthem speak
ing Oh the subject Of woman suffrage
in the Territories, and the possibility
of Il woman Senator being returned
from Washington Territory if it
should he admitted as a Stale, said
that it would solve the problem o:
SECRET sessions. 1t is astonishing how
the information leaks out about these
proceedings. The Senators are sworn
to secrecy, and everybody is turned
out of the galleries; doorkeepers,
messengers, and clerks arc forbidden
to go anywhere near the doors of The
galleries. The d~oorkeepers sit on the
foot of the stairs and keep the people
from even going up stairs in the lobby
of the galleries for any purpose. Yet
i'll the local morning papers n sees a
whole column of Senate proceedings,
headed "Sccret session OF he Senate"
Senator Riddleberger explains the
mystery in this fashion,: Il have n
private secretary. L regard him as
particularly private. | walk down the
avenue with him and as he is a smarter
man than l am, he knows more in a
minute than | can learn i'll a week,
and without my being conscious of it.
This little fellow, by a kind of indi-
rect absorption, is in possession of al!
| know upon any subject, whether it
is "secret" or not. 1t is a kind of star
chamber proceedings, this executive
! session is, and not consistent with our
boosted policy of fair dealings. IL
certainly is repugnant to the best class
of our law makers, who hope soon 10
do away with it altogether. X.