The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-11
N { "
CONGRESSMAN
His Manners and the Lack of Them De.
scIlhed BY Amos ]. Cummings.
SOME Of H.s RIDICULOUS BREAKS
Ia Gni.y Instances His Very ycrtinn-
'eary aans Helped Him Get Thr ouEh
the House ssis Measures, when
Esasa RFe Eceu More Blnse Re
woelH Have Fn,,cd.

Washing ton, d. c.. April I0.--(SpeciaD
- ne new Congressman is Just learn
ing MS status III the House. He Is not
He still pays s cents fare on the cable
cars. He has not yet found out that
, ne can get six tickets for quarter He
mas finally ascertained that 1t costs
money to live at a. hotel, and he has
sought the comforts OF a family board
lng-house. He has found his way to the
only variety show In the city, but has
not yet been seen at the Smithsonian In
stituton. If a'snpporter Of the admins
tration he has learned the pathway to
The White House, but he has not yet
mastered the labyrlnthian intrcacies OF
the State War and Navy and Treasury
buildings. II from rural district he is
astonshed to learn that his predecessor
has drawn his quota Of seeds, and that
there are none to be obtained at the De-
partment of Agriculture. The new mem
Der from the Sdueejee district called on
the Secretary Of Agriculture the other
da5r. He wanted his quota or mushroom
seed. When Informed that the mush-
room was .propagated from spawn and
not from seed, he asked If the Secretary
TOOK him for an idiot An older mem
Der assured him that the Secretary was
right and sent him TO the Fish Commits
sioner for the spawn.
NEARLY RUN DOWN.
The new member finds much difficulty
IN keeping out Of the way of wheelmen,
and more in avoiding, the negro hack
drivers at the rounded corners Of the
streets. The Washington monument
still nils him with awe, and the exquisite
beauty OF the new Library building
charms him beyond description.
The fledgling member appeared at the
Capitol early In February. The more he
saw Of legislation the less he learned
about 1t. The ways seemed devious, and
he was unable to understand why some
members Assumed the right to talk
whenever they pleased, while others
were unable to secure the floor at any
time. The scenes that followed the read
Ing Of the journal awakened his inter-
est. When fifty members thronged the
arena in front of the Speakers desk,
waving printed bills and resolutions
and shouting Mr. Speaker" the din to
him was deafenmg. On no theory could
he explain recognitions, and 1t was not
until some stentorian voice demanded
the regular order that the puzzle was
solved.
Dazed by the hot disputes over appro-
priation bills, he found the cloak room
a,quiett retreat. There the story tellers
abounded. Seated by the cozy crate, he
drew inspiration from the north and the
south. the east and the west Introduce
tons were numerous, and he formed ac-
quaintnnces that may prove Of value in
the present Congress. Statesmen of ma
tional reputation made him feel per-
fectly at home and more than satisfied
with himself, and made remarks that
convinced him that they were far more
human than divine.
TT IS ALL NEW STILL.
Now that the extra session Of his own
Congress has begun, he still finds that
everything is new to him-even the Capt.
tol itself. He takes the elevator in pre-
terence to the stairway, for the latter
may mislead him. The document and
stationery rooms elude him when In
search Of bills and pads. and he fire.
quently misses his way when looking for
the restaurant and its concomitants, or
Reek1ng an exit from the building. It is
only by following the beaten track that
he can reach the main entrance Of the
blouse. Months will elapse before every
anyway and passage In the immense
structure becomes familiar. Even then
he may at times require the assistance or
q snida. l:u II will take him longer
time II mastc! tho rules OF the House.
Patiently has lie listened to debate on
the 1>!nsloy h:ll, ana ardently has he
coEEed the speeches in an effort TO CLEAN
new IDEAS. IIc has failed because t:,cre
a:s no new Ideas to CLEAN. The lrcis-
]s:iva usbaHdmen have been lhreshing
straw thai has beer thrcshcd since the
toun cation of the Government. AS yet
he Is not convcrsant with committee
work. The committees have moi been
named, and the assignments have not
been allotted. When made, he will find
that committee work Is fully az intr-
cate as the work Of the House. Quorums
are counted with much more facility and
motions 10 reconsider and table are not
final.
IT has been said that there are 14S new
members in The present House. This Is
no! correct The number of members
who have never served in Congress IL
evactly ~. The tlcdglings are pic
tu:cspue lot Some Of the finest Amer!-
can faces come from The West aud
Southwest. There are countenances
from ne commercial districts OF the
Ea:i thai recall the banks Of the RIO
G"1nde. The sands OF the Platte, and
he mining camps OF the Occur d'Alene
lne. con."a, the populists are not wild
eyed no. anarchistlc i'm appearances
They appear Ike men Of earnest convic-
t!oEs. and no: like politicians Many Of
them look like railroad magnates.
SOME QUAINT CHARACTERS.
OF cotlsa d zen Or more quaint char
Gc:en; h:tve sif:cd themselves into the
ne" GonS.css. One appeared in the