Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-09

Visitors No Longer Permitted to Roam
About at VIII.

About ut VIII.
A great deal of comment has been ex-
cited since Congress opened by the most
recent development of exclusiveness on the
part of the Senate-an exclusiveness which
appears to have reached the point OF the
ridiculous. The Senate meets at IL o'clock
Seldom is there Senator in the chamber
earlier than ten minutes before the hour OF
meeting. Usually the Senate chamber is
deserted until within a minute or two be-
fore the Vice Presidents gavel falls. WASH
ington Is the Mecca of excursionists, and
every free-born American citizen Who Wis
its the national capital for the first time is
anxious at once to visit the hall OF the
House and the Senate chamber and tread
the sacred boards where our American
statesmen have represented or misrepre-
sented the American people.
While the two houses of Congress are in
session all the world knows that none ex-
cept those who have been canonized by the
elective votes of a constituency are entitled
to enter these precincts. but the average
American citizen, male or female, feels 1t
to be one of the privileges of this free coun-
try to enter these halls and breathe the
sanctifed atmosphere and in general way
feel that they have visited the scenes of so
much that Is interesting to this country.
There Is nothing hallowed to the habitue
of the Capitol. but to those who visit Wash
ington once in a lifetime every stone and
every article of furniture in the legislative
halls Is an object OF more or less yenera-
ton and there is a patriotic pride in stand
ing where some great man has stood, or
sitting where some great man has sat.
The privilege Of passing freely through
the building between the hours OF . and
IL 80 has always heretofore been accorded
the public when there has not been an ex-
traordinarily early session Of Congress.
The public have stood in awe of executive
sessions but in the absence of the Senate
they have felt at liberty to move about at
will, and the average tourist usually tip
toes through the chamber and speaks under
his breath. Since the opening of this ses-
sion, however, the new rule has gone into
force which has caused establishment among
those who do not know the reason for IT,
and excited many adverse comments. Now
the doors of the Senate chamber are kept
closed from the time the building is opened
at 0 o'clock until the Senate opens, and
consequently no person who Is not entitled
to the floor of the Senate during it's ses-
sions is admitted to the chamber at any
time. Pages are stationed at each door
from O'Clock until they are relieved by
the regular doorkeepers and also in the
corridors leading to the principal elevator.
to see that no one approaches. Strangers
who visit Washington are thus deprived Of
ar opportunity to enter the hall and they
must deparC satisfied with a view from the
gallery.
This naturally has excited considerable
earnest criticism. and Is spoken of as a de-
velopment of senatorial exclusiveness Yet
there is an excuse for II, which, IL not al
together satisfactory. is still very good eX-
cuse. The committee of the Senate in
charge of the matter and the officials whose
duty II Is to preserve order and public prop
erty, feel that no measure short of this ex-
IRENE watchfulness was adequate to pre-
serve public property. The acts Of vandal-
ism by tourists at the Capitol during this
year would excite envy in the breast of
Jack the Slasher." There has always been
more or less destruction Of property and
marring of buildings by relic hunters in
Washington. but during this year of the
worlds fair and the invasion of tourists 1t
has exceeded anything in the past and the
Senate officials have actually been driven
adopted.
Expensive damask silk curtains of fine
lace in the reception hall back of the Senate
and In the Presidents room have been
shipped with scissors by the relic hnuters
and in the marble room a chunk probably
nine inches by three has been cut out of a
magnificent Smyrna rug. which had been
recently purchased In the Senate chamber
proper they have interfered with papers left
carelessly by Senators on their desks, and
nothing but the most careful watchfulness
mas prevented the destruction of furniture
On the white marble column at the head of
the west staircase leading to the Senate gal
lery initials and dates have been scratched
ana there has been a general disregard of
the propr1ety of rights of Uncle Sam and of
all properties and decencies.