Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-22
THE CONGRESSIONAL REpoRrER.
A Man Who Combines Legislative and
Journalistic Duties.

THE CONGRESSIONAL EPORTER.
A Man Who Combines legislative and
Journalistic Duties.
now CONGRESSMAN iScn1Asxs um ,xcox1-
TAXING NOTES OK TIE RIoon OF TEE HOUSE
THE ADVANTAGE OF sE1xo ON TIE 1SslDH-
CHOICE GOSSIP AND GOOD STORIES.
There never was o congressional reporter
until this session Of Congress. There have
been employees Of the House who took verbatim
reports OF the proceedings, 90 that the anxious
public might read in the Congressional Record
the speeches which had never been delivered
on the floor and the oratorical efforts which
had been inserted with pen and ink after the
speech had been made. Such reporters still
exist and do duty. but they never had for q
competitor a member OF Congress until two
weeks ago. Heretofore those persons who
have been honored by election 10 Congress
have. as a rule, been busily engaged in the
affairs Of the House and in looking after the
interests Of their constituents. Occasionally q
representative would be found whose congress
siOnal existence was marked by mastery in
activity, but up to q few days ago no Congress
man had put in an appearance whose time
during the sessions Of the House was given to
other matters than those for which Congress ID
\ supposed to be in session.
THE CONGRESSIONAL RHPoRrrR
Shortly before the hour Of noon on every day
/ when the House Is in session, quiet unassum-
! ing man lounges from the cloak-room ON the
I democratic side of the House and walks slowly
down the center aisle to a prominent seat in
the front row. That man il 1.-THE congressional
reporter" Opening his desk, he takes from
thence a tablet, and after laying IL down he
/ fills in the few minutes which precede the rap
of the gavel and chaplain's prayer BY putting
points on half a dozen Fabers Of assorted
lators say that this particular Congressman
was not, during last session. always in his seat
for prayers. He il not a striking looking man,
this congressional reporter" but his appear
ance is always that of one who 10 on good
/ terms with himself and with mankind gen.
/ orally. The humor that 10 in him sparkles
through his eyes and makes itself seen in the
/ eyer-upward movement of the corners Of his
mouth. although q heavy brown moustache
/ does its best to conceal that feature.
TO BUSINESS.
/ The chaplain's petition is over and the bust
ness of the day begins. One Of the newly
sharpened pencils hovers DER the unstained
tablet and seems to be eager to swoop down on
it. A member rises to speak; and the pencil
| swoops. Rapidly the trained fingers move
across the surface Of the tablet. II the orator
Is friend Of the reporters then he Ia dealt with
I in kindly manner; his blunders are smoothed
out. his inaccuracies are passed over and he Is
patted on the back and declared to be q jolly
| good fellow. Ii. however, the speaker should
chance to be of the opposite political faith,
then. verify. his name is Dennis" for the
scribe will write him down in terms that, If
logically carried to conclusion, would give
him that title which Dogberry so vociferously
demanded for himself several years ago. A
weak-voiced member, whose seat is in some
PARKWAY corner of the chamber succeeds in
temporarily capturing that heeting optic known
to professionals as 1.-The Speakers eye, and the
congressional reporter grabs his tablet and
races with the Official stenOgrapher for some
seat in the immediate vicinity Of the delcately-
lunged member.
, delights the congressional reporter. He
doesn't have to wear out his brain nor his peu-
ellis in an endeaSor to keep even with the wordy
strife. he simply moves around aud fills him
self up with material for a sketch Of the strug-
gle. while the official stenographer wrestles with
the Babel of words. Then. when all is quiet
once more. the congressional reporter" will
secure from the stenOgrapher the government
printing Office copy and he will take what he
needs from the pyramids Of adjectives, the well
OF clear truth or the bucket OF political mud.
on THE INSIDE.
1t is not a difficult thing to be q successful
congressional reporter if a man has only had
Z U
ent Legislative chronicler. He has every adj
vantage. Does he want more tablets, more
pencils. new pens. fresh ink? He summons a
page and the desired articles are at once forth
coming. Does his story lack length or require
aid from other literary sources? The same
page or another one will rush to do his bidding
and will ransack the congressional library for
the needed volume. No information can be
withheld from him. He is on the inside What
ever occurs on the floor is necessarily known
70 a ha 10 arx.r nt,,o o1e ~o1:~
in his reporting. He has an able corps of as
sistants, friends Of his. men who are only too
delighted to have within easy reach a medium
through which they NAV make merry at some
body's expense. All congressional news is
therefore in the grasp of 1.-THE congressional
reporter" Members always tell him their
choicest stories and he is filed to repletion
with scraps of gossip. These he touches with
the modern alchemists rod-the pen--and they
are speedily transmitted into currency. The
results of his labors, like Pactolus' cup Of
water, all turn to gold. and the meager $1,000
salary OF an ordinary Congressman pales into
the most utter insigniicance alongside the
journalistic remuneration which flows in on the
only congressional reporter"
IN THE REPORTERS GALLERY.
From the gallery over the Speakers head
those newspaper men who are not Congress-
men look down on the congressional reporter
and his operations. The odor Of news in which
he reveis floats family up to their nostrils and
they sigh. The feast OF gossip which he en-
joys is 20 them 80 near and yet 80 far and he
smiles as he scatters a few crumbs with which
they may try to appease their hunger. That
they are working at a disadvantage when COM
pared with their congressional competitor 10
evident. but they seem to ask no odds. They,
too. wonld doubtless like to combine salaries
and duties as he does. but when they secure
large and interesting scoop" on their down.
stairs contemporary then all thought Of worldly
gain is lost in the Joy that is known only to the
successful newsgatherer. Apart from the
financial consideration. they are at least on An
equality With their competitor ON the floor.
They are not at liberty to take part in debate
in the House; neither is he, for then he would
have TO neglect his reporting. and that he cam
not do. He must either quell his oratorical
longings and get the news or throw up his sit
uation a a reporter and content his soul with
being plain everyday Congressman.
Who Is this congressional reporter?" do You
say.
Why. anyone might have supposed You knew
that all the time; it's Amos ]. Cummings, Of
course.
Electricity and Plant Life.
From the Scientific American
From time to time, Of late years, expert
nents have been made Of the effect Of the cleo
trical light on flowers and plsnts With resnlfs