The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-14

Mira Phil Sheridan, though well. known In
Washington society, has taken no prominent
part in the gayeties since the death of hel
husband. Her home on Rhode Island avenu,
has, however, not been closed to the gay
world, as she entertains in a quiet manner il
| giving dinner parties of semi formal char
acter, and in gathering about her congenis
friends for small evening parties. 1t will moi
be long before she will have one. if not three
! daughters to introduce to society.
Il
"There seems to be a growing feeling in
favor Of the gold standard among business
men in the West" Secretary Morton said in an
| interview last week. Il received this impress
sion during my recent visit to that section.
Sometimes / think that the sentiment favor
able to the gold standard is increasing among
other classes of people in the West but it
viii not do TO be too confident about this.
fon see, the people who are most actively
concerned in fostering the silver sentiment
have direct pecunary interest in the free
coinage of silver. They put in their money,
time, and intellectual effort 10 tie working
up Of the free silver sentiment
"On the other hand the people who desire
the establishment OF the gold standard. with
the use of silver as subsidiary coin, are only
interested in general way. No particular
individual has a pecuniary interest in the
matter, and, therefore, does not feel called
upon TO devote bis time or money in efforts
to bring it about.
I'm this way, then, it happens that the
people at large hear more in favor of free
silver than they do against it. There is no
organization to do for the gold standard what
the league of interested persons is doing for
silver. For this reason am not over sanguine
of immediate education of opinion among the
people against free coinage
X
The stenographers of the House and Senate
are now enjoying a we'll earned rest. Their
salaries still 20 on, and they can afford to
take life easily. They have not had quite
such hard time of il as they had in the extra
session sometime ago, when silver debates were
the order of the day, when the tariff was
on the tapis. And that reminds one on account
OF Senator Aliens great speech nearly 5000 of
Government money was distributed among IS
competitors. The work among the Senate re-
pofbtio 10 Vi NluCIbHl OfVtT lTSlu lUdL uOuo Dy
the House stenograpbers. Nearly everything is
taken by two stenographers. who check with
each other. This insnres greater accuracy, and
while it delays the progress of matter to the
printer. the Senate copy shows fewer changes
than the House. aud is consequently easier to
handle. In the Senate the stenographers
rarely ever leave their desk to take debate,
the smallness and greater quiet of the cham
Der conducting to ease and accuracy Of report
ing. Senators as a rule have been longer in
public life than Congressman, and their utter
ances need less revision.
great journal is the Congressional Record.
Follow days proceedings Each body is in
session, but take the House for example. There
may be 40 members Oh the floor; there may
be full attendance; it makes no difference.
That fact may develop as an incident but the
official reporters take no note. There are FIVE
of them. All are picked men, tried and true.
They have been tested in a 6ery furnace. Two
hundred and fifty words a minute have been
fred at each, and he has taken them hot and
fast. sitting. standing. walking, and running,
talk 10 the right of him, talk to the left of him.
talk right in front of him. volleyed and mum
bled. His notes have been frozen, and he has
then been required 10 start at any point and
read without hesitation.
Il
Whenever a member arises and addresses the
presiding officer the reporter quotes him yer.
batim. Even the Speakers perfunctory re-
sponses are taken. The member may have
lanched into an all-day speech; the reporter
takes it. He may have started a remark which
develops hot running debate a scrimmage
With 20 members mingling in the melee; the
reporter, note book in hand, chascs the tide of
battle across the floor, never nervous, never
faltering, alert Of hearing, aud no matter how
hot the fight. selfposSessed and cool himself
Il
Twelve hundred words are reporters limit;
il may be spoken In Eve minutes; it may be
interrupted by roll-caIls and take an hour
When 1920 words are down the second reporter
takes up the tide and the first goes 10 his room
in the basement beneath the Speakers lobby.
There he either reads his notes 10 another stem
ographer or breathes them into the metal car
Of phonograph. Some eight Photographs are
in use on the House side. il takes loud, even
voice to develop the best qualities of that useful
instrument; those not practiced find it some
what Of strain. Reporter No. is succeeded
In turn, and so on through the corps until the
days work is ended. The matter goes to tho
Government Printing Office and is made mp In
the Record.
A story is told of Col Alex. Mcclure, of Phil
sdelphia- when Chairman Of tho Legislature Of
Pennsylvania. that was related by Senator on
the eve of adjournment of Congress, when hun
dreds OF small bills were being rushed through
the Senate at special session.
One day." the Senator said, "the Colonel
was rushing bills through as fast as the titles
could DO read, when member in q remote
corner Of the hall arose aud shouted for recoR-
milton. Finally the presiding officer asked in
severe tones:
For what purpose does the gentleman riseY
Il desire to offer amendment to the
pending bill' shouted the member.
The gentleman is too late' PROMPTLY rs-
piled Col. Mcclure. he can offer his amend
ment to the next bill'"
Senator Palmer. of Michigan, was presiding
in the Senate chamber one day when Senator
Sawyer was putting bills through as fast as he
could say The ayes have it," As one bill was
being put through the hopper Senator ven
tured to rise and say TO the Chair thai he had
listened very carefully, and he was sure the
ayes did not have it. With perfect good nature
SPuator palp,o I'd x-as -. 4 -.