Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-06
WEATHER INDICATIONS.
How Senators Watch the Little Machine
at the Capitol.
They Regulate Their Wearing Apparel
t-One Thing Only Needed.

The Senators are getting much satisfac-
ton out Of their automatic weather indi-
Gator in the lobby back of the Vice Presi-
dents seat. 1t is attached to lot Of whir-
ligigs, wind vanes, thermometers, barom-
eters on top Of the Capitol building. and
records in the lobby the direction and
velocity of the wind, the extent Of rain
fall, the number Of minutes or hours that
the sun shines. the barometric conditions
and the temperature. This set of instru-
ments, which is not especially novel, has
been in operation in the lobby of the House
for some time. and its adoption by the
Senate is on account of the great utility
which the members of the other House
drew from It. The weather maps in both
ends of the Capitol have been objects Of
great interest to Senators and members for
years. There Is nearly always a group
of statesmen around these maps listening
to an explanation by one of the men in
charge as to the state Of the weather in
each of their homes. The thing has grown
steadily until this weather indicating ap-
paratus has become one of the most valued
adjuncts of official and social life in Wash
ington.
Its influence on Social Affairs.
1t Is chiefly on account Of it's influence
over social affairs that this set Of auto
matte instruments has been set up by the
Senate. More or less dependence has been
placed, locally, in the forecasts on the
weather bureau as to what the weather is
to be in Washington, but spells of weather,
like public opinion, are often DETECTED be-
fore reaching Washington, though they
maybe. on schedule time in other loca-
tions. BY these instruments, however, the
weather maps are read and the statesmen
may learn how the weather is going to
adjust itself, or how they may adjust them
selves to the weather.
Senators and members who are going on
short journeys consult the government
weather man as 20 whether they shall car
ry light or heavy overcoats and determine
by these instruments whether or not they
shall put on their chest protectors and liver
pads.
Regulate Their Wearing Apparel.
Some, before leaving their homes for the
Capitol, telephone down to ascertain what
the instruments say, to decide what sort of
clothes they shall wear, and the fate of
theater parties and receptions for special
evenings is determined by what these in
struments foretell These instruments hay-
ing been in operation in the House for some
thing over a year, members of that body
have come to rely on 1t to such an extent
that they seldom begin their day without
consulting it, and all their social engage
ments which might be affected by wea ther
are gauged by 1t. 1t is seldom that a theater
party or reception in official society Is
held without consultation with this oracle
and festive occasions are frequently post
poned from day to day when 1t presents IN
auspicious signs. The weather bureau re-
ceives daily reports from about Us different
points In the United States, and the state OF
the weather at each of these points is in
dicated on the maps at the Capitol Even
the amount of rainfall, the velocity of the
wind, the temperature whether 1t is cloudy
or sunsniny and whether the water in the
streams and rivers is rising or falling is in
dicated The statesmen can learn these
things at a single glance.
The One Thing Needed.
Uncle Sam furnishes this information sets
their clocks by official time and does for
them many other things to keep them on
the right track and in harmony with nature
There Is just one thing more necessary to
perfect the system of government SUPER
vision, and that deficiency some one has in
geniously suggested shall be corrected by
the establishment of a bureau of public
opinion. 1t is suggested that 1t is quite as
important that statesmen should know the
state of public opinion each day in various
parts OF the country as it is that they
should know the state of the weather.
1t Is proposed therefore, that on the sys-
tenn of the weather bureau the bureau of
public opinion shall be established The
state OF public opinion at o'clock in the
morning, like the weather reports, is sug-
gested should be received from 125 different
points and indicated on a map alongside
the weather map. In the afternoon another
report may be received, and so indicated.
Then, with official time, official weather re-
ports. official statistics, official literature
official seed. official postal franks. official
telegraph, official messenger service, official
BARRIERS, official bootblacks, official stenoe-
raphers, official stationery, official baths and
official daily reports on public opinion, our
statesmen will be in condition to properly
perform the functions of legisla ton.