The Washington times., 1895-02-12
CLOAK ROOM AND GALLERY.

II the uext Congress were Democratic or
the retirement OF Senators Ransom and Coke,
would become chairman of the Committee on
Commerce; but as the Republicans will have
the upper hand, the Missouri Senator's aspi-
rations are blasted. Apropos of this concate-
nation of circumstances, Mr.. Vest, the other
day, told the following story.
''Some years ago." said he, ''a steamboat
captain, who ran on the Mississippi between
st. Louis and New Orleans. regularly en-
gagged in the game of poker during his trips.
One night the old captain was playing in his
usual hard luck, and had not drawn a single
good hand. Finally, just as day was begin
ming to break, he drew king full, but as he
started to rake in the pot, the boat blew up.
That's the way with me-" continued the
Senator with serio-comic expression OF
countenance; "that's the way with me. Just
as / would naturally succeed to the chair
manship of the Committee on Commerce, the
republicans will probably reorganize the SEN
ate."
Representative Stevens, of Massachusetts,
lives mt the Arlington, and he prides himself
upon the expanse of Vermont avenue and the
TACT that his temporary residence Is there and
not upon some narrow thoroughfare. He has
been poking considerable fun at some OF his
colleagues who reside on G street, which he
scornfully designated G alley. One may
imagine Mr.. Stevens indignation when the
last issue of the Congressional Directory gave
his residence on g street. He wants II known
that his clerk lives there, not he.
"It's queer how utterly unmndful most
people are OF other peoples comfort" said
one OF the officers of the Capitol police force.
1.-THE other day during the blizzard we put up
the notice Please shut the door on the
lower east entrance TO the House OF Repre-
sentatfves. This was the result: In twelve
minutes 100 people passed through those
portals. OF these, 25 closed the door, while
75 left it open, and we had to shut 1t. We are
on duty eight hours. Consequently. il traffic
continued in the same proportion, we had TO
close the door 375 times an hour or 5000
times during the entire watch. / shouldn't
like to undertake the calculation OF dynamic
force wasted in those eight hours"
Senator Henderson spoke a true word the
other day, when he said that the rules OF the
Senate were made mostly to be broken. As
some other Senator suggested at the time,
the Senate may be said to have no rules at all.
This was beautifully illustrated yesterday.
Senator Blackburn called up the post office
appropriation bill. Senator Allen appealed to
him to permit him to offer some remarks on
the resolution relating to the recent Alabama
election. Mr.. Blackburn regretted not to be
able 10 comply with his colleagues request.
| Thereupon, Mr.. Alien bided his time. and
when the bill was fairly under way, he rose
to speak TO an amendment and for three
hours talked about Alabama elections. And
all this is possible by virtue OF the elasticity
of the Senate rules.
"Nearly every member of the House has
some peculiar way OF receiving requests from
persons waiting in the corridors or lobby TO
see them" said one of the doorkeepers yes
terday. ''Some are gracious; others less so.
There are few members more in demand than
Mr.. Meredith, OF Virginia. because his dis
trIct is close by and he is within easy reach,
therefore, OF his constituents. Nor is there
any Representative who will work harder for
his people. Well, nine times out OF ten when
a card IS brought TO him, Mr.. Meredith will
exclaim:
"'Oh, my Lord. what have done?'
"AEd then he will trot out and listen
patiently to the various tales OF woe"
Representative Phillips, OF Pennsylvania,
believes in the efficacy of commissions to
settle problems in legislative and political
economy.
1T is all folly" said he yesterday, "for US
to undertake TO deal. as intelligently and
thoughtfully as ought TO be done, with such
questions as the relations between employer
and employe. capital and labor, tariff and
finance. They all lie properly beyond the
domain OF partisan politics. but yet all, or
nearly all. results attained affecting them are
moro or less tainted. distorted, or enfeebled
by party considerations. The Constitution of
the United States was framed by commits
sion. Does any one imagine that legisla-
tive body like this could have laid down that
great questions should be referred TO COM
missions composed of the ablest and best
men OF the nation, aud upon their recon-
mendations and suggestions Congress ought