The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-24

| learn what WAS going on inside. Ihe-
succeeded admirably. They published for
several mornings accurate accounts Of tbs
discussion on the Sehring sea seal fishery
treaty. giving the names Of the senators
who spoke, the substance of what was said
and an account of all the incidents and
/ proceedings. They even related a story
which Senator sherman had teld, using
( almost his language word for word. The
newspaper corps of Washington believes in
| standing together for the rights of the pro
fession, and they not only took the trouble
/ TO give this object lesson Of the manner in
| which executive session secrets are and are
not obtained, but they have agreed to await
/ fitting opportunity 10 make things par
ticularly disagreeable for one or two senn-
tors who have been most bitter in the I'M
just and uamanly persecution Of Executive
Clerk Young
Correspondents do not find IL necessary
TO use Photographs nor to impose upon
confidential officers of the senate in obtain
/ ing information concerning the 80 called
secret sessions of the senate There is no
secret about the manner in which this
/ information is sought and obtained day
after day, and if there is any senator who
/ doesn't know the modus operandi. shall
/ be glad 10 enlighten him. The informa-
| tion is obtained from senators themselves.
| The mouth of a senator is the only source
/ of executive session news which any CORE
! spondent ever thought of tapping. Because
/ correspondents do not aceost senators at
! the Capitol after the executive sessions
| are over ia no sign that they do not do so
/ elsewhere and at more fitting oppor-
| tunity. 1t is a rule among newspaper men
/ TO let senator's alone at the senate, 50 Ear as
! secret sessions are concerned. That Is not
/ the place in which a senator opens his
| mouth aud lets fall those precious bits OF
| information which go TO make up the
| trustworthy and skillfully constructed dis
| patches to the daily newspapers. The cor
respondents know a trick worth three or
/ four of that They wait till evening. till
senators have had their dinners and set
! tied down In their libraries or dens, with
good cigars between their lips, when they
are at peace with all the world and con
scious at no eayesdroppers or watchers
are there to make them afraid. Ii is then
that the correspondent drops in on a few
| of his senatorial friends, one after another,
and chats about the topics Of the day.
Senator" the correspondent may say 10
one of his friends from the American house
Of lords, what do you think is likely TO
be the outcome of the Behring sea matter"
ut looks as il we would ratify the
treaty" may be the senator's reply. sen
ators So and So are for it. Senator This
Says such and such reasons are convincing
TO him. and Senator That argues that these
other reasons are quite as convincing. Sen
| ator T'other is opposed TO IL, and has argu-
ment is "A very good one. lt runs in this
fashion"
And so the senator continues to gossip,
the correspondent carefully listening. Not
a word is said about the executive session.
Not IA word is uttered to show that the 81
cret session OF the senate has bean IN the
mind of the senator or his visitor. But tbs
newspaper man knows just che same that
| Senator Tn Senstor That and Senator
| T'other hav iade speeches in the execu-
| tive session, and still better he knows
what they have said. After q correspond
ent has called on two or three of his sena-
torial friends and has had two or three
chats of this nature he knows a. much as
he wants TO know and as much as the sub
scribers TO his paper will care 10 read about
the executive session As rule three or
four correspondents clu b together on execu-
tive session news. What one doesn't pick
up another does, and when j; is ali put to
very simple. very easy very common This
is the manner in which executive session
news Is gathered. and a majority Of The
senators know it quite as well hA the news
gatherers.
year or so ago the senate went into
long. tedious and very solemn ihveslga-
ton Of the manner in which secret session
news leaks out They called May cosru-
hsfo ked srkA
they had obtained news. aud IL from sen
ators from which ones ~ first they
asked these questions somewhat timidIy
They were not quite sure but what the
witnesses would tell, and that was just
what they didn't want. But ia soon be
came apparent that the newspaper men
did not intend 10 give away" the senators
who bad Defriended them, and then the
questions were boldly and ia some cssss
sayageiy put.
Where, sir. or from whom, sir, have
you obtained information concerning the
secret sessions Of the United States sen.
stef"
From you. sir, the witness might have
answered. but be didn't. What he did r.
ply was, Prom senators"
Prom which ssnators;"
Il decline 10 say"
you say you obtained your information
from senators. and that you declDs 70 give
the NAMES Of those senators"
Precisely"
That viii do"
Ard with this 1eager result the graat
and solemn investigation came 70 an end.
Many Of the most sensible and progress
i've senator's are in favor u zholiskiBK the
secret session Of toe senate They regard
II a. not only un-Amsrieau. unrspub-
lican. unnecessary, but farcical add fool
ism They are not secret sessions, and
never all D. Whatever Is worth know
ing will become known. sooner or later
Then Why 10 20 all this troubls 20 main
tain a false prstsnse' One sFgnmsst 10
favor Il continuing the secret sess3oB i
that in discussing the fitness Of men nom
mated fOr Office under tbs government BY
the president. preliminary 70 cosGTnAsion
or rr57sf sOD By TIA. senate. IL would Doh ~
adyisable 20 have all tsst is saad 20 - TIE
eouniry through tie nrSFpspenS The -
ply 20 this - that tbs people have - much
right 70 know what charges are DTougbi
again; naea named for zDpgs alive ossoes -
tbsT have ia czusss where men are named fos
elsetiYe oGjnes II vii bos do 70 Assauss
that TIE president o. Toe United States -
gong 20 BON nA,s fssa for rszp0asibls
off.css wha@e eEaTNcssrs are bza takG
bfsis publ4e csscusSSoa concerning fbesl is
goang % damages them ifrsparablT ia ~
.yss q ihslr fellow cstizsss II saeh RE-
are pouslnatsd they are uot deserving e
rgssch cofsld-Tstion. ard are sod I.eu
Will fsos IT, afraid q puhlse.gy
a. matter u pg4etles. a. charges nsas
against nozriDres are lFsE ingest gated A.
ersfly n TIE rom - tie COMMITTEES ca tls