Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-27

what An Habitue Can See and Infer
From the Scenes Below Him.

What An Habitue Can See and Infer
From the Scenes Below Him.
cAUCUsEs AND CONFERENCES on THE FLOOR
SOME OF THE PROMINENT FEATURES OF THE
HOUSE AS OBSERVED FROM THE GALLERY
MEN WHO ARE UNCONSCIOUS OF THE EYES In
THE GALLERY,
There are lots Of things 10 be seen from the
House galleries. Something is always going on
on the floor that Is not q part of the regular
order. From good point In the gallery an OBJ
servant person can see much, and after awhile
learns to know the meaning of what he sees. It
is In this way that private conferences are fire.
quently discovered. The floor of the House is
such big place, and the members get SO much
at home there, that many Of them have no idea
that their movements are observed and their
purposes guessed at Some members, to be
sure, are always conscious Of the eyes of the gall
lery, and after saying or doing something their
glances, accompanied with q smile, will rest for
moment upon the place over the Speakers
head. But these self-conscious men are not
generally the ones the gallery gods are watch
ing. 1t is the man who is unconscious of his
surroundings, and Is acting naturally, who calls
for their attention. Many little caucuses are
held on the floor during the course Of day and
the habitue of the gallery learns to know what
they are about by noticing who are engaged in
them and which ones are taking the lead.
Nearly every member has his pet hobby, IN
which other members are interested to q more
or less extent, and in which he would like to i'm
terest other members.
WHAT THEY TALK ABOUT.
1t Is easy to tell what he's talking about when
he's in earnest conference with certain men,
bers. For instance, If some suave member of
the ways and means committee were seen talk.
ing persuasively with Mr.. Randall, while that
non-committal expression on his face the
habitue would know it was tariff discussion.
ana ah. tnat mo agreement had been reached
closely and their peculiarities are best known.
II man 1s seen to confer successfully with
Messrs Holman and Beach the habitue knows
tnat ne wants unanimous consent to take up q
private bill, and il he includes Mr.. Reagan in
his conference it is known that the bill is to
widow or to increase rank on the retired list. It
Is pretty safe guess also that he isn't going to
get It. There are little cliques and sets of men
certain class of legislation. The habitue knows
them well, and sitting a long ways out of ear
secret whea sts OF s
hold caucuses they generally assemble in some
quiet S1e corner In the cloak,room. Conferences
quently held on the floor, as they are supposed
10 attract no attention.
OTHER THINGS TO BE SEEM
But these are not all the habitue Sees He
sometimes sees member making eyes at some
fair charmer in the private gallery. More fire.
Qnent!y he sees him smoking on the floor, in
violation of the rules of the House. Some.
times he sees member sitting up in his chair
with his chin on his white shirt front and his
hands hanging loosely at his side, fast asleep.
The habitue then makes a mental calculation
OF how many hours he worked the night before
He makes the same calculation concerning
those who arc stretched out on the sofas. If he
knows the men he knows all about it. But the
most striking and picturesque thing he sees is
in various parts of the House. Behind them are
members of Congress. He could tell you who
they are, but don't like to- so he says their
shoes hide their faces. Some of the members
Others put both up and sink low down in their
chairs while they smoke. There is a man in the
gallery who is making q list of members who
are thus afflicted. He has nearly dozen on
the list.
Some members are given to telling funny
stories to select circle OF friends, and when
the habitue sees a little knot of members
around one OF these he knows when to expect
OF these assemblages from a caucus. When
there is n crowd about Reed, of Maine, it is
Known that he Is In good trim and is express
Ing his views of passing events in his peculiar
characteristic way.
THEIR LITTLE BILLS.
Some of the members have their little bills
upon which they rely to get back to Congress.
These are the men the casual observer would
take to be the workers of the House. The
they are frequently the butts of the House and
are the targets for transient wit. One of these
came up to Robertson, of Kentucky, the other
day and asked him to vote for little bill
which was to secure his reelection.
allow much money does it take from the
Treasury" asked the red-bearded Kentuckian.
"About five million" was the reply.
Don't you Think" said Robertson, looking
pretty big price for the government to pay
for your serviceS?"