The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-31
MIXING UP coNcREssMEN.
handsome FrankIHIscock Taken For
Senator RIddIeberger.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-If there is one
thing more deceptive and misleading than
another about Congress 1t is the plan or dia-
gram showing who are the occupants Of
seats on the floor Of each house. The dia-
grams indicating the location of Senators
and Representatives are published in the
Congressional Directory and one or two
other public documents, and, Of course, are
for the use of visitors to the galleries. One
of the first things a stranger wants when he
goes into the gallery of the Senate or House
is diagram, so that he may know who are
in the seats below him. Not more than half
the time does Senator or member occupy
his seat and nearly one half Of the speeches
made are from the desk Of another Senator
or Representative than the one who talks.
The statesman nearly always goes to the va
cant seat which will afford him the best
audience when he wants to make an impress
sion. The way in which visitors who are
getting the run OF affairs in the galleries by
the aid OF diagrams are misled frequently
causes ludicrous Incidents
A few days ago man came on here from
the home Office Of we'll known newspaper
20 act as correspondent. He went up to the
reporters gallery in the House, called for a
diagram, and taking roll of paper went
down to the front row Of seats and began to
open running sketch Of the proceedings
wrote his report he sent it out to the tele-
graph Office by messenger with Instructions
to put 1t on the wire, and as fast as each
take" was sent TO close with the usual
word "more." One Of the old correspondents
who sat beside the new conner observed th at
he was using the name "Pidcock" very fre-
quently in sketching the speech which had
been for some time progressing. The
speaker on the floor was eloquent and was
attracting great deal of attention. He was
talking on the Oklahoma bill. The old cor
respondent observed that the new was
locating his men by the aid Of the diagram,
and after several thousands words Of the
proceedings had been sent out to the tele-
graph office the old correspondent said to
the nn y whe sIS q, Tsbgsily writinas
"Mr. Pidcock OF New Jersey" was the
prompt reply. "And he is making a rafting
good speech, tool
"You are off your base there" said the
old correspondent. The man who is talk
ing now and who has been talking for an
hour is Barnes OF Georgia"
Mr.. Barnes had simply gone up to the
desk of Pidcock to make his speech, the lat
ter's seat being more centrally located
A half hour after, Mr.. Riddleberger Of
Virginia, created scene in the Senate last
week, Mr.. Hiscock of New York went over
to the Virginian's seat, and finding 1t vacant
sat down. The New York Senator adjusted
his glasses and proceeded to read and write,
and conduct his work, and occasionally in
dulged in the running debate on the tariff
bill. making himself quite at home in the
seat Of the Senator from the Old Dominion.
In the gallery were a number Of visitors
from New York. who were enjoying the pro-
ceedings and locating Senators by the assist
ance Of the diagram.
'What pity that such a fine looking man
as Senator Riddleberger should be so disso-
Lutte" said one of the ladies, continuing,
"He looks to be good man, doesn't he?
a NJ
and such beautiful whiskers; and what a no
BILE face. He doesn't look dissipated either.
l did not think that Mr.. Riddleberger was
such a looking man. / wonder where Sena-
tor Hiscock has gone to? He is not in his
seat"