River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-03-14

Kenna, of West Virginia. His father
bad many friends and no enemies
among the public men of this genera
ton 1t win make no difference
whether the senate shall have a demo
cratic or "A republican organization;
Senator kenna's son will be cared for.
il would not be surprising if young
Kenna should duplicate in measure
the life of Senator German. of Mary
land, who was q senate page when he
was a little boy
1t is not generally known. but the
pages live in an age limit; that is to say,
they must he twelve years of age in or
der to be appointed, hut they cannot
remain as pages after they reach their
sixteenth year. 1t is usually a very
sorry day for the average page boy
when his seventeenth birthday comes
around. He viii have TO be some years
older, much wiser, and better educated
before he can earn as much money as
pages receive.
When the age limit is reached and
number of the boys are dropped, four
of them are selected to be riding pages.
Their selection depends on their
records for efficiency and faithfulncss.
The page on the floor of the senate
draws $3.50 day during the session of
congress. The riding page receives
g.. so day the year round and has a
horse to ride. His duties keep him ont
of doors "A great part of the time, carr
rying messages between the capitol ana
the'departmcnts. The position is con-
sidcred more desirable than that OF
apage. Fifty years ago the pages
received $3.50 dty for the ses-
sion and tho lump sum of 5000 at
the end of the session to keep them
during the recess. This pay and al
lowance were doubled in 1915. The
page now receives nothing for the re-
cess. He is supposed to- have land by
enough ont of his salary TO keep him
going until congress meets again. The
riding pages are envied by all boys of
their age in the entire city. They are
bright boys. all of them, and they feel
their Importance, too. As the bearers
OF messages from senators they dash
up to the doors of the executive de-
partments, or even of che white house,
and in they march without hindrnnce
or DELAY.
The son of the late Senator Riddle
berger, of Virginia, was appointed to
be page, soon after his fathers death.
The widows of Senator Riddlcberger
and Senator Kenna are benefited BIZ
the salaries their boys receive. OF
course when the senate is not in session
the pages receive no pay. But the in
come of each page averages $3.50 year.
This is n great deal more than the aver
ege youth needs to keep him going. but
usually the page has some ono depend
emit on him, Of least in part. In fact the
pages are appointed in some instances
because they are the sons of widows
and deserving of assistance. IL the
senate wished 10 do so it could obtain
labor for much smaller sum, but il
could not obtain anywhere n more re-
fined-looking, courteous set of little
gentlemen than those who answer to
the clapping of a senator's hands and
run his errands TO the document-room
or the library. They wear knee breaches,
neat little roundabouts, silk stockings
and well-polished shoes Their faces
and hands are clean, their hair careful
" brushed, their finger nails polished,
and each of them looks as If he had
Just come out Of bandbox, pretty and
sweet enough to be kissed.
The duties of page to-day are the
same as they were one hundred years
ago and the work is light and agreea-
BILE. The page must be on duty at nine
o'clock each morning, but the serious
business of the day does not begin until
noon, when the senate meets. Before
that time he arranges the files of the
Congressional Record and the bills and
reports on the desks of the senators
who have been assigned to him. There
are sixteen pages and cighty-eight sem
ators, so none of the pages have very
much TO do. The morning hours are
not all working hours. There is n
gymnasium in the basement of the capi
tol furnished especially for their use.
They exercise their arms end their
chests there every morning: their legs
get plenty of exercise through the day.
They do not walk when on duty. They
run, skip. and try to fly.
Senator Dubois, of Idaho, upon one
occasion made an attack on senator
Hoar. of Massachusetts, which was
worry unexpected. The venerable states
man from Massachusetts was suddenly
reminded of story in an old novel.
which would fit the occasion. Calling
little page he sent him to the con-
gressional library for the book. When
Senator Dubois sat down ut the con-
elusion of his remarks, Senator Hoar
arose with the book in his hand, read
the chapter applicable 10 the occasion,