New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-01
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
SOME CONGRESSIONAL FISHERMEN.
THE EXECUTIVE sEssION-A STORY ABOUT BROWN
"A CHIRoPopIsr's "REMINISCENCES.

THE EXECUTIVE sEssIoN-A STORY ABOUT BROWN
A cmRoPopIsrs REMISIscENogs.
WASHINGTON. March 3I.-In connection with the
Fisheries Treaty see that the talk about sbolishing
executive session In the is again being revived
Said Senator the other day
You and / viii gray before the Senate consents
to open its doors when considering nominations"
quite agree with him. There is no disposition
whatever, except In very small circle, TO ABOLISH
executive sessions. There Is nothing that Senators
prize more highly than the privilege of these SESSIONS
They frequently say that to close the doors expedtes
public business that II they were opened many sena-
tors would talk to the galleries and consume Time
which, for obvious reasons, Is not desirable. But
imagine that behind all this the feeling that Senators
are more at their ease when the eye OF the public Is
not upon them matters can be more lnformahy ors-
cussed stilted speeches out Of order ana thoso
who would attempt them would be only laughed a.
do not doubt but that there is spice OF personality
in the debates in the executive session which must
make them very interesting
The engineer in charge OF tho ventilating apparatus
IN the basement which draws from the chamber all the
foul air and pumps into II fresh supply, can toh Al
once when the Senate has gone into executive
The tobacco smoke which comes through the pipe ID
10 him an unfallng notice that the senators na'o
lighted their cigars and have proceeded to DISCUSS
nominations Nearly everybody smokes In executive
session in fact there is nothing to prevent senator
from, opcning bottle Of wine his desk, or having
his Iunch served IL he should choose in secret session
All this privacy and freedom from restraint Is COM
fort which the Senate Is not likely to give up "I'ho
struggle: and unless public sentiment should over
whelmingly demand that the doors be opened winch
Il does not seem to do at present. should uono' '
much II the Senate would Of its own votlon aoanuon
the rules which require executive sessions to be held
behind closed doors
Az matter OF fact there rarely ever happens any
thing in an executive session which IS not at once re-
ported outside and probably IN better shape than Il
II had taken place with doors wide open Iahe INC
case for instance Of Jones nominated for postHsor
At Nlpandtuck or he has friends In the oeho
who manage the case for him. Charges may naFo
been fled against him by defeated rival Tor inc
nomination or by some persons OF Opposite Poli'oa
faith The latter have a representative. also, IN inc
Senate and when the nomination OF Jones, to De post
master at Nipandtuck comes up, he accuses JOnes Va
being a horse-thef and presents letters from ooU Va
bs nelcbbors 70 the effect that they would not DeHeNo
him under oath: that he IS a habltual druhhaiu Dbl.
an incurable keptomanac, and so forth. All 'h's VI
course NAV stagger Jones's friend. who has never
heard of such charges before but he Immediately sehu'
message outside TO hunt up Jones, who Is cooling MS
sbins I'm some corridor to tell him that so-andso mas
Just declared him to be knave, scoundrel' an liz
postor and sundry other things. Jones prooaDlS -
nrenared for that sort Of thing and al once hahoS o
messenger papers which show that he mas oecn 'iio
times baptized and has taken hoiy DUCTS va" =,
champion of local option, could not rae noi 49,
he wanted n because physically disqualified and con
seouently cannd possibly steal one. The papers may
I've read in the senate by Jones's friends and perhaps
they may not The debate continues until the Vo,o
taken and the Senate adiourns- Five minutes ai,et
ward Joness Senatorial friend tells him ever 'hile
that has happened, and his enemies are hke"lSe III
formed by some one that the plans TO deea nave Uo0
frustrated To think that seventy-sx men can Keep
-aors, viii nrohably strike every body something
.rremeIv absurd-except of course Senator