The Washington times., 1894-05-15
CLOAK ROOM AND GALLERY.

Congressman Geissenhainer, of New Jersey,
is one OF the most sociable men in the House,
and has host Of friends, both on his own
side and the Republican side OF the chamber.
One OF his great cronies is DR.. "Billy"
Everett, the Quincy Academy school teacher,
and the other is Speaker Crisp. who is. like
Mr.. Geissenhainer, n good authority on the
merits Of cigars. Every now and then dur
ing debate the two will get together and
get into an animated discussion on some topic
at the Speakers desk, with the result that
the genial Georgian forgets what is going on,
Geissenhainer Is noted for wit and bright
stories.
Probably the average citizen has very
vague idea OF the consideration which MEM
bers of Congress receive from two classes Of
the community-newspaper publishers and
stock brokers. One Chicago paper, for f.
stance, puts every Congressman and Senator
on its dead-head mailing list. A st. Louis pa
per is equally generous with its free copies.
New York publishers know enough to keep
out of it, as matter of useless extravaganza.
Then each Congressman and Senator receives
alarge budget of dailies and weeklies through
out his state.
When it comes to the stock brokers. there
are at least dozen firms which send their
circular letters to our national legislators, tell
ing them what to buy and for how much.
Two or three send letters to all Congressman.
those with money as well rs those without
On the desk OF one member, who would as
soon think of suiside as Of Specializing, saw
four different letters the other day.
Mr.. Milburn, the blind chaplain of the Sem
ate, does not confine his post-benediction
visits to the north wing of the Capitol alone.
Very often he comes over to the House and
under the conduct of page makes a round
of calls there.
He makes it point to make at least one
Senatorial call, either in the chamber or a
committee room, every day. Yesterday he
offered the opening prayer in the House, FOR
the first time in some months.
Congressman Bryan is rushing his Senate
rial ambitions rather hard just now. He is in
the Senate almost every day getting prepared
in advance for the honor which he courts.
When Senator Manderson's term expires,
which is next March, Bryan will be ready
for hot Senatorial fight, and although he
is personally popular man, he stands in an
exceedingly unfortunate position to an out
and-out Democrat, as being regarded as more
Of a Populist than Democrat This. it is
said in some quarters, may be the bridge on
which he will finally cross to victory as his
friends say he may be able to get the support
of both parties.
However, parties in Kansas and Nebraska
have about as much shape as q handful of
potter's clay, and the final shape of the politi-
cal fabric of 1895 can be guessed perhaps, but
not predicted.
One of the earlier lunchers in the House
is Galusha A. Grow. As an old school gentle
man he has probably accustomed himself to
his midday meal as near noon as possible.
In general, the country members are the
early lunchers and the city members the late
ones. But the rule does not hold in all cases
by any means. and depends to large extent
on the question Of pending bills. For irregu-
larity in eating. IN active member OF Congress
is as bad as the ordinarily rushed business
man.
Some OF the old staGers in the Senate, to
whom politics is a game and nothing else,
derive a great deal of satisfaction from
tangle like the present one over the tariff bill
They can get up i'll the most serious matter
and make some hypocritical argument with
all the determination and interest and vigor |
that an honest propagandist might.
Tom Reed has peculiar droop of the left |
shoulder which is always marked, though it is |
much more noticeable at some times than at |
others.
When the Maine statesman comes into the |
Senate, as he does frequently nowadays dur |
ing the tariff discussion. he ambles along in |
an easy way until he gets TO the folding doors.
then droops his left shoulder. slides in aud |
lets the same shoulder drop down to its usual |
position. which must be an inch at least lower |
than its fellow. No one in Senate or House |
has trick that is anything like this unusual |
one of Reeds.
Speaking of personal peculiarities, John
Dalzell, of Pittsburg, is another leading men,
Der of the House who has his little peculiar
iarity. 1t consists of the soaring pose OF his |
head when he is rapidly in motion.
Quay has the same trick. and the resem- |
blance between the Pennsylvania Senator and |
the would-be and wiil-be Pennsylvania Sena-
tor is often heightened by this oddity.