Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-05
VERY EXCLUSIVE.
The Senate's Silly Course at
Its Executive Sessions.
Proceedings Cause Annoyance and
Work for the Newspaper Men.
While the Public Is Often Shut Out from I'm
portrait Business.

deal of late, having the arbitration treaty
under consideration. The senate IN execu-
tive session i very fussy body. III re-
minds ono very much Of the maiden lady
who is so particular about having the
shawl over her shoulders, who wants her
cup of tea ut q certain minute, VINO IS
taken with fits if u tidy on q rocking chalr
is tenth of an inch awry, and who never
fails to look under the bed for the tradl
tional man The senate is fussy, sure
enough, over its executive sessions. when
the motion to go into secret session Is car
ricd bells ring all over the senate wing Oh
the capitol You would think there was
connagration. The employees wake up ana
become instantly excited. All the secreta-
rics and clerks and page boys quickly re-
tire. Certain confidential officials rush
about, making sure that everything Is all
right Guards are stationed at the toot OF
the stairways to see that no one lntrudes
upon the upper precincts. Doors are Ioched
in every direction. The whole proceeding
is very much like that which takes place
in house in Paris, as VIC read OF 1t in the
novels.
Silly Blockade.
The upper corridor is Theoretically sealed.
Guards are put at every door. There arc
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 docu-
naent 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 tnat
newspaper correspondents and Others hay-
ing business at the capitol should gain &C
ment 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 eavesdrop
ping-from listening at doors to ovorhear
what is going on in the sacred precincts
below.
But any such performance as this is phys
ically impossible. The walls of the SEN
ate chamber are four feet thick. Every
entrance is provided with double doors.
They are great, thick, heavy doors One
could not hear u sound through one of
them, let alone two Besides, a guard is
stationed there, and if there were news
paper man so unmannerly as to try To
eavesdrop he would simply he driven away.
Very Exclusive.
Two gentlemen from out Of town, well
known and influential citizens, came to
Washington the 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 in an elevator, but were
turned back by the guard. "This elevator
is reserved exclusively for the use of sem
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 u
senator even during secret sessionst'
eyes, members of the house and 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,
and SO it was decided to go TO the senator S
committee room, find this clerk and have
him solve the problem. But they We're
stopped at the foot of the stairs. Cannot
go to the upper corridor while the senate
is in secret session." "But we merely
wish to 90 to Senator Blanks committee
room" "No matter. 1t is aganst orders. !"
man would not take them up.
AS last resort the two visitors started
for the hall of the house of representa-
tives. They knew member from their
state, and they would ask him help them
out. On their way over TO the house they
were twice ordered to throw away the CT
CARS which they held in their mouths. The
second time when the order was issued by
very big and fierce policeman, they obey
ed. AT the central entrance to tho house
they asked to have their cards sent in to
the member. 1.-THE east door, said the
doorkeeper. So they walked over to the
east door "You will find Mr.. So-and-so
at the far west door said this dOOrkcepor
politely. So they walked around TO the
west door. "Ihe lobby doorkcepcr takes
cards to Mr.. So-and so, said this door
keeper, and then they went to the lobby
door. There their card was taken in. But
the member was out. They started on n
hunt for him and finally found him in his
committee ROOM He was willing 70 Oblige
them when the circumstances had been ex-
planned to him. and all three 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 OF the Earth"
Next day the same gentlemen were at
the senate chamber again, but they had
seen their senator and We're merely looking
at the sights. They wanted to sit in the
gallery, but were sent from door to door.
One was reserved for the diplomatic corps,
another for the families of senators, IA
third for the president and his family, u
fourth was simply private. But finally
they were admitted and sat down to watch
the proceedings One of the gentlemen
pulled a small pair of opera glasses from
his pocket and started to use it, but was
told by an attendant that it was against
the rules. The other gentleman pulled ont
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 afterward went
down to the restaurant to gets bit of lunch
and found all the tables full in the first
room they came to. They attempted to so
into the next room. Reserved exclusive
ly for senator's said the colored man at
The door
"Well, said one of these American citi-
zens eve boast Of our republican simplici-
ty We brag that this is a free country.
have travelled all over the world, and in
no house Of parliament anywhere did
ever see so many rules and regulations and
so mnch red tame as there is here in thC