Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-11-05
THE SENATE GALLERIES.
Curious People who Go to Get a
Bird's-Eye View OF Statesmen.

Curious People who Go TO Get n
Bird's-Eye View OF fstatesmen.
(washington Letter to Philadelphia Tcle-
gram)
All day long there is a roceding wall OF
faces on the four sides Of the chamber gaz-
ing eagerly down into the arena, lil;e
picture from ancient Rome, There is a
constant disputation carried on in an un-
dertone as to the relative merits OF the
champions, and approval or disapproval &C.
casionally breaks out into applause or
grumbling Smith is trying to explain tho
situation to his noighbor Jones. who thinks
he knows more about it himself, and bets
are made on various moves in the proceed
ings and on the final result OF course,
money is not held in the air as at a race
track, but 1t quietly changes hands right
In the galleries.
Tha character Of the male portion o. the
audience Is unusual. Those who take only
u curious interest Ia the thing are very in
significant number and almost as iusigniti-
cant Is the number Of those who ar resi-
dents Of tie city They arc mostly strang-
ers attracted by this contest, and they are
OF two as markedly distinct classes as are to
ong to the upper class OF business men,
whose interest Ia the outcome is so great
that they are drawn here TO watch tho
fight and are held by that fatal fascination
OF interest which has proved so disastrous
10 80 many claimants who have once put
their faith in congress and have been
chained 10 the chariot wheels Of the
conqueror, Demugogue.
There are men who have seldom before
sat In the galleries or congress aud now II
pals on their business sense. The subtle
ties of legislative methods they do not un-
derstand. and their patience is sorely tried /;
but their very impationCe and anger hold
them here to watch the game out Sitting
shoulder TO shoulder and knee TO knee with
them ars men Of another class in contrast
TO the wcll-dresscd, white-sldnned and
spft-handed banker and merchant They
are perhaps not as numerous us the others,
but they are equally strangers to legisla-
tive halls aud are quite as apt to attract
the eve.
They arc a plainly aud often shabbry
dressed lot, Some have bronScl faces aud
rough hands, with heavy lines in their
cheeks and ucross their brows, like men
who work in the factory or nt the forge by
day, ana often at night assemble together
10 talk over their condition and grOpe
about through the mysteries Of po-
itical economy Along IN the class
with them are men with whslSCrs, and sun
burnt hair, h0mespun clothes, and heavy
boots, who put their hands up to their cars
for trumpets when PETER or Kyle or lrby
talks. Further down the scale come the
pale-faccd, thiu-ipped, wild-eyed mon, who
listen eagerly to all that is said, and run
their fingers ueryously through their long
hair when the bankers Of Wal street are
mentioned or when the oft-repeltcd phrase
about the misses and the classes occurs.
Hour aftor hour this strangely assorted
audience sits and watches the night, and tho
rise aud fail of tho tide Of excitement can
be seen passing bnclS and forth over the
eager faces. Interest, approval anger and
impatenco alternately light and darken tho
couuteuances, and the undercurrent Of an
tagouism is observed in the dark looks OK
changed and the impatient jerk Of the
shoulder or wag of the head.