The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-22
HEARING THE NEWS.
Scenes in the Capitol During Con-
ventiOn Week.
Senators and Representatives Anxious to
Hear the Latest Returns-An Ex-Con-
CHEESEMAN'S Collision with an APP
pie Basket and Its Owner.
Especial Washington Letter.

Especial washington Letter.l
The scenes in aud around the capitol
during the Chicago convention are
much the same as those enacted during
the previous convention at Minneapolis.
The day in the senate is unusually dull,
even for that very dull body. Senator
Berry is in the chair most of the time,
and announces between maps that 1.-The
senate will take a recess for half an
hour" But this is before the returns
begin coming in from Chicago. Each
senator seems to be seeking in his own
way the most satisfactory method of
killing time until the arrival of news
from the seat of war. Senator Coke,
of Texas, with his huge form sprawled
over two chairs, is idly Juggling away
at his long gray beard and peering
anxiously toward the door through
which the expected news will come.
Senator George, of Mississippi, is in
dustriously reading his latest article in
the North American Review. Senator
Bate and his colleague, Senator Har-
ris, of Tennessee, are exchanging chew
ing tobacco and descanting upon the
merits of the different brands. Matt
Ransom, the Chesterfield of the demo-
cratic side, is sitting very erect and dig
nified in his seat, looking rather bored,
as though wishing the whole thing
were over jolly Senator Kenna, Of
West Virginia, is in the cloakroom
getting what satisfaction he can out of
the lemonade and Apollinar6 water,
the nearest approach to strong drink of
which this cold water congress is
guilty. 1t probably reminds the young
statesman from the hill country of the
| days when he travelled with a circus
through the mountains of West Vir-
ginia, making speeches at every town
where the show stopped and telling
funny Stories interspersed with politics,
to the honest people of his district
That he was judge of human nature
as well as a good romance is proved by
his subsequent election to the senate
rs result of these circus speeches.
On the republican side there are a
half dozen listless legislators, and the
senate presents the general appearance
of a school-room in which most of the
pupils are being kept in" Every
where quiet reigns supreme, and the
only noise is the occasional click, click,
of the big palm-leaf fans, with the aid
of which the nations representatives
are endeavoring to keep cool. But sud-
denly there is commotion in this quiet
chamber. A page has appeared at the
west entrance with the first ballot, and
! instantly every member of this little
| 4
around Senator Berry in the chair, to
whom the page has delivered the first
news. In few minutes other pages
come in with duplicate copies of the tel
egram, and other senators have q
chance to examine at their leisure the
FIRST votes for president cast by the
democratic nominating convention at
! Chicago.
For awhile the news is discussed in
animated little groups, and then the
! senate settles down into it's former
lethargy, but ready to rise into inter
ested activity upon the advent of the
next telegram.
In one corner of the secretary's office
there is a telegraph instrument used for
the transmission of the private and de.
partmental messages of the senators,
but upon this state occasion connected
with the main office of the telegraph
company, the senate thus getting the
benefit of the ballots as soon as they
are received Here are several officers OF
the senate with their coats off and their
sleeves rolled up, writing the returns
upon manifold paper as they are die.
tated by the telegraph operator.
Around the operator so great is the
crush of people, officers, employees,
lobbyists, and the general class OF idle,