Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-25
THE SLEEPY SENATE.
That Body Has Done Nothing So Far
This Season.
Library Wanted for the People Senator Wal
colt and His Bicycle.

holiday season has arrived in congress,
and the two houses will not meet again
till after New YEARS.. AS usual, nothing
of Importance has been done in congress
up to the holiday adjournment. The leg
islative machine is rarely well oiled up
and running till after Christmas and New
Years are out of the way. The house, al
ways more industrious than the senate
has passed two or three of the appropria-
tion bills and has made q start toward
the currency bill, but the senate has done
next to nothing. Last week the senate ad-
journed from Thursday afternoon to Mon
day morning, and when Monday came it
did not have quorum, though the point
of no quorum was not raised, and the ses-
sion was held as usual. On Thursday the
statues of Webster and Clark were IN
veiled, and now comes the holiday recess.
1t is not much wonder, therefore, that the
senate fails to get down to business. Old
senators say there is less life and spirit
among the members of tho senate than
ever before in their recollection. Every
one appears to be convinced there will be
no important legislation, and SO every one
is going to sleep.
Easily Tired.
1t is almost always holiday in the
senate. Very few of tho senators work
hard. Last summer during consideration
Of the tariff bill some hard work was done
for few weeks by the members CT the
finance and conference committees, and to
this day those industrious statesmen are
talking about the sacrifices which they
made for the country on that occasion.
One of them claims he 'risked his life' in
order to push the tariff bill through.
While it is true n few senators did have
rather hard time of it sitting up all
hours in the hot weather with their task,
the great majority Of senators took things
supremely easy, as they always do. Al
most all the work they have to do can be
turned over to their assistants, and the
senator who works with his own hands Is
an exception to the rule. The sessions are
short and not at all onerous, for constant
attendance is not at all necessary, and
there are the snuggest cloakrooms and
committee rooms, fitted with luxurious
couches and many other conveniences, to
retire to when weary of senatorial elo-
qucnce.
One of tho peculiarities of Washington
is that there is no public library here, nc
institution from which common people
may draw books. The national capital is
a city Of libraries, but thore is not even O
sign of q library for the masses. The
Congressional library is reserved for the
exclusive use of congress and certain oil
cials of tho government designated by
law, though very small number of poo
pie do en- joy the privilege of drawing books
through the favor of members Of the house
and senate. The library is open to any
well behaved person for reading on the
premises, though not for taking books
home 1t would not be of much advantage
TO the people of the District to throw the
library open to them, unless the hours of
that institution were changed. 1t closes
its doors at 4 in tho afternoon, when CON
cress is not in session, and at the hour OF
adjournment of congress when congress is
here. 1t has been proposed to create pub
lie library here by taking duplicate books
from the Congressional library and tn =
department libraries, but congress VIII
not even appropriate money for renting a
room for such an institution.
Senator Wolcott on a Bicycle.
Senator Wolcott, tho brilliant orator
from Colorado, who will soon go before
the legislature of his state for reelection,
has taken to the popular pastiTno of blcy
cling. He took it up to ward oil increasing
corpulence and says he is glad he did. Now
and then his senatorial friends guy hin
a littlo about his bicycle, but he is quit'
able to tako caro- of himself at the game o.
chatting. The part of wheeling which NJ
does not like is the great amount OF atteD
tion which he attracts when ho goes spin
ming down Pennsylvania avenue. Ton
johnson, tho millionaire congressman
from Ohio, is another enthusiastic wheel
man.