Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-09-01
BarrOOms Which the Tax-Pay-
ing Public Supports
"Free Gratis"
Sixty Cases Of Beer and Four
Gallons Of Whisky Sold
Every Day I'm the
House "Restaurant."
No Wonder the Interests OF Brewers
Distillers ana Saloon Keepers Are
Looked After, While the Law-Abid-
ing and Respectable Portion OF
the Nation il Practically
Ignored.

Washington Correspondence New York Voice J
Many readers of The Voice have
heard in a vague way of the two un-
licensed and palatial gin mills located
In the National Capitol Building at
Washington, termed by courtesy the
Senate and House "restaurants'; but
few, probably, unless they have taken
q trip to the Capital, and, incidentally
stumbling upon ono Of these bar
rooms, have discovered n crowd of
the natiou's law makers with flushed
faces and paunches pressed to the bar
counter drinking like sailors, realize
the exact nature of these CongressiOn-
al RESTAURANTS. The Prohibition
lists, however, who have seen the
sight, will cease to wonder why so lit
tie practical legislation in the interest
Of temperance gets on the national
statute book. He will no longer feel
surprise at the failure seven times
over of the modest bill for a commits
sion Of inquiry into the effects of the
alcoholic liquor traffic, of the slasght-
or of all measures for Prohibition in
the District of Columbia and the Ter
rltories, or that brewers and distillers
and saloon keepers have their interests
we'll cared for in measures like
Blainc's Consular investigation to ex-
tend the brewing business into South
and Central America, Congressman
MeKenna's bill for the indefinite ex-
tension Of the bonding period for
whiskey or Senator Dolph's bill to
open up Alaska to the saloon keepers.
All kinda of intOxicants are sold at
the Senate and House "restaurants''
aud the Statesman" the citizen and
the stranger can get q drink here
whenever he feels like it. Of the two
ginmills, the one on the House side is
the moro profitable because it is the
most extensively patrOnized. The
House barrOOm is located in the first,
or basement, floor Immediately under
the hall of the House of Representa-
tives, and occupies four medium
sized rooms. Immediately across the
corridors from the "restaurant" are
committee rooms, the House document
room, the House postoffice, stationery
room and other rooms, and only one
fight of stairs leads up to the hall OF
the House of Representatives and the
several other rooms used by commit
tees and House officials.
The main or center corridor extends
entirely through the immense Capitol
building to the Senate wing, where
the Senate "restaurant' is located al
most Immediately under the Senate
Chamber. The Senate "restaurant''
Is also surrounded with rooms and
offices similar to those on the House
side. The place whore Senators
drink is not 80 large as the other, but
this is accounted for by the fact that
all Senators who tipple have bottles
in their committee rooms.
Both these restaurants are fitted up
in elegant style, and why should they
not be, since the Government-the
people-pay for allf The bar coun-
ters, it is true, display no array OF
cut glasses and bottles, but the splend-
id rcfrigerators Immediately in the
rear of the bars are kept filed with
all kinds Of liquors, wines and beers
and sufficiently indicate the nature OF
the business transacted. In the Sen
ate "restaurantr they are little more
careful than in the House, and insist
on the drinkers being seated at one
of the tables before the fluid is served
There 10 always lively trade at the
House bar from III o'clock in the morn
ing until the House adjourns, and
there are scores of Congressman who
press their stomachs to the bar coun.
ter and take copious draughts of IL
quor. And they do not appear to care
who sees them. Others 20 into the
dining rooms and Quaff their beer OF
sip their toddy. Sometimes they are
alone, and at other times they have
for their companions females of elastic
virtue, who prosper while Congress IL
in session, and who generally succeed
In securing for themselves or friends
lucrative Government positions. II
10 no infrequent sight to see in these
ssrestaurantsr members of Congress
ssfull to the brim.n
Mr.. James Murray, Of New York
who has charge of the House "restau'
rant y has increased the receipts large,
~ since he assumed charge at tho be,
ginning of the present session. Hs
said to the Voice correspondent thai
he simply learned the brand of whisk,
or beer patron liked, and then got i
for him. The amount of beer sold by
him will average about go cases day
during q session, and not less than
four gallons of whisky; TO say nothing
of the many brands Of wines and Other