Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-10-31
BUDDING STATESMEN.
The little Fellows Who Wait the
Great Lawmakers of the Senate.


The Senate page corps numbers fif-
teen as bright and quick boys as can be
found anywhere. They receive ap-
pointments on the recommendation Of
Senators, and come from all sections Of
the country. There is the elongated
and dark-hued Southerner and the
ruddy-cheeEzed and chunky Western
boy, the quick Northerner and the
specialized New Highlander They are
paid $50 month each during the ses-
sion of Congress, which generally lasts
about eight months for the long and
three months for the short session, and
at the close of the latter it is customary
TO vote them an extra month"; pay in
order that they may return to their
| homes. In addition to their salary the
pages make quite a goodly -sized sum by
selling autograph albums containing the
signatures Of the Senators and prom
inent people whom they buttonhole for
their autographs. Their period of
butterfly life is rather short, however,
as it generally does not extend beyond
two Congresses, the age limit being be-
tween ten and sixteen. After they
reach the age Of sixteen they, are. COM.
PEELED to leave. as.s.
pIhe pages are very neat in their
dress and pay great attention to style,
They wear tt1nic coats and knee pants,
generally of some dark material. and
affect dark black silk stockings Their
work begins at nine,asm., when they
assemble in the Senate chamber and
get the desks of the Senators in order
for the day, arranging the several:
bills, petitions, ETC., on them, after,
which, unless there ara errands to run,
they can amusethemselyes until twelve
o'clock, when the Senate convenes, at
which time they station themselves on
either side of the Presidents platform.
After the chaplain's prayer the work
begins in earnest, and they are con-
stantly ON the run, answering the snap
of the fingers of the Senators, carry
ing bills and papers to the Presidents
desk and executing the multitudinous
demands the Senators.
The Senate usually is in session till
four clock, when it goes into Executive
session, releasing the pages from duty
As it is customary for the Senate to
adjourn on Thursday evening until
Monday morn ing, there is nothing for
the pages to do in the interim, and
they amuse themselves in various
ways. Some are continually porting
over novels of The White Eagle, the
Trapper" order, but the greater num-
Der are enthusiastic bicyclers, those
who are not fortunate enough to own
wheel not begrudging paying sixty
cents an hour for the rent OF one, and
many are the amusing squabbles among
them as to how many minutes one has
to ride it before another takes it, they
having hired it on shares. 1t can not
be denied, also, that some are con-
frmed gum chewers. The wide marble
bannisters on either side of the stairs
leading to the upper floors offer great
temptation to them to slide down them
head first, rather than walk down, and
the velocity with which they go (when
fall to the tassellated floor below
means certain death) would terrify
their mothers.
They are all young politicians, take
a deep interest in the debates and are
thoroughly posted on all topics that
come before the Senate, and religiously
defend the position and merits of their
respective Senatorial favor1tes. It Is
no uncommon thing, after adjournment
over some heated debate, for them TO
take sides and debate the arguments
pro and con that they have heard. And
they go at 1t with a vim, defying parlia-
mentary law ana grammar alike, and
just as much in earnest as though they
received $1,000 year for it. But it is
in their playroom, the awful mysteries
of which they allow no other mortal
eyes to penetrate, where the pages kick
up high jinks. For good and sufficient
reasons, apparent to the most casual
observer, this room Is located in dis
tant and secluded portion of the Capitol
building, and there they shout, laugh
and play to their hearts content. 1t is
very seldom that quarrels among them
ever result In blows, as it means q sum-
mons to appear before that awful tribu-
nal, In the mind of page, the ser
geant-at-arms, to be followed by sus-
pension of two weeks or more with loss
of pay.
The pages are under the charge aud
direction of old Captain Bassett, who
has occupied the position, It Is said.
ever since the memory of man. He
started in as page himself and Is now
hale, bald-headed and white-bearded
old gentleman. His post of duty is TO
The left of the President and behind his
youthful charges, where he can keep
an eye on them. It would seem to ta.ko
some ingenuity for fourteen year-old
boy to dispose of $T5 monthly, but
some of them rise quite equal to the oe-
oasion. Others again have quite q
xood-sized bank account. Those who
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