The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-13
Its Attempts TO Preserve
Secrecy Amusing.
How the News of Executive
Sessions Is Secured.
Views of Mr.. ingalls, Before He Was
a Statesman Out of a Job.

WASHlNblONs MnF l3.-l lSpcclal. l--Iho
day the general arbitration treaty between
the United States and Great Britain was
defeated ia th. senate there occurred an
incident which up to this time has not
reached the ear Of the public. Just after
the vote was taken a senator made q sug-
gestion that the ballot be given to the rep
resentatives Of the press in order that the
details might DC correctly reported. To
this storm of objections at once arose,
and while the grave and reverend senators
were seriously discussing the question
whether or not the seal of secrecy should
be removed one senator, western man,
rose and said:
lit would be advisable for the senate to
make haste and decide this question, for
II you do not the newspaper men will
have all the particulars of the vote on the
wires before you have reached decision.''
This remark raised great laugh, and
the motion To throw the details of the vote
open to the public was carried in The era
OF good feeling which ensued But 1t was
too late. The vote of every senator was
already on the wires, correctly given. For
the facts concerning this amusing incident
/ am indebted to one of the most promi-
1t too good joke TO keep.
No Eavesdropping.
During the debate on the arbitration
treaty which preceded the final vote one or
two senator's became very much excited.
For the first time within my recollection
as member of the press gallery 1t was
possible TO hear voices within the senate
chamber while tho doors Sero closed for
an executive session. Not only could the
men in tho press gallery hear voices with
in, but they could distinguish the peculiar
infections and tones of Senator Roger q.
Mills, but not a word of what he. said
was audible. Moreover, and at this the
old fogy senator's who constantly imagine
newspaper men arc trying to play the
eavesdropper, not single press man left
bis seat or approached the door or made
the slightest effort to hear what was going
on inside.
Two dozen newspaper correspondents
were sitting about In the lobby of their
gallery, waiting for the senate to conclude
its vote upon the treaty, but not one of
them cared enough about what WAS being
said to make any effort to overhear. One
correspondent simply remarked, That's
Senator Mills talking now," whereupon
tho others listened for . second, agreed
that 1t was Mills, and all hands continued
their conversation, apparently wholly OBJ
livious to Mr.. Mills existence.
Ingalls, rs He Was.
Some years ago, when the senate was
passing through one of Its periodical agita-
tiops concerning tho manner Sp which the
news of executive sessions reached tho
press, there occurred an incident even fun
nier than the one which have described
above. AS The senate sat in secret session
the shadow of man was discovered as 1t
fell athwart the skylight over the cham
Der. As soon as it had been dscerned by
one senator he called the attention of
Others to the strange manifestati ton. Inn
mediately there was much excitement.
The proceedings were stopped. Senators
walked about on tiptoe. An officer of
the senate was informed that an caves
dropping correspondent was in the upper
part of the chamber listening to the pro-
ceedings. He sent squad of his most
agile men after the intruder. While await
ing the capture of the interloper the ex-
citement among the senators became in
tense. AT last, thought the statesmen, the
manner in which the newspaper corre-
spondents fathomed all the secrets Of the
In almost breathless silence and tense ex-
pectancy the senate awaited the report of
the sergeant ut arms. In ten minutes that
official came in. Every eye was upon
him. Mr.. Ingalls, was in the chair, and
he added to the solemnity of the occasion
by the manner in which he greeted the
sergeant-at-arms and bade him speak.
"Mr. President said the official, "I
ha A fn hn nna nf no ,for 80
the senate force has been up under the
roof Of the chamber fixing a broken trap
door,
This ending of the senatorial man huns
was so ludicrous that to this day it re-
mains tender subject with some of the
older senators.
When John j. ingalls, was the tempo
rary president Of the senate, long before he
became "a nowspaper.writer himself, he was.
ono of the greatest sticklers for the privacy
of the senate chamber. lie used to say
that If he had his way about it he would
put in jail for contempt every newspaper
man who printed any news concerning tho
secret sessions. One day Mr. ingalls, broke
out In torrent of exclamation concern
ing the wickodness of newspaper men in
general and Washington correspondents in
particular in the presence of member of
the local corps of writers.
Nothing to Say.
SENATOR" said this newspaper man
finally, "do you remember how angry you
were when So-and-so was confirmed by the
senate in executive SESSION. II you will
make little effort, am sure you will re-
call that you bitterly opposed his confr-
nation, and after he had been put through
BY his friends you talked 10 me very freely
about IL. Without intending to do so you
told me great many things that had been
said during the debate, and you also gave
me an intimation as to how certain SEN
,tors had voted. That was because you
we're interested In the case Has it never
to you that some senators are in
crested in every case that comes before
7our body In executive sessionsf Do you
hink IL fair under the circumstances TO
70 on charging the newspaper men with
getting their information about your So.
ret sessions by pccpholing and eavesdrop-
,ing?'
For once Mr. Inoar1o bo1 pothipx "a