Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-23
CAPITOL VISITORS.
Some Of the Callers on Senators and
Representatives.
MOST OF THEM ARE OFFICE SEEKERS.
If Not for Themselves, Then for
Their Relatives.
SOME OE THE CRANKS.

SOME OF THE CRANKS.
Not all the people who haunt the Capitol
pre- office seekers. but q goodly pIopor-
fton Of them are. They come from all sec
fions Of the country and represent all
classes Of society. OF all the great con-
course that streams through the corridors
Of the vast building day after day the Of
ice seekers are the most foriorn looking.
They importune their Senators and Repre-
ssntatives over and again. and refuse to he
turned from the phantom they are pursu-
ing. Before Congress meets every day the
general reception room to the south Of the
Senate chamber is full to crowJinx with
those waiting to send In their cards TO Sen
ators. majority of these are after Of
nee. either for themselves or for relatives
or friends. By the time the Invocation OF
the chaplain is finished the bits OF card
Board begin to fall In showers upon the
oesks Of the statesmen. These gentlemen
do not have time to go through their mail
before they are INTERRUPTED by callers
me visitors hand their cards TO one or
Inc other of the numerous doO-5eepers and
ssslstants; and retire TO the great leather
covered chairs and sofas scattered around
tne reception room to await the result 1t
is a noticeable fact that women largely
predominate in these waiting and anxious
haps II Is thought that their earnest sol,tl-
tuoe Will more fayorably and deeply irp-
press the men who are supposed to control
the dispensation OF official favors. They are
81 All ages. appearances. AMI conditions.
Inc fashionable society woman elbows her
more humble sister of the work "A -day
world. and olushing. diffident young girls
sit ana wait by the side Of aged. iunrm wo-
men in the scar and yellow leaf SIX rus
Ties against the simple garb Of the humble
poor, anu beauty smiles into the face Of de-
enspi. age Many Of them walt long and
Patiently without reward. Their Senator ts
not IN, or he IL engaged" or he sends
word please to call again" And the re-
eipient Of the message goes away With a
Law neart and troubled countenance, to
Couie again In Few days and try IL all
over again.
Others Are More Fortunate.
others are more fortunate II will usu-
any De noticed that these are apparently
people Of more importance, more entitled
10 consideration perhaps The messsnser
returns and calls out. who wanted to see
Senator Gorman?' or Senator Brtce, or
s son o.her senator And then the lucky
anu ADVANCE eagerly. TO be shown into the
marble room. Just on the lobby of the Sem
ATE chamber. where the Senators usually
receiv. their callers for business Inter
views Sometimes. however they come out
INTO the reception room and talk to them
there- This Is when they wish to make
ths interview brief. knowing that they can
Aot De IoLowed back into the sacred pre-
chcts OF the legislative halls For two or
tnree hours after the Senate meets this re-
eeption room Is crowded. and the messen-
Sefs are kept busy carrying In cards and
bringing back responses Even after the
nrst crush OF the morning is over the caII-
erS are sufficiently numerous to All the
,hs.i ana s9ras OF the waiting room. and
mere Is no ':rne during the day when the
coming of Senator Is not anxiousiv
aSaIteu by some one In the reception room.
senator Gorman has a great many callers
A. the Capitol and he usually gives All Of
Them audience. He always has them
shown 10 the marble room and there listens
patiently to their requests The close
easily accessible, and much of his time
Is consumed in this way. Senator Rrice ia
also much sought after at the Capitol his
callers being very numerous Senator Hin
receives great many cards and can al
ways be seen by those having actual busi
ness with him. Sometimes, however IL he
Is ehgased with correspondence or other
wise ne Will send a request that his caller
see him at his hotel. There he IL as much
Sought after as at the Capitol Senator
daWley usually comes out into the recep-
tion room to see his callers and has a way
or strolling about the corridors with them
as they earnestly state their wants. OF
the southern Senators perhaps Senators
tfordon and Ransom and the two Alabama
Senators have the greatest number of Cap
ltoi callers. The southern Senators are
usually very particular to see any Of their
u
lrity is more affected by their hospitality
taan Is that OF Senator from the north.
At the House End.
During this crush around the Senate doors
similar scenes are being enacted at the
House end of the building. The Repre-
sentauves. however, receive their visitors
with less formality. and dispose Of them
more rapidly. They hurry out in a very
business-like manner and usually talk with
them In the corridors near the House en-
frances or take them over into the semi
privacy OF a window recess. Sometimes
they repair to the seats provided In the
statuary hall for congressional callers but
these are always well filed. and IL a MEM
Der thinks he can get through the inter-
view quickly he does not 20 far away from
the House entrance
The missions that carry these people daily
70 the Capitoi are varied. but nearly. all OF
them want money from the government In
one way or another. With most of them ~
Is simple office seeking. They baye come
10 washington after an Office. and they are
determined to have something Or they
are after promotion or office for relatives
OF government aid OF some other nature
me army OF the office seekers is always
ful. and their number never decreases
They are here all the year around hut q
session OF Congress multiplies them MANY
tunes They come with great aspirations.
1nd usually meet great disappointments
they aim high" but they rarely secure
the game for which they first 90 yunninr
Generally. after waiting weary weeks and
months. suffering disappointment after dis
appointment. and running low In money
they are glad to accept anything they can
get About the corridors Of the Capitol
may De seen any day. In the uniform Of a
Sapitoi policeman. a minister Of the gospel
VINO was candidate for the post of chan
lain OF the present House before that body
organized for business. He came from the
1ar west. and his canvass for the coveted
position gave him such a craving for once
tnat ne could not reconcile himself To the
1oea OF returning home empty handed
When he found that he could not nfnister
70 the spiritual needs of the House he de-
termined to serve that body In some other
capacity. and after seeing several Other
prizes slip through his fingers he landed he
nind the brass buttons of a conseryator Of
the peace VI
A young man who came here from the
south after an Office has been even r,ors
2niucky. He reached the city when ,hs
oenate met In special session last March
Win MS heart set on a committee clerk.
enip. which his Senator had partially nrom-
ned him All these months he has waite,l
ana a. last saw the desire of his heart
AWARDED to another man Meantime HE
money has melted away. and now he Is beg
eng for position as a means of livelihood
Without regard to the honor ATTENDING
when he first reached the capital his purse
vas well filled and he spent money win a
Lac