Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24

| post IN tne profession For Ii years my ex
perience with the "seoret session" sol
emnities was varied and most interesting
but not more so than that of most others who
hunted in the same woods.
The siftings of the debate in the "secret
session" the other day, when the clerk who
records the proceedings Of that misnomel
| was deposed without hearing to furnish O
sacrifice for the weaknesses Of its own mem,
bers, must create a laugh among all news
| paper men. During my years of service at
Washington, knew Mr.. Young intimately
and now, as then always enjoyed the honor
| of his close friendship. But after he became
an employee of the Senate, would have as
soon thought of begging Peter for the keys
| OF the Golden Gate, as to have asked Mr.
Young a single question in relation to what
went on under his eye, and Within ear reach
when the Senators were closeted for debate
| He was ever the soul OF honor. The mem
bers of the Senate are themselves too easy
| game for the journalistic gun to induce a
writer to fool away his time in trying to get
something from an employe. He can fasten
| the badge of authority on what he writes,
from the master, which he could not do upon
| the words of those who serve them. II Sen.
ators are ignorant of these facts. they must
be strange beings indeed.
What Oliver p. Morton Learned.
An incident which occurred some years
ago with the powerful oliver P. Morton will
illustrate the point made, and answer this
question: "How was it done?" One day dur
ing the Secret debate on one Of those
famous Southern Senatorial election cases,
Mr.. Justin 8. Colburn, chief of the New York
Times bureau, for which was the working,
said: "Look out for the secret session. it
will be very important to-day"
Naturally from that moment my mind was
centered for the day upon that duty. After
the secret session" ended I walked up
Pennsylvania avenue with very able ana
well-known Senator, now dead. Before we
had reached the National Hotel he had,
without knowing It, given the groundwork
upon which hinged the success of my task
The rest was now easy. left him at the
entrance of the hostelry, saying I had an
engagement there about that hour He
passed on, while entered, remaining few
moments. Then walked very leisurely up
the street, and another Senator soon over
took me, whom 1 knew, and for a time we
talked about everything else but the SUBJ
ject uppermost in my mind, Finally COM
mented upon speech Of q Senator during
The degree of knowledge I seemed to have,
which was almost all conjecture, soon
opened his mouth, and before WilIard's was
reached my task was virtually ended Yet
he was not garrulous, only of his guard, and
did not measure his words. Besides, as I
seemed, to his mind, to know about what
had happened, there was less reserve than
usual. A social visit to one or two other
Senators during the evening, with like re-
suits, made the story complete. 1t was then
easy to write a very good description Of
what went on in executive session that day,
and yet who told the storyf
1t was printed next morning, and the pa.
per reached Washington about the opening
Of Congress. Having had several experiences
a a n rd NJ iol
consequence, dismissed IL from my mind and
went about a new days work. That evening
was astonished upon going to the office to
have Mr.. Colburn call me into his private
room and announce that the very Senator
who had given me the lever with which to
get the news wanted out OF his associates
"secret session" of that day. read the dis
patch, and made several comments upon the
fact that it was seemingly impossible for
the Senate to have any secrets from the
"the outrage" by offering a resolution
authorizing the Committee on Privileges
and Elections to investigate the ways by
which the rights of the Senate were being
violated.
The Source Of Information Il Sacred.
MIR. Colburn laughed heartily. for he
knew in confidence where the meat for the
dispatch came from. as was his right. We
discussed the subject at some length, and in
in case I was called before tho committee.
"No question relating to the sources of my
will be answered by me-"
"That is right" said he. "and you may
rest assured that you will be protected in
case the matter comes to an ISSUE"
Later the same evening Mr.. Colburn called
upon Oliver P. Morton, the great Senator
from Indiana, Chairman of the committee
charged with the duty of making the inves- |
tigation into the corrupt means used by |
newspapers in finding out the secrets of |
the executive sessions. During the conver- |
sation MI. Morton told the Journalist that |
he had great curiosity to know how it was |
possible for his guild to gather what went
him such answer as he desired, but what |
followed may furnish the clew to his re- |
marks.
The office was door or two distant FROM
the hotel 1 was summoned there and shown |
into the Senator's room. I think Mr.. John |
M. Carson, clerk of the Committee on Ways |
many such experiences himself, as the one |
am relating, was present, or came in during |
the conversation. At least he knows all !
about it. for he was Mr.; Colburn's chief lieu.
tenant in the work of the office. was asked |
for the story of how I secured the material |
for the dispatch of the day before, which
had created such commotion. Without
to Senator Morton. He seemed very much |
amused, and asked ii that were the general
practice among writer's who sought the |
''secrets'' of the Senate. An affirmative
answer was readily given. II remember
right he asked If I had ever received infor
nation OF any character from an employe OF
the Senate about an executive session and |
him candidly: Never, nor never
asked for any from Them and 1 do not be-
lieve any other newspaper men ever did"
At this he grew thoughtful, and quite
occurred about the general
of procedure, and he received the
explanation of how easy the task was to get
The news after q start was made. The SeEa-
tor turned to Mr.. Colburn and suggested q
1esire to know particulars. They were not
tificult to give.
Foreknowledge Powerful Weapon.
ANY subject, went on Mr.. Colburn, i'm
oortant enough to be discussed with closed
ioors was carefully watched in every we'll
regulated bureau far in advance OF its dis
,ussion in executive session. The temper o.
Senator's toward it was quietly obtained.
when they had right to discuss 1t as freely
Is any other citizen. This was kept in mind
Until the necessity for its use came. and
The Senators upon the subject, and knew
low most of them felt in relation to it. |
When the issue came his thoughts were all
,entered upon this one matter, while the
senator to be reached was not so deeply en-
crossed with the one duty Of the hour.
10 start WITH and sometimes n single word
vould recall what the public man had said
weeks or months before: That liked his
,lace now, and was the beginning OF the
md. Weaving his own theory, the writer
lsed the one word or idea caught enabling
lpon matter supposed to be secret.
frequently much WAS Rniued from 4