National Republican., 1888-02-19
tOyGRESSNEN'S FREE BATHS.
MOTTO BE INrERFEGEDWlTH BYOuTSlDERS
AND HOUSE EMPLOYEES
IuWnshrd Democrats from the Rural Dis
triri~ Hereafter Shut -iicpresenta-
tyirs' sous can wash Oncca Week. Clerks,
when the Tubs are Empty.

when the Tubs are Empty.
For many years past 1t has been custom
uw for congressman to make things ns
pleasant a, possible for thusc Of their con-
-tuyut> who visited Washington when the
National Legislature was engaged in demon
.ruting tu the world how noisy and useless
{, ruuldhr. Both ru~iums--ut the Congress
men and thc Cuugrr>.-->till prevail. Oi
course there were many matters ufcunsidcr-
able interest tu the rural visitor and some
ur,lo surprise, Developed 10y the Congress
muu were startling to the hucolc mind.
Ofull tine entertainments which Demo-
cratic members originated for the benefit of
lhrircuu>tilurut> none ever attained to the
degree Of popularity that wa, accorded To
the free bath" Thi, was great institu-
tuu and il has. doubtless, been one of the
most brurlirrn, aids to sanitation ever put
into practical operation. After member
had entertained hi> guest with the choicest
lager and unlimited peanuts, when all the
other sources Of pleasure had dried up, then
wa, the constituent taken to the hrhnth-r"om q
the lIuu,c. and, after bcing duly provided
with a ticket underwent Il cleaning opera
tiun that wa, as novel H. it was beneficial
No such elaborate facilities for washing
existed where they came from; their Demo-
cratic vpidrrm, had never been treated 81
before, and although the treatment was not
devoid ufuu element ordangcrthc result gen
craIly was an application for q second ticket.
This custom grcw until nearly every visiting
democrat had been duly SCrnp"d and holy
>tpur,i and the idea Of the whole operation
hcing performed ut the public expense lliluc
the thing extremely popular iiul for the
attendants il WAS wCariSumc: they tired oi
carving ont great buCkCtsiul of Democratic
washng~ that were too thick to run through
the Wu>tu-ppu. Hud not unnuturHllN, they
+ kiukud. The congressman, too, were urea
of issuing tickets. although they knew that
much real good resulted thcrcifum. When
4 member went to enjoy AN occasional abu-
tiuu the chance, were that several of his or
somebody's else constituents would he OcCil-
rying the hath-tuh>: this happened So fire.
ulIuuily that members lost pnticnr",nnd,
In a few exceptional eases, they were even
/ known to- pay for their own baths ut some
/ private establishment.
The evil continued to become greater until
on one day last week every tub was occupied
bv hpgrimrd constituents from the back
woods Baltimore and Alexandria being
/ ,Lrgrly represented Then an appeal was
/ made to the committee on Public iiulIdlngS
and Grounds, and ~ result 'hairinah l'ih'
/ hi, formulated and issued rules which have
cuuul,lrly upset the old state of affairs, and
now ihc free and indcpcndcnt' voter has tu
/ 20 unwl>hui, for No one would ever believe
lin uf battling unlrS, ii could he done with
ont rvr.ruu' expense. The first rul" reads;
. "lh, tlcr, of the House "i REPRESENTATIVES
/ j. hereby directed To- reserve the bath room
of the House for the exclusive use of the
/ mrmhcr~. officer, and employees of the House;
/ yuyiipi That tllC clerk may issue bath
! ticket. tu the sons of members. when the
same can hc conveniently done, upon the re-
quest ui such members. To tins rule there
. /, practically no ubicctiun the only point
hung raised by few members Of the local
/ Wumnn> Rights Association. They think
/ tine rule should he amended So ~ To- prevent
any Determinations against congressman ;
daughters.
Thcn"Nt rule Is us follows: Each en-
/ pluyc ui' the House. including the Assistant
/ Librarian of Congress, shall he entitled Il
Oh" bath each week "n amy day excepting on
! Saturdays
II, thi, there are many objections Tho
/ idea that am rmpluyc of the House shall b,
rut oil with only one bath in each week Is al
outrage Of the mCanC>t description. W NY
there are many who would battle every day
. if thuy only had an opportunity. II Is about
all they have To- relieve the terrible monoiony
ut doing nothing and to deprive them OF
this i, cruel. The specific mention made o
the Assistant Librarian, Mr., Smith, wa'
necessary ru secure for him the cuurcSicS o.
thc bath room: had it not been made ii l.
very probable that some good Democratic
member might ctlrrualy object to II gentle
man ufculur di.p"rting himself in neigh
boring lub.
The last rule says: Whenever only one
tub suitable for Il members use il unoccu
pied it shall bc held in reserve for the frs
member who may desire To use it,
The attendants At the hath-room are await
ing with some anxiety the first appearance
uflhcd~liugu,hrd Representative from the
second Congressional district of Texas, ON,
of them mentioned th" fact To the Hon; Tim
uthy j. Campbell yesterday and said it wa
strange that Mir Martin did not come in one,
in awhile tuwhich the gentleman from New
Nurl; responded by saying that Major Mar
tin Wa, Mr. REAGAN successor, and that "a
Mr. Reagan was never known to take hu
one bath and that only when his interstate
commerce hll was hcing voted on II was no
matter for surprise th"' his successor ;E0ul'
wait until another lr lcgisI - he
ing considered a. undoubt
cdly lave his - al Potomac water
Its done to- ,uul he gods rs il We're,
adj d the hunorlA Il sort ola sacrifice.