Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-30

ossions on the foor OF the chambers A senator
or member csn introduce ms friends without
difficulty on the floor OF ne chamber. within .
barrier set apart for the purpose. This u IN
marked contrast 10 the rigorous system pCr-
sued in thu British house OF commons, espe-
ciAlly SINCE the Fenian and dynamite scarcs-
Policemen and janitors are stationed as al frr
the express purpose OF rendering access q
diihcult as possible on the part Of taxpart-s
and electors, however urgent their busiuus.
Even when the contemplate little gallers ~
gained he occupants are watched La
Criminals and treated like children. as N az
mission were priceless favor. such pre-
poSterous rule as that which forbids the taking
OF notes. the making Of = single memorandum.
or the perusal Of book or q newspaper during
some dull and dreary speech. would not be
tolerated for an hour in America, even n tho
Idea OF making such q rule entered the pro-
verbal vacuum OF the Official mind. Nor
would any one dare 60 rt.egate ladies' 60 q
giced cage, where they can see little and hear
iess lie galleries around the chamber OF the
mouse OF Representative in the Cspitut
AZ Washington accommodate nearly .
'housana visitors. Certain portions are
reserved Tor ladies entering alone, and
IN other parts they can accompany
gentlemen friends. Every member has a sepa-
rate chair and desk. balloted FOR at the begin
hihS OF the session. and supplied with writing
requisites. Occasionally a bouquet Of flowers or
some elaborate floral decoration IN the shane OF
Tyre or a ladder. may be seen on n desk sup
itrtN 20 DC fldCeA IlsrN hN INN. and crate.
ful constituents. Ranged beneath the rostrum
OF the presiding officer IN the chamber.
and also IN the Senate. are the clerks and
the official reporters Clustering around on
the steps are number Of pages, whose
duty rs 20 wait upon the Senators
and Representatives. These signify their
wishes by slightly chipping their hands, ON
nearing which one OF the pages responds, A
story-doubticss mythlcal-ls told Of an un-
sophisticated Senator from the west not long
VINO nOftefl uFso ~.
chaplain had finished prayers number OF
senators cl3pued their hands. Ignorant OF the
meaning Of the signal the western man turned
to his neighbor aud said: Wal. I've heard
quite a lew addresses 70 the Almighty and
| don see much IN that one 20 applaud
Probably ihese legislators and all public men
IN America are not 80 much bored aud worried
as mos; English people would be with the
universal custom OI Handwriting. Every
prominent man LAYS his account with thIs as q
| necessity OF his position and knows that peo-
pie expect 1t. During the last presidential
| term II was said thAt Mrs. Cleve lands arm was
infiamed and swollen 20 as TO be quite painful,
| owing 20 the amount OF handshakiug which she
| had to undergo One has been sometimes
| tempted 10 ask when suffering from what, owing
| to inexperienced. threatened TO become an in
Fiction, what good Is effected by all this? You
| are casually introduced to a person whom YOU
| never met before and whom vou are not likely
to see again. Etiquette requires that no should
solemnly shake hands with Won express his
| great pleasure at making your acquaintance,
put one or two OF the inevitable stereotyped
| inquiries, then again soemnly shake hands
and depart. A polite bow. a cordial nod, a few
| words OF friendly greeting. would not suffice
without actual digital contact This. however.
is endurabie. IL II be an Inconvenience IL 10
| soon over. After all q wise traveller will adapt
himself as far as possible to local customs. he
| may. perhaps. wish TO draw the line at thai
| form of salutHton which consists OF rubbing
noses, as IN parts of Africa. In like manner 10
may be permitted without ofonse. to
| enter kind but firm protest against
| one peculiarly too common in American life.
| 1t may almost be described one of the great
national institutions. Ii As seen and heard and
sometimes felt on ali sides. Ii asserts itself IN
| the house and IN the street. in the railway and
| on the steamboat. IN hotels and churches, on
| the jud cIai bench and in the legislature. 10
may be lnsular prejudice, and some American
| cousins may think II squoamishness but the
effect produced on an average Englishman By
| the almost universal eXpectOratiCns is nauseat-
ing in the extreme 1 was told of an eminent
| clergyman who was addicted to the practice in
the pulpit. he received one morning this epi-
| gram:
'ris passing strange. when we reflect.
| And seems 10 teat creation.
| That when "OTaiiuu" We ,xTect
| We get "eXpectoratiun q"
The system of checking baggage may be pro-
nounced perfect Usually Il can be checked
| through, although several connecting lines
have TO be trsversed. THIS is a convenience TO
a traveller who desires TO stay az several places
en- route. 1t also obyiates tile risk OF platform
robberies. so common in our country. Yet our
railroad mana gers. with that marvellous aver
sion to any change charaC teristic of the off,
cial world IN England. doggediy oppose tho
introduction OF this rational system. In lie
manner they resist every attempt 10 allow Of o
/ journey being broken, unless the ticket for the
remaining part is forfeited. When will they
learn that railways exist for the public, AMI
that the public was not created for the
| benefit of raliwaysl And when viii they learn
the further lesson, which the inyincIble logic
| OF facts has been demonstrating for years.
| in ways that might have carried conviction
even to the most o5tuse minds. that the greater
the facilities offered the fewer the petty re-.
| sIrictions. and the cheaper the fares the more
people are induced to travel, to the advantage
of railway fnance2
One just cause for complaint is the vulgar
| utilltarlan way in which hOardings. walls rocks
and every point of vantage in natural scenery,
| along public roads, rivers and railways, are
| seized upon by itinerant agents of advertising
| firms for the announcement of their wares and
| specifics. The romantic Hudson rlyer-ths
| Rhine of America-the magnificent bsy of Boz
| ton. with Its numerous isles and inlets, and the
routes of some of the grandest railways are
| thus dishgured. Huge letters, sometimes
| yard in length and Of propoTtionate thickness,
roughly daubed in yellow, green, red or some
other staring color, compel attention, in the
| midst OF charming or sublime scenery. to do
| mestic appliances or to some of the innumer-
able remedies for the Ills that flesh is heir to.
| But then IL must be remembered that the
| sence of life IN America is publicity; not alone
| for business purposes. Men are placed, or they
| place themselves, on lofty pinnacles, according
| TO their real or supposed importance. daz-
cling light is thrown by the press upon the
sayings or doings of any one who can claim 10
| be regarded As prominent or even notorious.
| Private concerns are made public property.
Difidence and modesty seem likely to become
| extinct.