Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-07
FUNIN ACONMITTEERO0
A BODY WHICH Is MORE OKNA-
MENTAL THAN USEFUL.


Row Secretary Esayord Made 1T Popu-
lar Little Nook when He was Senator
The Big Establishment Under the
Public Printer--A Sad Little Romance
in Real Life.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3.-The Senate
Committee ON Private Land Claims IS
more honorary than useful. 1t rarely
ever has any business referred to it, and,
as a rule, does not perhaps meet oltener
than Gnce during a session OF Congress-
But it has become the custom to keep up
the committee as one belonging TO the
minority, and the Senate would rather
attend a funeral than break custom.
Notwithstandng it's inslgnihcance In
matters legislative, that committee long
held the lead in the Senate in matters
social. When Senator, now Secretary
Bayard, was its chairman he dispensed
generous hospitality within the four
walls of that small committee room. The
committee room is regarded as the private
property of the chairman TO consider
able extent. There Is no public use for 1t,
and the chairman makes use OF 1t as re-
ceptIon room and for such other purposes
as be may see fit. Senator Bayard, as
the recognized leader of his party in the
upper House of the national Legislature,
was called upon to welcome distinguished
Democrats and to bestew some attention
upon them. They we're usually invited
to his committee room and asked TO take
something. Mr. Bayard rarely ever
varied his invitation to take a drink. 1t
was Wont you take a glass OF whisky,
and water with it?'' During the days OF
his service in the Senate, and while privl-
legged to hold the committee room on prl-
waite land claims, it was a custom OF MS,
now and then, to quietly glide about the
chamber, whispering to Senator here
and another there, as he selected the list
of favored ones. Mr.. Bayard then, with
his quick, springy gait, would hurry out
of the chamber and to his committee
room. Then by twOs and threes his Sena-
torial guests would follow, to gather In
front of that mahogany sideboard. The
Senators who were the recipients of these
Invitations soon got to understand what
Mr.. Bayard meant, and slight nod from
him was construed to mean "glaes OF
whisky and water" The committee
room was kept supplied with sea-biscuits,
cheese, crackers. etc, as pleasant &C
compartment to the whisky and water.
1t is scarcely necessary to state that the
hospitality of the committee room was
not open to everybody. Mr.. Bayard is a
genial host, but he carefully selects bis
friends. 1t long ago became the unwrit-
ten law in the Senate for the chairman of
the caucus to supply liquid refreshments
tor party conferences. One OF the largest
rooms is set apart for Demo-
cratic uses. 1t Is labeled Conference
RoOm," and within it's walls Democratic
caucuses are held. The chairman of the
caucus is permitted to occupy this room
with all the privileges thatit carries with
IL. Senator George Pendleton. when he |
was chosen chairman of the cacus, yielded }
ready obedience to this unwritten law. |
He dispensed lavish hospitality, and he |
was continued as the head of the caucus |
until be retired from the Senate. His |
room was kept supplied not only with |
choice brands of brandles and whistles, |
but also with fine wines. 1t was COM
mon thing tor him to open a basket OF
champagne for friends, and the sidebOard !
was always open to Democratic Senators |
and their friends. Senator Pendleton ex-
tended standing invitation TO all his |
party associates to help themselves adj |
hbitum to the best the sldeboard con- |
tanned. An old employe who did the !
sweeping and cleaning up, and who no |
doubt came in for a good share of the re-
freshments under the liberal Pendleton |
thus describes the difference |
between then and now: "Sen'tor Pend |
lum he didn't tote no keys. He des' lei
dat ar sidebor' open all de time. But dat |
amt Sen'tor Beck (PendletOn's successor |
as chairman of the caucus.) He too !
close, dat man is. Dey don't no dram 80 |
out er dar lessen he knows it. He keep |
dat key right by him. Sen'tor Pendulum
be pay for all dem fine lickers what ne
git; Lord knows how much money he pay
out for dat room. But Sen't0r Beck don't
buy no Ticker, no, deed he don't. When
he git out he jis' sot down and rite to dem
'stlllerymen,' Why in HI don't
you sem me mo- er dat ar whlsky% Dat
de way he do" When Senator Kenna
was chosen chairman of the Democratic
Committee Beck contended
that that position outranked his, and that
the duty of providing liquid refreshments
devolved on Kenna. AS joke he wrote
an order to Kenna, as chairman of the
to furnish Senator Jones, of
Arkansas, Democrat iD good standing,
with drink. Jones got the drink, and
Eenna turned the joke on Beck by retain
ing the order, and saying he was going to
have it published.
THE PUBLIC PRINTER.
The new Public Printer has an i'm
portant establishment to look after. But
few people can realize the amount OF
work turned out in his department. There
are about $500 people now at work in the
building, bali of whom are women. The
Building is $50 feet long by 900 wide, and
was built exp essly for printing purposes.
Ii cost the government 800. 600 originally.
and has been ENLARGED and improved to a
like amount. The machinery, building.
type, paper in stock, etc., are valued at
million of dollars. All the different de-
partments are lighted by electricity,
which is kept burning day and night.
Watchmen patrol each floor at all hours,
and are required to wind up three clocks
placed at stated distances every half
hour. The clocks show Mt what time
they were wound, and in this way indi-
cate that the watchmen are doing their
duty. There are dozen female typeset-
ters in the establishment, and several OF
them are among the swlttest in the coun-
try. There 10 one Of them who makes
sometimes as high as $3.50 IN n month.
There are over 200 colored people who
work in the building. but the most OF
them are laboreTs. There are a half-doZen
printers who are considered pretty good
workmen. the best OF them earning as
high rs 500 per month. Nearly all OF the
employees are paid by the hour, and over
time lost is not lost, as 4; were. The
Public Printer is well paid for his work,
receiving $4,000 per annum, and is al
lowed private secretary ut 81. 500 and
carriage and team Of horses. His sub
ordinate officers, deputy clerks, time
keepers, and so on, get salaries ranging
from 81 900 10 81, 800 They work from