The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-04

filled the limit of capacity cannot be
stretched. The section directly over
the Vice Presidents head, separated
from the rest by a network of wire, is the
reporters gallery, provided with forty
desks and seats for as many more; and
thus the makers and un-makers of states
men look down upon ana directly into the
faces of their victims on the floor below.
Opposite the reporters gallery, on the
other side of the hall, is the small space,
furnished with an extra touch of luXuri-
BUSINESS, reserved for the diplomatic corps,
whenever, at rare intervals, any of those
foreigners desire to honor the United
States Senate by their presence for few
minutes-generally to criticise our pre-
cious institutions" sometimes of field
days, when there is an enormous pressure
for seats, and hardly one in ten of the
eager crowd of Would-be spectators can
gain admttance to the galleries, because
all the other chairs are occupied-it goes
little hard to see plenty of vacant seats
in this sacred stall; for even in the highest
house of our boosted republic, in the very
heart of its holy of holes, it is not always
America for Americans" Next to the
diplomatic gallery is a generous slice re-
served exclusively for the senatorial fdmi-
lies and the rest of the space on both
sides is free to the public--that is to the
few who can squeeze in when red tape
rules and vgilant doorkeepers grant them
admission and executive session does not
turn them out. Back of the reporters'
gallery are commodious writing rooms and
telegraph Offices and behind the ladies'
gallery are retiring rooms, equipped with
every modern luxury and convenience, at
tended by matron employed by the Sen
ate. The new central figure in all this
magnihcence-Vice President Hobart, ge-
NAL, good-natured. with face as round and
beaming as the fun moon in harvest time
ia "N1fOhinp m G10 to he
Senate: but any page in the room could
give him points about expediting business
For example, on some ordinary resolu-
ton, which Is not of much ac-
count anyway. he religiously goes
through the whole tedious routine Of read
ing for the first time, and the second
time, and considering as a committee of
the whole, and ordering to be engrossed,
and reading the Shird time and finally
asking vote on It's passage His pre-
decessors would simply have said agreed
20 without objection" and the resolution
would have given place to more important
business. Aged and white-haired sena-
tors. like the venerable Mr. Morrill, of Yer
mont, who has occupied a seat in the
chamber for thirty years, complains that
Mr.. Hobart does not show proper rever-
ence for the time-honored traditions of
the august body If there is one thing
more than another for which senator's are
addressed by name on the floor II is
considered as bad form and as utterly ir-
reverent as to address a lady by her given
name in a street car or other public place.
Mr.. Hobart, however goes right ahead in
a delightful on-hand way. with "Mr: Nor
rll," "Mr. Pettigrew." or whoever may
be in question, exactly as IL he were
speaking to a company OF directors"
around a corporation table. The little
lapsus llnguae OF parliamentary usage Is
not a crime. but 1t does sound odd. II
has always been quite the thing for the
wives ana daughters of the senators TO
go TO the capitol on the afternoons when
their husbands or fathers are to make
orations. and certainly Il Is not strange
that the female relations OF the new mem
berH should be conspicuously In evidence
In the reserved gallery 10 thrill with
pride under the eloquence OF those in
whom they are especially interested.
| There have never been any more constant
and devoted listeners than the family OF
| Senator German when he Is scheduled for
a speech. or the wives OF Senators Blanch-
ard, Thurston, Hale, Brioe, Aldridge and
| others. But nowadays the Senate has fall
len into the bad habit OF spending most of
lie time IN executive session. from
which. Of course, outsider-even such dear
! ones as the wives OF their bosOms-must
| be excluded. In point Of fact. nothing OF