Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-04-29

ever before, in order to convince the senate
that with Mr. Young outside the secret
chamber it was very easy for the press to
learn what was going on inside. They
succeeded admirably. They published for
several mornings accurate accounts of the
discussion on the l}ehling sea seal II hery
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 n story
which Senator Sherman had told, 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 to make things par
ticularly disagreeable for one or two sena-
tors who have been most bitter in the I'M
just and unmauly persecution of Executive
Clerk Young.
Correspondents do not find it necessary
to use Photographs nor to impose upon
confidential officers of the senate in obtain
ing information concerning the so 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 to enlighten him. The informa-
ton 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 accost senators at
the Capitol after the executive sessions
are over is no sign that they do not do so
elsewhere and at more lifting oppor-
tunity. 1t is Il rule among newspaper men
10 let senators alone at the senate, SO lar as
secret sessions are concerned lhat Is not
the pace III when senator opens MS
mouth ana lets fall those precious bits OF
information when go TO make up the
Trustworthy ana skllliully constructed dls-
patches to the daily newspapers. The cor
respondents know 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
sclous that no eavesdroppers or watchers
are there to make them afraid. 1t Is then
that the correspondent drops in ON few
OF his senatorial friends, one after another,
ana chats about the topics OF the day.
Senator, the correspondent may say to
one of his friends from the American house
of lords, what do you think is likely to
be the outcome of the Behring sea matters"
1T looks as if 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 nm, ana senator mat argues that these
other reasons are quite as convincing. Sen
ator | other Is opposed to 1t, ana his argu-
ment Is a very good one. 1t runs in this
fashion,
And so the senator continues to gossip
the correspondent carefully listening. Not
word Is said about the executive session.
Not word is uttered to show that the Sc
cret session of the senate has been in the
mind of the senator or his visitor. But the
newspaper man knows just the same that
Senator This, Senator That and senator
T'other have made speeches in the cXccu-
tive session, and still better he knows
what they have said. After correspond
ent has cnlled on two or three of his scna-
torial friends and has had two or three
chats of tins nature he knows as much as
he wants to know and as much rs the sub
scrihers to his paper will care to read about
the executive session. As II rule three or
four correspondents club together on eXecu-
1--WE session news nat one doesn pick
up another does, and when 1t Is all put to-
gether it makes satisfactory story. 1t is
very simple, very easy, very common. This
is the manner IN which executive session
news is gathered, and majority of the
senators know it quite as well as the news
gatherers.
A year or so ago the senate went into a
long, tedious and very solemn investiga-
ton of the manner in which secret session
news leaks cut. They called many CORE
spondents before them and asked where
they had obtained news, and if from SEN
ators from which ones. At first they
asked these questions somewhat timidly.
They were not quite sure but what the
witnesses would tell, and that was just
what they didn't want. But it soon be-
came apparent that the newspaper men
did not intend to give away" the senators
who mad befriended them, and then the
questions We're boldly and in some cases
savagely put.
"Where, sir, or from whom, sir, have
you obtained information concerning the
secret sessions of the United States SEN
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