The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-01

Southerners. Any one may tell them
by their liquid brogue, their soft hats,
and by their incessant and exemplary
politeness.
One reason for their numbers is that
since the Southerners have come to be
the senior Democrats they dominate
the situation. They have been here
since they became of age, and it is the
good custom of the South to keep its
men here till they die. That is what
makes the South so politically strong
in Washington. It's representatives ale
old and experienced.
Whoever enters the calm OF the Sen
ate side of the Capitol notices it at once.
It is sort of pro-silver doldrum just
now. If the visitor is seeking Senator,
he is bidden to 60 to the so-called re-
ception room. This is fine enough to
be part of European capital. Its floor
is masterpiece of art, made Of colored
tiles. It's walls are frescoed like the
night time bellies Of upper Broadway.
It's ornate ceiling seems to have its
pattern carved out of gold, and its
panels bear beautiful paintings. Around
the room are soft sofas of padded leath-
er, beautiful brouzes, costly clocks,
screens of japanese silk embroidered
with gold. and, in short, sum of
magnificence fit to prepare private
citizen for a meeting with q Senator.
Even from this room no man or woman
may send ir his or her card until after
2 o'clock in the afternoon, because of a
rock.ribbed old piece Of folderol to the
effect that Senators are busy until that
hour. If the time is fit and the SeEa-
tor is condescending, the visitor is sent
into the marble room, and into that
the Senator lounges like prince. The
marble room is a long saloon, all Of
marble and reac'' ing from the Vice
Presidents to the Presidents room.. Its
length is artfully exaggerated by tower
ing mirrors at either end. They multi
ply the gold candelabra and the carved
pillars indefinitely. About the room
are leather sofas, thick rugs, bronzes,
pieces of marble statuary, and all the
rest that is needed to contribute to the
assumed greatness of these political
pillars.
There have been so many rich Sena-
tors within recent years that the public
fancies that these men form great
rich mems club. This is not the case.
A great many are poor. While there
are men to whom a Senator's salary is
a bagatelle, who have given their SAL
aries to their clerks, and who have
spent one-6fth as much upon single
dinner, yet the body is still Democratic
enough to contain men who not only
live upon their salaries, but save money
out of them. These men live in Sec
ond-class boarding house, as President
Harrison used to do when he was in
the Senate. At least one of them lives
within thousand dollars a year, and
one is known to have borrowed bed
room in his boarding house and rented
it out for dollar a night during a
festival that brought crowds to the
capital. -.
These are not the men ofwealth who
give gay dinner parties in the commit
tee rooms, gathering beautiful women
in the splendid chambers and calling
upon the walters who stagger through
the halls bearing champagne and ices.
But no matter what the degree of poll
tics of most of these poor Senators,
they are punctil;ous in demanding re-
spect for their rank, and, though they
may go about as shabbily clad as they
please, their wives reign as social
queens. even in the humble boarding
houses.