Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-18
MANY RUINED.
The Capitol Drinking Saloons
Make Drunkards' Graves.
Excessive Tipping at the Restaurants
By Members and Employees.
Two Interesting Ola Msn-se"ator Palmer
and Ex.Gov. Boutwell,.

Washtnaton, March IT, Especially ~
CONGRESSMAN Little of Arkansas Is tho
leader of crusade in favor Of enforcing
the law which prohibits the sale OF intoxi
eating liquors in the United States capitol.
While there is little probability that no
will succeed in his mission most people |
believe the law should be enforced. That
it ia violated every minute Of the day any !
one can see In both the restaurants OF
the capitol, that at tho house end and in
the senate wing of the big white capitol
building, liquors of all sorts are freely sold.
No attempt ut concealment Is made, and
these congressional liquor shops do not pay
q license foe to the District government.
They are maintained under the direct and
Immediate patronage of congress itself.
Probably u greater amount OF liquor Is
sold every day in either of these places
than in any other saloon In Washington.
At any moment ono may go to the house
restaurant and see members of congress or
employees taking drinks. There is no
bar, but it is only necessary for one to sit
down at convenient little tables and order
what he wants. 1t is not even required
that one order articles Of food.
Ruined by Drink.
Many employees of congress and not
few members have been ruined at these
capitol drinking saloons. The writer could
name half dozen members of the house
who in the past five years have literally
gone to drunkards' graves on account of
the associations and habits formed here.
There is a constant temptation to drink.
One is continually meeting his friends and
receiving invitations to imbibe. This is as
true Of the young men who serve the house
in various capacities as it is of the mem
berS themselves. 1t is not pleasant to see
score of men sitting about these little
tables in the middle Of the day drinking
cocktails and straights. Nor is it an edj-
flying spectacle when members Of congress,
who should be an example to Others, drink
SO much during the afternoon that they
are incapacitated from attendance to their
duties. Yet such cases are of daily occur
renee. Fortunately there is not as much
drinking about the capitol as there was in
former times, but there is still entirely too
much, and it is too public. 1t is impossi-
BILE for q stranger in the city to take his
wife or the members Of his family to one
Of these restaurants without having drir X
ing bouts thrust before their eyes. 1t is
only now and then than anything grossly
Objectionable occurs, but in the opinion of
some of the members of congress such
things should not DO at all in building
owned by the government and dedicated to
the use of the national legislature and the
supreme court.
Law Violated.
The law on the subject is very plain, but
no one appears to care for its enforcement.
The prOprietors of the restaurants make
more money out OF their bars than they do
out Of their cafes Probably If they were
forced to give up the sale of drinks they
would find 1t necessary to raise the prices
Of their food dishes or sacrifice their profits.
These congressional restaurants are exceed
ingly profitable, and there is always a
struggle to obtain the franchise The gov
eminent gives the rooms rent free, includ-
ing kitchens and storehouses. 1t furnishes
the light and heat free Of charge. There
are no licenses or taxes to pay. 1t is charg
cd that even the cost of repairs to the
ranges and other apparatus and renewals
OF utensils arc betrayed out OF the contin-
gent fund.
On the floor of the senate q few days ago
two interesting old men were seen in close
conversation Ono was Senator Palmer of
Illinois, but few observers knew who the
other was. why" said one gentleman,
"this proves the truth of the old saying
that fame quickly flies away. That man
is Ex-Governor Boutwell, of Massachusetts.
He is IS year old Before he was governor
no was in thu state legislature. OF 80 gov
errors who succeeded him in Massachu-
setts only besides himself are now living
He was state banking commissioner. He
assisted in the organization of the Repub-
T. 4 ~. ,%x,< boz
vention that nominated Lincoln for presi-
dent. He was Il member of the famous
peace conference which met in this city
during the war. He organized the inter
nal revenue bureau. He served in con
gress and was chairman of the committee
that tried to impeach President Andrew
johnson. H0 was secretary OF the treas
ury. He was senator from Massachusetts,
He was an ovcrseer of Harvard university.
He codified the statutes of the United
States by appointment of President Hayes.
Ho represented the United States before
tho French claims commission. And yet
people have to ask who he is!''
Senator Palmer was u member Of the
peace conference too. 1t was there he and
Ex-Governor Boutwell, became fast friends.
The two mon are about the same age,
there being only few months difference.
Like Boutwell,, Palmer entered public life
ms a member of the legislature. He also
afterward became governor. He came tc
the semitic. What a large part of the his
tory of the last half century in the United
States those two men could write from
their personal experiences and observa
tions
Disgracefu1 Visitors.
A peculiar phase of American human
nature is its proneness to vandalism. The
officials of the senate have discovered that
it is not safe to leave the chamber open tt
visitors during the hours TIE senate is moi
Ia session on account of The many acts o1
vandalism committed. Pieces have been
whitfield out Of the desks of senators, small
bits have been cut from tho carpets, blot
ting pads and ink bottles have been stolen
Visitors arc now permitted in the chamber
only under escort, and Sergeant at rms
Bright always details detectives to watch
strangers. OF course not more than one
In u thousand of the people who visit tn.
capitol would be guilty Of petty theft OF
destruction, but who can tell which of q
thousand is tho o,,iltv xvrotchS a..