Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-23

Glenn of New York, Mr.. Upton of Tepnes-
see and Mr.. Fortune OF North Carolina
The postmaster attends to receiving and
delivering the mail of the members and to
forwarding the public documents sent out
from the Capitol. His salary is $500 and
he is not required to give bond. There are
no sirecures in his office, for every man
has to work hard. The postmaster ap-
points one clerk at 5000, ten at 81 200, one
at $720 and eight men during the session at
500 a month each.
The candidates for postmaster are Mr..
John Donaldson Of Texas and Mr.. Harry
Sherwood Of Michigan.
Speaker and Chaplain.
The chaplain of the House draws 500
per year, ii, session and out, and has an
easy berth. He is supposed to open the
House with prayer, and is not blamed if
he makes it short. Sometimes the chaplain
pays pastoral calls among the members of
his flock during business hours, lingering
after the House has assembled to chat with
| members. He never aims at his congrega-
| ton in his prayer, although in times of
| turbulence and great public excitement in
| the House he may try to invoke the spirit
| of peace and a blessing. of wisdom upon
| the public councils. 1t is usual to elect a
| minister of the District of Columbia with a
| regular salary, for the emolument Of the
| place is not large.
The candidates for chaplain are the
Revs. Ramsdell, Easton, Parson, Gottwold,
| lumbia; Rev. Mr.. Fisher of Kansas and
| Rev. Mr.. Couden of Michigan.
The Speaker of the House has a bit of
| patronage at his own disposal. He is al
| lowed one clerk at $3.50, one at s., 80, one
| at $1,000 and a messenger at $1,000 The
| Spe aker himself receives 5000 in addition
| to his regular salary of 5000 as a member
for the added duties of the speakership.
The Senate Officers.
| The patronage of the Senate is much less
| than that of the House, but the positions are
| usually more secure. Some of the employees
| have been in their present positions for
| many years. "Old Man Bassett, as he is
| called has been in the service of the Senate
a little over sixty years, and there is but
one Senator, Mr.. Morrill,, who has been con-
| tinuouslN in the Senate during the term CT
employment of Mr.. Nixon, the financial
| clerk, though he is still young man. The
| Senate does not like repeated changes. There
| are but three elective officers-the secretary,
| the sergeant-at-arms and the chaplain. The
patronage, except committee clerkShipS,
| comes under the secretary and the sergeant
| alarms. The chaplain gets small pay and
| has no employees under him.
The Scrgeant-at-Arms.
| Col. R. Bright has twice been sergeant
alarms. He first took that Office in March,
| 1879, and served until December, 20, 1883.
| He was then succeeded by republican. In
| August, 1898, he was again elected, ana is
| still serving. About midway In his first
| term in 1851, the two parties became nearly
| equally divided by reason of Gen. Mahone's
| joining with the republicans. and then oc-
Cured that memorable deadlock, which last
! ed through the special session. On that &C.
casion the republicans selected Gen. Ma
Riddlebe1 ger who afterward became a Sem
ator from Virginia. 1t was then that Mr.
German appeared for the first time in The
! role of a flibuster. Most of the democrats
were disposed not to make a sight to retain
the Senate organization. but German pre-
vailed upon them not to. give up, and he
coroucted successfully one of the most bitter
fights that has occurred in tie Senate.
1t is not at all probable that a similar
hight will occur this time, for there is not
the same reason for intensity of feeling
and the party is not particularly anxious
to have the organization. ,. .g.-
Colonel Bright is one of the most popular
men who has ever been here connected with
either house of Congress He has been as
ISOLATED with prominent public men since
his early boyhood and leading men in the
senate Tor many years have been his init
| mate friends, both during and before his
official connection with the Senate. Few
men are better acquainted with the politi-
cal history of the country or more familiar
with the lives of public men. He has al
ways been a democrat of the old school,
never wavering in his faith. Peculiarly
punctilious and lofty in his ideas he has
made an eXacting though very amiable
executive officer.
Just before he became sergeant-at-arms
the first time he was the democratic can
ddate for sheriff of Marion county, Ind,
an office which pays nearly a hundred thou
sand dollars. For a number of years he
had owned and edited the indianapolis Sem
tinel. After the democrats lost the Senate
in 1888 he became a law partner of ex-
Senator Mcdonald of Indiana. He is the
sort of man whom everybody knows and
whose friends are devoted to him.
Subordinate Officers.
The sergeant-at-arms has the appoint
ment of the acting assistant doorkeeper of
the Senate, the postmaster and his sub
ordinates, the superintendent of the docu-
ment room and his subordinates, the super
ntendent of the folding room and his SUBJ
ordinates and the laborers, messengers and
pages.
This patronage is, in accordance with the
custom of the Senate, apportoned accord
ing to regular system among the Senators,
the minority getting a certain proportion.
This apportionment being fixed at the be-
ginning of the Congress, is. not changed in
| any respect. If vacancy occurs the Sen
ator who had the original appoin tment is
called upon to name some one to fill it, and
if his choice is not satisfactory he is called
| upon to make another. Efficiency Is always
eNacted of the empioye, and every Senator
has enough friends to provide for to enable
him ultimately to present the right sort of
man.
General Cox of. North Carolina is sec
rotary of the Senate. He was selected at
the instance of Senator Ransom. He is