The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1894-07-27
i SENATORS ARE SACRED.
New Rules to Guard Them Against
Contact with the Populace.
The open-Door system Resulted In Ere
quent Interruptions OF the Mem
hers by Tramps and Sight
seers OF All Sorts.
senatorial exclusiveness is growing

hers by Trampa and Sight
seers OF All Sorts.
Senatorial exclusiveness is growing
thicker.
Many complaints have burdened the
columns of far-off papers during the
year Of the increasing tendency Of the
members of the American house Of
lords TO erect barriers between them.
selves and the great public. Time
was. says the Washington News, when
citizen could end access to the ear
of senator with his complaints and
hobbies and suggestion, about as east
w us he could reach representative,
and that is ne more difficult than to
get audience with any very busy bust
ness man.
When the sehate was in actual ses-
sion the doorkecpe, would carry In a
eard--thc drop a-pasteboS ID In the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES process
which still works over at the house
unless the member happens to know
that you have "a little private bill, OF
want to get relative into office, or
perchance Mr.. Reed Is on his feet, or a
new story is being told in the enyironN
OF Mr.. Kilgore's seat.
One innovation which marked the
beginning of this session is being re-
marked upon at the capitol. Formerly
the box-like historic chamber which so
impresses the casual visitor by its
tawdry, theatrical gliding, was thrown
open for whoever cared to enter ut
oil times when the senate was not IN
action.
The privileges of the public have
been slightly curtailed this session by
new custom, tho closing Of the doors
to visitors at nine o'clock in the morn
ing and keeping them closed until the
senate has adjourned In the afternoon.
Few people in Washington have fin
ished breakfast at nine o'clock, none
of them go to the capitol before that
hour, so that inspection of the SEN
ate chamber by visitors will hereafter
be limited 10 the view from the CALLER
les, which are always open. except
when thesenatc is in executive session.
No more tourists from the far states
can take home with them the story OF
how they sat In the vice presidents
chair and curled their limbs under tho
desk where Roscoe Conkling and other
great men have sat.
The grumblers say that this new GUS
tom is right along the line with other
rules established by the last one or
two congresses the instructions to
the doorlieepers not to take In cards
turing the morning hour consecrated
to general business being one.
This privilege to visiting constitu.
ents and the general public Of thrust
ing in card and then leaving in a huff
If your senator did not choose to come
out smiling with any stretch Of his
time at your disposal TO listen to the
merits of your pension bill, or hear
how you had always wanted to say
that you had shaken hands with him
has been greatly curtailcd of late.
During the last session one senator
accused another Of having ordered the
doorkeepers not TO bring in cards while
he was speaking, step which is fire.
/ quently taken 10y the veterans, and
which the younger senators are con
strained by senatorial courtesy to ae-
quiesce in.
But there is senator's side 10 the
latest established custom Of closing the
doors during the morning hours before
the sessions have begun. Several sen
ators lind it convenient almost every
day to attend To their correspondence
at their desks One who is almost al
ways to be found in his seat writing Ia
the morning since a change Of admin
istration turned over his committee
room TO democrat is the venerable
senator Morrill,, Of Vermont. The dis
tancc OF the Mnltby, where the repub.
lican senator's have their private rooms,
leads several to the custom Of making
offices of their desks.
Under the old rule of open doors the
whole populaee was at liberty to touch
elbows with any senator who happened
TO be at his desk earlier than l1:45
There were no restrictions Of race OF
personal cleanliness. Beer-soalSed
tramps and loving couples on their
wedding trips strayed in TO stare and
comment They stood around TO make
remarks on the few senators visible
made audible remarks about their
books and pointed with umbrellas and
canes, as the visitors to art gallerie,
are warned not TO do.
These things were the penalties OF
prominence, but they were not alto
gether pleasing to senators, and they
were growing worse as the numbers o.
visitors TO Washington increased. Con
sequently the edict has gone forth thil
session that the open-mouthed popu
lace shall be limited to the galleries IL
its senate sightseeing. Many will q
away to declare that the senate il
clevating itself above the people ant
that democratic simplicity is thing
of the past.
But senator's say in self-defense: al
the name of democratic simplicity ar,
we to be on exhibition like the animal
! of menngerie?'