Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-17
CONGRESSIONAL CLERKS.
A. Proposition to Exclude Them From
the Press Gallery.

the Press gallery.
Washington Correspondent New York Times
There are something like $50 newspaper
representatives entitled to the privilege
of the galleries In an interesting session.
There are $50 members OF the House ana 90
members Of ths Senate. 1t is not neces-
sarv to do more than direct attention to
these figures and the opportunities pre-
scented to the dependent press to see what
this may come to. If the newspapers de-
string to have correspondents here would
accent the services of congressional clerks,
maid by the government, presumably to
serve the members Of Congress, 1t would
be possible in one short session for the
members of Congress to fill the press gal
leries with correspondents, paid by the tax
PAYERS and subject to the whims or Sena-
tors and Representatives. newspapers that
were willing to be subjected 10 the chahce
of missing all censure of members would
willingly save the expense OF washington
correspondence, and the members, pE
little careful conniving, could assure them-
selves of escape from all nasty denuncla-
ton II they happened to dabble In I'M
worthy schemes. To make acqulescence IN
such a plan possible the newspapers would
be compelled to keep the facts from their
readers unless those readers had insisted
upon having their information supplied py
suboTned agents.
1t Is a good sign that the newspaper cor
dency to displace Independent writers by
clerks who must in decency refrain at least
from harshy criticising the men who give
them their clerical positions at 500, S2oo
or $500 a month
Years ago, when the rules governing ad-
mission to the press galleries were not so
strict as they now are owing 10 the prac-
tice on the part of clerks of the executive
departments to secure appointments as
CORRESPONDENTS, the rule was adopted by
which persons carried on the executive rolls
were excluded from gallery privileges. Gov
eminent clerks crowded out the men VINO
were only correspondents, and for self
protection the rule of exclusion was adopt
ed. Now that the necessity for change
in the rules to exclude congressional clerks
ia indicated as desirable, the possibility OF
congressional opposition Is suggested.
should the members of the press conclude
to change the rules governing admission to
their ranks in the galleries, II would be
necessary to submit such a change to the
Sneaker of the House and to the Senate
COMMITTEES on rules for approval. Should
such a change be advised by the body of
nress correspondents, the presumption Ia
that the Senate and the House would ap-
nrove II. There is some possibility that the
Sanators who have a dislike of the indie
nendent correspondent, and who see in the
new practice the opportunity of Kidding the
Congress of such noxious things, would OPP
nose q rule that would limit the use Of
the galleries to men whose chief vocation
was that Of correspondents. At all events,
the Congress ought to have a chance to
saw, by action on a proposed change, what
il thinks of the prospect of filling the gal
Ieries with correspondents maintained by
government subsidies to take care Of
particular members.
This Is a matter which will, Of course
mend itself as soon as public attention is
directed to 1t. The country will not be
ready for a press gallery equipped in this
way with the squires or members Of either
the Senate or the House, until the readers
Of a6u tad
to the acceptance of fabby compliment
paid out daily to the man who picks out
his own Photographer and pays him out Of
the pockets of the people. So sure is the
practice destined to eventual abolition that
IL may be said to be now on the wane
while it is reported as growing. The big
ger it gets the more speedy will its end
come. With proper publicity-and no one
can question the propriety of giving ample
publicity to the existence of a subsidized
press in the Congress galleries|t must
become as unpopular as the practice, dis
couraged only few years ago, Of report
ing newspaper men as polishers of furni-