The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-05-13

30 hard, you cannot muster up courage
enough to say that this performance
has increased your respect for the mill
ionaire club, the political anachronism
yclept the senate of the United States
The idea of gentlemen sitting together
in earnest conclave, celebrating con.
corning the advisability of making a
scapegoat of an honorable employee. for
sins of their own commission.
1t is stated that a venerable and
distinguished senator from the vicini.
ty of the western reserve introduced
he obnoxious resolution. If this
be true, it is a grievous fault, and
grievously might he repent it; under
certain conditions. For example,
if the oldest correspondent of a
leading paper of his own political farh
i'll that section were brought before the
bar of the senate, and required to tes-
tify under oath, he might be obliged to
tell things which would make the re-
spected statesman turn all sorts of col
ors; in fact modification would surely
set in.
1t is also alleged that distinguished
New England senator who has pros
pered financially, as much as he has pros
pered politically, is the instigator. alder
and abbettor of this entire unfortunate
assault upon member of the craft in
Washington. If this be true, and there
can be hardly any doubt that 1t is. the
distinguished legislator would do well
to consider the ant and be wise. The
correspondents are all Of them wearing
war paint and are out for scalps, just as
earnestly as they were some years ago
when they went cunning after Speaker
Keifer. Their success at that time was
pronounced, and their power since then
has increased in ten-fold ratio. II is
the part of wisdom to cater to the free
lances of the national capital; and it is
the part of unwisdom to seek their en-.
nifty, when, by a friendly warning,
their antagonism may be avoided.
These are the words of wisdom.
Under the recent resolution craze,
Alonzo Stewart, the executive page,
was also excluded from the floor OF
the senate, during executive sessions.
This was casting suspicion, by indirec-
ton, upon one of the most honorable
young gentlemen ever connected with
the government of the republic in any
capacity. AIR. Stewart is from Iowa,
and it is not to the credit of the sena-
tors from that state that they permitted
this indignity.
The senators, urged by some member
Of the committee on foreign relations,
asserted that inasmuch as Mr.. Young is
an experienced newspaper man, he
alone could have given for publication
such accurate accounts of senatorial
proceedings. But Secretary McCook,
who is an experienced writer. and
Sergeant-at-arms Valentine, who stuck
type on the Burlington Haweye thirty
years ago, are as good newspaper men
as Mr.. Young, and these gentlemen
We're permitted to remain during the
executive sessions, while all others have
been excluded, What follyi To exclude
a gentleman from the sessions of the
senate because he is brainy and capable;
when he is at the same time honorable.
Then, to retain other men equally cap
able and honorable, assuming that they
are safe while the other man Is not.
AS matter of fact not single en-
ploye of the senate from the highest TO
the lowest ever tells an executive Sc
cret. There are lightweight senators,
and just about lightweight Of them will
talk from time to time about forbidden
subjects; and they always will do so.
No amount of scolding and pedagogue-
ing by the venerable seniors can pre-
vent the juniors and freshmen of the
senate from talking to their newspaper
friends, just as they use TO do them.
selves before they became old, rich,
a-istocratic, proud and self-righteous.
There is trouble brewing for the sem
ate, and a great deal more of it than
you may understand from these quiet
lines. The newspaper men of this city
will not permit one of their number 10
be smitten and insulted without cause,
and to be degraded officially without
such a protest as will make itself felt al
well as heard. We screen more faults,
foibles, weaknesses and jobbery than
any other body of newspaper men IN
America, and we know a great deal
more than we are ever disposed TO
print about men and measures. We are
all of us friendly toward the senate and
senators; but we are inclined TO demand
and try to compel fair play from the
honorable gentlemen for every one of
our number, just as we accord the same
treatment toward the gentlemen on TIE
floor. SMITH ID. FRY.