Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-08

ed If the elevator man were to ask them il
they wished to be carried up when the 9th
er passengers wanted to go down, while
some of their confreres wonld feel insulted
If the slightest hesitation were shown about
consulting and obeying their wishes.
After all, il is more the individual than
the parliamentary body to which he be
longs. At the house end of the capitol q
card is frequently hung on one Of the Gle
vators. For Members and Their Families
Only, = and no one takesany exception to it,
recognizing the right of members to secure
to themselves, their friends and families
immunity from the crowding and jostline
on days of large attendance in the galleries
The same rule put into force at the senate
raises storm of denunciation. In many
ways the senate, with all its tendency to
ward exclusiyeness, has been more gener
Gus to visitors and to representatives Of the
press than has the house of representatives
It is only within the past few months that
the splendid lobby in the rear of the house
-one of the most spacious and beautiful
apartments in the capitol-has been used
by any one bus members OF the house.
Neither representatives of the press nor the
iTeltiS vi IilEtIDfio oClS ~ ietSi
within its sacred precincts while the house
was in session. Callers upon members we're
compelled to hold their interviews in the
public corridors, where privacy is impossi-
Bile, and where there are no accommcda-
tions Whatever in the way Of seats or sofas.
Now the rule has been changed in so far
that representatives of the press are given
access to the lobby for the purpose of talk
ing with members, but as soon as their
business is concluded they ere required to
depart.
Rules Rigidly Drawn.
The corresponding lobby il the rear OF
the senate chamber, another beautiful
apartment known as the Marble room,
has for many years been freely used as a
meeting place between senators and their
visitors. Newspaper correspondents have
always had access TO it without any formal,
ity, while other callers upon senators have
been shown into the room as soon rs their
cards had been presented to the senators
and the latter had expressed 4 Willingness
to receive the visitors.
TO this day newspaper men are not al
lowed On the floor Of the house. The only
journalists who have the right to the floor
are the official reporters of the two press
associations-six men in all. There has
been no way Of getting round the rule. In
the senate, however, many newspaper men
have enjoyed the privileges of the floor
and few do to this day. This was accom-
plished under the rule which permits a SEN
atcr to employ a secretary at the expense
of the government and to have that secre
tary come on the floor for the purpose OF
,r-stb I,i nh
his wishes. Two or three years ago as many
as 20 newspaper correspondents were on the
rolls Of the senate as clerks to senators
and as such had the right to pass in and
ont at will Except in one or two cases
they drew no salary for this nominal serv.
ice, or if they did draw it promptly turned
it over to the person who actually perform
ed the work which they We're nominally
responsible for
This way of beating the rules was in time
so much abused so many newspaper men
spending half their time on the floor and
causing comment and unpleasant remarks
among those senators who did not believe
in the practice, that now the rules are
drawn more rigidly, and but five or six
newspaper men care to subject themselves
to criticism in order to secure the advan-
tages of access to the floor. As . rule ths
newspaper correspondents are self respect
ing lot. So long as the practice was gen.
eral and was winlled at by all concerned,
they were willing to take advantage of the
laXness with which therules were enforced
But to force ones way in where he knows
he is not wanted is Il different matter, and
20 or more correspondents who could have
this privileged they chose to exert them
selves for it have voluntarily refrained.
Lortliy John j. Ingalls,.
John J. ingalls, was The most persistent
stickler for the dignity Of the senate, and
he never was in favor of permitting news
paper men 10 have the privilege of the
floor under the fiction OF being clerks tc
senators. As presiding officer of the senat,
Mr.. Ingalls, used to keep an eagle eyeon the
doors, and whenever he saw Il man enter
who was unknown to him he sent n ser
geant-at-arms 30 ascertain by what right
the intruder occupied space in the chamber
II there was dCuht about the matter at all
ingalls, had the man promptly invited out.
ingalls, used to boil with rage sometimes AZ
he looked about the floor and saw so many
young men, correspondents, committee
clerks and secretaries to senators, sitting Oh
the sofas. He organized regular crusade
against this interoping, which he claimed
was undignified and calculated to lead to
the degeneration of the chamber into q
mere lettering place. Through his efforts a
siricter application of the rules was at
length brought about and now the floor OF
the senate chamber is comparatively free
from the presence of persons who are not
employees or senators.
The senate is more exclusive than the
house in certain ways, but not extensively
so. In the restaurant two rooms are set
apart for the use of senators and their
guests, and the public is not admitted I'M
less on the invitation OF senator Repre-.
sentatives have the same rights in these
rooms US senators, and many members Of
the house do go over to the senate restau-
rant for their luneheons, largely because OF
the advantages offered by this reservation
of apartments for the use of people who are
known to each other In the house res
taurant no such reservation is made and
statesmen, employees, lobbyists, strangers
and everybody dine together indiscrimi
nately.
He Was Asleep.
Senatorial e&clusiyencss now and then
becomes offensive, but not often. For in
stance. it is not pleasant to attempt en-
trance 10 a committee room and to be met
at the door by Waterman who informs
YOU that YOU are not permitted inside. You