The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-03
VISITORS TO CONGRESS.
Rules Regarding Privileges of the
Floor TO Be Enforced.
Prom the Ne:g York Star.


not only in expediting the business of the
House. but in seeing that the rules are en-.
forced thoroughly by all employees. One of
the greatest nuisances in past congresses has
been the constant influx Of visitors to the
floor. An app arance Of entire pre-occupa-
tioa, or a bold and agrees vo front, has
frequently run past the doorkeepetr
men who were without any authority
10 enter the House while it was
in session. Speaker Reed, for a vum-
Der of wears before his elevation to the chair
of presiding officer, occupied a sat near
the cloak rooms and he was constantly an
moved by men who approached him at his
desA. interrupting his bu.iness and at times
overthrowing that equanimity foc which he
has eve been famous. When be took up
the speakers gavel he determined to abate
this nuisance, and he issued strict orders
that the privileges Of the floor should be
extended only to those who were entitled to
them under the rules. When this propo-
sition was laid before Doorkeeper ADAMS.
he said: do you mean that l am to have
no latitude. Mr.. Speaker"
Il mean," said the speaker, "that you are
to enforce the rules of the ouse. If anv
one has any special claims to exemption
from the operations of those rules, sen hin
TO me-"
Since that order was issued it has been
easier to pass through the eye of the pro-
verbal needle than to gain admission to the
floor of the House Of Representatives. I
went on the floor not long ago on a. special
order issued by the speaker. So few of
these cards have been issued that the stock
printed nearly thirty years ago is still
unexhausted. With the big yellow
square bearing the speakers auto
graph deposited in a convenient outside
pocket, walked on the floor The door
keeper at the lobby entrance had scanned
the card closely, and had looked upon me.
thought, with some suspicion. Safely pa t
Cerberus, looked for no more obstacles
TO my passage around the House floor. |
had not been on the floor more than q
minute when l was confronted by sharp
faced, demonstrating young man, whom
thought identified as the captain of the
pages
Have you any privileges of the foorl'
he asked abruptly.
replied in a rather leisurely way that
had.
Committee clerk or what % said the page.
Evidently my appearance had not i'm
pressed him with a sense Of my dignity or
Importance. | had expected to be taken
for an ex-member at least, perhaps for the
governor of a state. Concealing my cha
grin, produced my card of admission. He
looked at it and then, without comment.
retired. [ walked around to the main door
of the House. Before had fairly settled
myself in conversation with member one
Of the doorkeepers tapped me on the
shoulder and said: privilege of the foorY
placed my yellow ualisman under his eyes,
and he, too, retired. But all that afternoon
| was bombarded with that one monotonous
question by employees of high or low degree.
l began, after time, to feel like thor
oughly suspicious character. The vigilance
OF the House employees is appreciated
by members. 1t may be that this
new broom, like many others, will wear
down after a time TO a condition of
stubbly ineffectiveness; but so long as 1t
retains its pristine vigor it will command
general admiration. There are differ
ences of opinion as to Mr. Reeds qualifica-
tions for the speakership. 1t IS charged
that he is arbitrary and partisan in his
rulings. 1t is claimed, on the other
hand, that he is another Daniel, and that
his judgments will be handed down to pos
terity. But however widely they may
differ in their estimates of Mr.. Reeds
speakership in some of its bearings, demo-
Gratis and republicans alike gladly welcome
the inauguration of business system in the
enforcement of the police rules of the House.
The Senate has never been 50 much over
run with visitors as is the House. There is
not the same space to accommodate thsrn
If the same number of people were entitled
to admission to the Senate floor as are ad-
mitted to the precincts of the House, the
Senators would be crowded out of their
seats. Ex-senators are admitted to the floor
OF the Senate as ex-members are admitted
to the floor of the House, but the number of
ex-senators now living is very, very small
compared with the number of those who
have served in the lower branch of
congress and who have been retired by
their own wish or by the earnest effort of
an ungrateful constituency. The rules
of the House provide strictly that no ex-
member who is interes ed in pending legis-
lation shall be admitted to the floor. L
know of one case where Speaker Reed
summoned an ex-member to his room and
warned him that if he did not avoid the
appearance of active interest which he had
shown in piece of legislation then pending,
this rule would be enforced against him. A
great many ex-members of congress are sent
to Washington as Legislative agents." or
lobbyists, and it is to exclude these men
that the rule was established. Some of them
find means to evade it. Some nave gained
admission even to the Senate floor. 1t was
a little less than four years ago that Senator
Riddleberger stirred UP hornets nest by
demanding the publication of the list of pri-
was the name of a man generally regarded
as one of the keelest lobbyists in the coun-
try. On that lis also were the names of a
number of newspaper correspondents. The
lobbyists card was withdrawn by the sena-
tors who had issued 1t; the correspond
ents' names are still on the roll. There
are probably twenty newspaper men regis
tereu with the sergeant-at-arms of the SEN
ate as private secretaries to senator's, and
the senators whom they are supposed to
serve have certified Tin writing as required
oy the rule that each of these me sis ac-
tually employed for the perforL .nnce of the
duties of such secretary, and is engaged in
the performance Of the same" OF
course they are not engaged in
TIE performance of any such duties,
and they draw no salaries. Each sena-
tor who is chair AN of a committee is
entitled to committee clerk, who is paid
oy the Senate, and he may appoint also
private secretary, who is paid by hiusof
Each senator who is not chairman ~
committee NAV appoint private secretary
VINO IS paid $42 week by the Senate during
Tue session. The newspaper correspondents
are on the roll of unpaid private secretaries
Or private secretaries who are supposed to
oe paid out of the pockets Of senator's. In
Snelr cases the pay, as we'll as the work, is
supposed
at Estills.
SAVANNAH DAILY MORNING NEWS,