Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-08-11
CONGRESS At WORK.
Debating in Newly Furnished and
Well Ventilated Halls.
Ssaats ests Eres lsaoaads asd SAavss-
aesss esis fres Secretaries.
WASHINGTON. Aug. lo.--The Capitol is

| al ahons ix tAe unWary to stumble over,
| With huge VOLS Of carpets In the lobbieA
Theuphoassefers. the painters. the plumb
| Rs and tho scrubbefs have been bounced,
| and congress meets in halls sweet and in
| visin9.
Heated debates over the financial situa-
ton may warm the blood Of some Of the
| members, but those who preserve even
teInpers find that much OF the talk about
the terrors Of the dog days In Washington
is bo<h. and the capitol is the coolest place
In town Within its massive walls the
rays ofshe sun do not penetrate. The cool
hssssa from the Potomac sweep in the
southssn windows and play hide and seek
with one another in the shadowy corridors.
The hsavy furnishings OF winter are gone,
| and there are cold air ducts by means Of
winch fresh outside air may be pumped
into the building whenever the torridity of
debate raises the temperature. Altogether
the good wives at seashore or country 10
treats need not worry and fret because
poor John. You know, has TO go to
that frighsfuliy hot Washington in Au-
gust to help save the country and make
the finances safe again" John can take
care Of himself and find a little fun
in doing ii, too. even II the weather
10 warm and fashionable society out OF
town. The best advice his better half
can give him is to take the cable cars
and ride up the hill on which the capitol
seauds, for the walk in the glare of the sun
Is heating. and he may catch cold from
cooling of too rapidly within the shady,
breezy recesses Of the building.
The heavy Fortieres and curtains have
been taken down about the cloakrooms
aud l.,bh Of ha "a nhap
dusty carpets removed, and fresh, sweet
smelling mating laid. The desks have
been put in order and polished, large sup
ply Of fans secured. and a larger stock of
apollinaris and lemons stored away TO be
prepared by a colored artist as thirst
quenohers. Colonel Dick Bright has sue
ceeded Sergeant at Arms Valentine. and he
has studied SO long how 10 pluck the good
things Of life by the wayside that no fear is
entertained of failure to make things
comfortable. Over on the house side the
members have to chip in from their private
purse whenever they wish lemons and
water. This is one result of going out of
power every two years Like all other con-
tinuing bodies, the senate gathers little
moss with increasing age, and when once
an addition is made to its perquisiteS never
relinquishes ii. There was great horl
when it was discovered that out Of
elastic contingent fund the senators had
provided themselves with BARRIERS at pub
lie expense. but the BARRIERS were retained,
and now a shave, some refreshing hay rum
and a bath are awaiting any senator whn
feels little frazzled from his exacting
duties.
The house will look little different now
to its members, as under the new appor-
tionment act made to fit the 1880 census
room had to be made for 25 more members
than were in the last house This addition
to the seating capacity has considerably
diminished the quarters where members
may loll at case and hear what is going on,
and now most of them viii have to literally
obey the rules and go to the cloakrooms
when they want to smoke and swap remi-
niscences
The provision for the new members is only
temporary, and the house may be called on
TO make permanent arrangements for its
own accommodation later in the session.
There are several plans for this drawn and
before the speaker. The most radical is
that of Bourke Cochran, who, being an ora
tor, naturally wants the accessories, when
changed, to be favorable to members with
gift of eloquent talk.
He purposes to completely change the
hall and remodel it on the style of the Eng
lish house Of commons. Mr.. Cochran wants
all the desks removed and benches provided
for the members. Nowadays a member at
tends to a large part of his correspondence
while the speaking is going on about him.
Tammany's orator wants TO compel men
to listen or leave the hall, and he thinks
this will be the result if no desks be pro-
Ial ant .lufa
smaller hall than the present one. which
is so large as to strain the voice of three
fourths Of the members. Mr.. Cochran has
the support of ex-Speaker Reed for his plan,
which is really their joint production. Mr..
Reed also would like more attention paid
to the general debates and fuller publica
tion in the newspapers.
The plan Of these two leading members
would involve such great change that it
chances of adoption are slim. Speaker
Crisp recognized the fact that 1t could only
be adopted after long debate and so IN the
last congress simply put this and other
plans involving considerable expenditure
away and merely added the necessary addi-
tional seats. the expense of which could be
borne by the contingent fund.
The adage that every change makes All.
other change may be again eXemplifed in
this matter. This year for the first time
each representative has authority to EN-
ploy clerk and pay him out of the public
treasury not over 500 month. Members
will therefore not be under the same neces-
sity Of personally writing their correspond
ence, and this fact and the need of quar-
ters in which to dictate correspondence to
their clerks may do more than eloquence
and reason to model our house OF represent
atives on the plan Of the English com
mons
Speaker Crisp has new desk top. He needs
it, The old top is in the cabinet makers The
cloth is worn and the wood dented, pock-
marked and splintered. Water, it is said,
wears away stone in time, and the constant
thump OF the speakers gavel in his efforts
to keep the house in order while dozen
members are lung shifting at once tells
sadly on his desk in the course of a con-
gress. The blows with the gavel are not
always gentle taps. In real breezy times
they would be enough to put Peter jack
son to sleep II landed on the jaw OF the
negro pugilist. Crisp's last sounding board
! is eaten away for a distance two feet long
and foot wide, in places as much as an
I inch, and gouges at a greater distance tell
of vicious rsps when the speakers ire was
| aroused and he lungei wildly in the air
[ with his weapon OF authority. Speaker
( Reeds desk is also in the repair shop 1t
! is a study in splinters for the speculative
! philosopher.
! Mr.. Cr;sp's desk was OF pine. Mr.. Reeds
was of hard wood, but It ia gnawed - II
/ rodents had heen hungry andmafSe meal
( of it. There are the signs q many hard
| raps, and here and there are savage cuts
| that speak Of turbalen. Democrats shout
! ing "Czarr' Gag ruler and other ejacula-
| tions at the speaker Of the celebrated Fifty