The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-05
IN EXCLUSIVE SENATE
Silly Course at the Executive
Sessions.
PROCEEDINGS CAUSE RiDlcULE.

Newspaper Men Smile and Other, sheer AZ
the Conduct of Our High and Mighty
Servants and Their wsys-Ssmples of
Republican simplicity.
WASHINGTON, April o. Special. The
senate has been in executive session a
great deal of late, having the arbitration
treaty under consideration. The senate in
executive session is very fussy body 1t
reminds one very much of the maiden lady
who is so particular about having the
shawl over her shoulders, who wants her
cup Of tea at certain minute, who Is
taken with fits If tidy on a rocking chair
is tenth of an inch awry and who never
fails to look under the bed for the tradi-
tional man. The senate Is fussy, sure
enough, over its executive sessions. When
the motion TO go into secret session Is car
ried bells ring all over the senate wing of
the capitol. You would think there was "a
conflagraton. The employees wake up
and become instantly excited. All The sec
retaries and clerks and page boys quickly
retire. Certain confidential officials rush
about making sure that everything is all
right. Guards are stationed at the foot of
the stairways to see that no one intrudes
upon the upper precincts. Doors are locked
in every direction. The whole proceeding
| is cory much like that which takes place
ia house in Paris, as we read of it in the
novels.
A Silly Blockade.
The upper corridor is Theoretically seal
| ed. Guards are put at every door. There
are committee rooms on this corridor.
| There are many people who wish to go to
| these committee rooms on business, but
they cannot. The guards stop them. The
| document room is on this upper floor too.
1t Is at the document room that copies of
| bills and resolutions and reports are TO be
had. 1t is exceedingly important at times
that newspaper correspondents and others
| having business at the capitol should gain
access To the committee rooms or this doc
ument room, but it is impossible while
| the senate is in executive session. You
might as well try to break into bank.
| What justification is there for all this
blockade? 1t is done presumably to keep
| wicked newspaper correspondents from
eavesdropping-from listening at doors to
overhear what is going on in the sacred
| precincts below.
But any such performance as this is ply
sically impossible. The walls OF the SEN
entrance is provided with double doors
They are great, thick, heavy DOORS One
could not hear a sound through one Of
them, let alone two. Besides IA guard is
stationed there, and if there were news
paper man so unmannerly as to try to caves
drop, he would simply be driven away
Very Exclusive.
Two gentlemen from out of town, we'll
! known and influential citizens, came to
| Washington tho other day. They had bust
ness with a senator They wished to see
| him Immediately, When they arrived at
the capitol, the senate was in executive
session. First they tried To go up stairs to
the senate floor i'm an elevator, but were
turned back by the guard. This elevator
is reserved exclusively for the use of SEN
ators. Arriving at the senate door they
asked one of the men stationed there if he
would not be good enough to take their
cards in. No. it was against the rules.
But certainly there must be some one
who has authority to communicate with
senator even during secret sessions?"
Eyes, members OF the house ard members
of the senator's family may have their
cards sent in at the other door - One of
the gentlemen knew the confidential clerk
of the senator they were wishing to get at,
>
committee room, find this clerk and have
him solve the problem. But they were
stopped at the foot of the stairs "Cannot
go to the upper corridor while tho senate
is in secret session. - 'But we merely
wish to so to Senator Blanks committee
room. " ''No matter 1t is against orders. "
Then they tried the elevator. The elevator
man would not take them up.
AS a last resort the two visitors started
for the hall of the house of representatives.
They knew "a member from their state,
and they would ask him to help them out
On their way over to the house they were
twice ordered to throw away the cigars
which they held in their mouths. The sec
ond time, when the order was issued by II
very big and fierce policeman, they obeyed.
At the central entrance to the house they
asked to have their cards sent in to the
member. 1.-The east door," said the door
keeper. So they walked over to the east
door. "You will find Mr.. So-and-s at
the far west door," said this doorkecper
politely. So they walked around to the
west door 1.-THE lobby doorkeeper takes
cards to Mr.. So-and-so," said this door
keeper, and then they wen. to the lobby
door. There their card was II ken in. But
the member was out They started on u
hunt for him and finally found him in his
committee room. He was willing to oblige
them, when the circumstances had been
explained to him, and all tire, started for
the senate On arriving there they found
the senate had concluded its secret session
and adjourned and the senator in question
had gone home.
"Get on the EARTH
Next day the same gentlemen were at
| the senate chamber again, but they had
seen their senator and were merely look
ing at the sights. They wanted to sit I'm
the gallery, but were sent from door to
| door One was reserved for the diplomatic
corps, another for the families of senator's
a third for the president and his family
a fourth was simply private. But final
| ly they were admitted and sat down to
watch the proceedings One of the gentle
men pulled small pair of opera glasses
| form his pocket and started TO use it, but
was told by an attendant that it was
| against the rules The other gentleman
pulled out a newspaper to see what time
| their train left, but the attendant came up
and said no newspapers were permitted to
| be opened in the galleries The visitors