Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-02

Congressional Globe" About 90
years ago, however, the art of stenog-
raphy had been SO developed by Isaac
and Benn Pitman that it became
possible for correct stenographic re-
ports to be taken OF all of the proceed
ings in the senate and the house; and
the work of ftallt-rcproduction has pro-
eressed SO rapidly that ut the present
time we have the work of expert SEN
ographers whereby every public utter
ance is taken down and verified in such
a manner that the statesmen themselves
cannot in the future deny their words.
1t very frequently happens in debate,
when a member of the house of he
senate who has been long in service
makes speech upon some important
topic, that the senators or representa-
tives in the opposition send to the Con-
gressionaI library for copies of the Con-
gressional Record. and read from that
publication extracts from speeches
which have been made in the past, and
sometimes these permanent records
prove to be very embarrassing to states
men who would like to be on both sides
of the political fence and make pre-
tense of great progress in statesm1n-
ship.
At the beginning of the session of
congress on the first Monday in Decem-
ber. 1S4S, stenographic reporters were
employed and given positions upon the
floor of the senate to make accurate re-
ports of the debates tor the organs of
the two leading political parties. The
Union and the National Intelligencer
were the names OF the papers printed
in Washington, and these stenographic
reports were ordered by the senate to
be taken by stenographers at the ex-
.~f I,a Ill.
1t was not until 1873 that the publica-
ton of shorthand notes of the pro-
ceedings of congress received authoriza-
tlon by joint resolution.
In 1S4S Dennis +. Murphy, late chief
stenographer of the senate, began work
as n shorthand reporter in the senate,
beng in the employ of the National In
telligcncer. lie also worked for the Con-
gressional Globe until the publication
of the Congressional Record was au-
thoriZed by congress in 1873, and then
Mr.. Murphy was made chief stenograp
er of the senate at a salary of S25, 900 4
year; and he held that position until
his death in this city, March 20, 1896
When Mr.. Murphy began his work in
the senate he was only II years old,
and a great deal of attention was ex-
cited by the spectacle of a small, fat
boy taking notes in shorthand of stir
ling debates in the senate. At that
time young Murphy took down short
hand reports of the speeches of Joha
C. Calhoun. Daniel " ebster. Thomas H.
Benton and other statesmen of that
great class. From the beginning to
the end of his career stenographer
of the senate he was regarded as the
most reliable and accurate stenographer
IN this country; and during the past
Is or 20 years he has been regarded as
the foremost stenographer of the world.
As the stenograpber of the electoral
commission, during the winter of
1867, Mr.. Murphy gained world
wide reputation for the rapidity and
accuracy of his stenographic work He
was frequently engaged during con-
gressional vacations in making aceu-
late reports of law cases In vari ous
large cities; and his services were in
such demand that he could not comply
with one-tenth of the invitations which
were sent to him for work in important
cases. James J. McEihone was for
many years chief stenographer of the
house of representatives and during his
lifetime he was regarded as the peer of
Mr.. Murphy, the chief stenographer of
the senate. Mr.. McElhone died about
five years ago, and now Mr.. Murphy has
gone beyond the stars
The principal assistants of the late
Stenographer Murphy were Theodore
= Shuey and Edward V. Murphy, the
younger brother of che famous short.
hand writer. The senate, by recent
unanimous vote, elected Mr.. Shuey and