Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-19
CARE OF THE CAPITOL
The Functions of the Police and the
Guides.
Strictness of the RcEulatiOns-Evtls
Person. Vino Are Kept Ont.


rIat:ons of the Capitol are enforced no"
calls attention to the great change that has
been brought about at the Capitol during
the past few years. The interest attached
to this great BUILDING renders II more than
a mere meeting place for the national leg
stature 1t is the chief attraction at WASH
irgton to all visitors. Nobody ever visits
Washington as a tourist without spending
some time in the Capitol building, and the
presence of the two legislative bodies III
session is scarcely the chief attraction
While comparatively few persons are III
the galleries of the House and Senate from
day to day. the corridors and ante-roonls'
the rotunGa and the statuary hall are nearly
always pretty well filed with peop.e ABOUT
a dozen guides make a coed living by SHOW
ing people around. Every picture, every
statue. however poorly executed every
column and almost every stone and piece OF
plaster in the internal decoration Is an
object of interest. Even the echoes that
yibrate from the vaulted ceilings seem to
be endless source of curiosity ana en-
tertainment-
The result is that the public lose sight
of the fact that the Capitol is primarily a
business building. and that work is being
done there which it is not always conva-
nient to have Interrupted Certain privacy
that has to he secured In parts of the
building during business hours excites
more or less resentment. but Congress
is if the visiting public were allowed to
have their way.
Moreover. if 1t were not for the. rigid
oil servancc of police regulations the build
fEg would be neither a safe nor a reputable
place. Many thousand persons are in the
building nearly every day: there is vast
expanse of corridors. running in many Gi-
TectioUS. with sharp angles and secluded
retreats. A considerable army might be
concealed in the underground passaeeways
along the foundations. and even an ex-
plosion might occur there without being
heard in the occupied portions of the build
ing and in the hundreds of committee
rooms heaven knows what might be going
on. 1t is only of comparatively recent
years that gambling has been broken up
In the Capitol building
1t was largely on account of the amount
of gambling and other disreputaDlc Things
that were going on in the building though
tnc public knew nothing of it. that the po-
lice force was reorganized a few years
ago and rigid police patrol instituted.
While gambling houses were strictly pro-
hi!'ited in the city of Washington and
strict laws We're passed by Congress to de
stroy them. many games for big stakes
Were being played in the committee rooms
OF Congress. not always by people who
had right to be in tn. building; and not
always the social congressional poker par
ties. but serious games for the money that
was in I'll. M.
Frequently c3.roUseS OF an extraordinary
character occurred In committee rooms.
AL sorts of characters haunted the build
linz. Strangers were liabI,. he taken in
by crooks pretending to he official guides.
and ladies Were not at ali sure of being
free from insult. At time il seemed
III III, building. might got a reputation for
evil which would he disgrace TO the cap
ital OF the nation.
Now there is no building in the country
whtT' greater order and proprltiy is Oh
served Gambling in the committee rooms
Is u thing of III" past. When the building
Is closed for the day one is permitted
to remain in it unless it is made very
clear that h. is required 20 do 10 en-
gag in work wni-h Ne is employed by the
government to do. During TIE hours that
the building il open police are so station
ed that there is corridor or corner of
thu Inferior of the building that some one
of hem does not overlook constantly.
No one is permitted to play the part of a
guide except the men who are duly ap-
pc rtcG To tFat position. ard who are pro-
yiied with bridges. Any man ofii-
cioUsly inipertinently accosting
stranger is subject to immediate arrest.
and H. C3nnct escape ii unless he has
some perfectly valid excuse for his ac-
ton. Rigging or canvdssing in the build
ing i not permitted. and all suspicious or
disrerutall e characters found in the build
ing are Immediately escorted to the out
sd and notified not - return. A certain
eIass of Ioafers who used to haunt the
corridors have been blacklisted. and are
mp"}led tC keep away Certain other
former afitucs who used 10 carry
ami lie in wait in the ladies' reception
rooms have been notified. after an
Otlcr. not 20 again appear in the building.
Thr Capitol IS Still not free from lobby
lists but the lobby is very powerful in
stitutinn. and it would he difficult to tell
whore TO draw the line between tine lobby
list ard the dis tinGuished visitor. and any
PVohtiItive measure would affect a number
OF distinguish ed former statesmen ana
might prove embarrassing TO men of pres
ent position Nor are office seekers pro-
Eibitet though they are held in restraint
whenever TIE senators or representatives
whom they are worrying ask for protec-
tior against them.