The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-29
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
OF PRACTICING PHOTOGRAPHY At
THE CAPITOL-RULES Oh
STRICT SUCCESS.
SNAP SHOT AT MRS. CLEVELAND.
Record of Triumphs and Failures Of
MISUNDERSTANDING of Photog-
raphers.

never seen such an outburst of the
camera fever as we have had here in
the last four weeks. The inauguration
is always well done. 1t was oyerdone
this time, though the inaugural COM
mittee with an eye to profits tried to
keep the amateur off the streets on
March f. But the Inauguration did not
limit the onslaught. The visitors who
remained over and the new congress-
man who came after the 4th have been
swapping away like a line Of sharp
shooters every clear day.
Almost all the new congressman have
at least one camera in the family A
few years ago a great many members
OF the house and senate were good
photographers. Senator Kenna, of
West Virginia, was an enthusiast, and
he took some very fine pictures Of his
colleagues in the senate. You could
find him prowling about the city with
his camera in hand at almost any
bright hour of the day. Speaker Reed
never took UP photography himself
But he had camera in the family
and he knew how to work it. When I
was in Portland summer before last. I
took snapshot at Mr.. Reed in his Of
flee. He smiled, and in his character
istic drawl told me 1 would not get
anything from the negative because
the exposure had not been long enough
Mr. Reed knew more about photo
graphy than l did at that time, for I
found only a shadow on the plate.
I've been about the country with a
a better or a worse city for taking
photographs than Washington-better
because there is more picture material
here than anywhere else, worse be-
cause there are more obstacles in the
photographers path here than in any
other city. This was particularly true
under the Cleveland administration.
and possibly the popping which has
been going on all around us this month
is the outbreak of the repressed ex-
uberance Of the past four years.
Photography was almost as free az
air under some former administrations,
but under Mr.. Cleveland the photo
grapher was under heavy restraints
l took some friends to the White house
one day. They were sightseeing. One
doorkeeper spied the camera as we
came up the White house steps. You
can't take that in,' he said. On my
assurance that no pictures would be
taken, however, he let us carry it
through the parlors and the conserva-
tory. All these rooms, Of course, have
been photographed many times. Four
years ago. just before Mr. Cleveland
was inaugurated, 1 had a full set or
interior views of the White house TAX
en- with the presidents permission. The
photographer said to me then: This
Will be your last chance. The CleVe-
lands will never let a photographer
enter the White house" And she was
right. During the term Of Mr.. CleVe-
land the only photographer who got
into the White house was one who
took a group picture of the president
and his cabinet and one who took 81
picture of the president at his desk for
the presidents personal friend, Mr..
Glider.
From the White house we went to
the National museum that day. Why
any one should object to the taking
of photographs there, except on the
ground that the Smithsonian people
want a monopoly of the privilege, L
cannot imagine. 1t is quite as difficult
to comprehend as the way they have
at the museum of reserving a large
doorway for the OCCASIONAL official who
comes and goes and making the public
go around Robin Hoods barn to get
into the building But the doorkeeper
who checks umbrellas and sticks, and
travelling bags, too, if you are a tran
silent visitor, insisted on checking the
camera. So it was left with him.
Then we went to the capitol Here ]
fol co 70 hOyx moi
correspondents have many privileges
at the capitol They are second only
to senators and representatives They !
use the elevator ordinarily reserved for
members of the senate, and they have
even been known to dine in the sacred
precincts of the senator's restaurant
So we walked around the capitol, calm
Iy taking snap shots in the rotunda and |
from the gallery outside the library
and finally went into the press gallery
to the senate and put the box down
on one of the desks. We snapped
away once or twice, seemingly with |
out attracting attention. Then page
caught sight of US and began making
motions indicating a desire to be in
cluded in the picture. That caught
the eye of the ergeant-at-arms, and
two minutes later messenger from his
Office made his appearance, demanding
by what authority we took pictures in
the capitol. We had no authority, and
appealed to Col. Bright. He said he
did not know why the rule was made |
but it existed and it applied not only |
to the building, but to the grounds |
around it. The week before photo
grapher had been arrested for taking |
pictures in the capitol grounds.
Our next visit was to the new library.
which then was not quite completed. |
Col Green, the superintendent, told |
me that he would like to give US per-
mission to take pictures. But he had |
denied every one else, and he could |
make no exception to the rule. Why |
did the rule exist? Because the place
would be overrun with photographers |
otherwise.
We got on a car and went to the |
navy yard That is the place where |
the great guns are made. 1t has been |
photographed again and again for |
and magazines. A sentinel |
stood at the gateway. you'll have to |
leave that with me-" he said reaching |
for the camera.
81 don't want to take any pictures"
said my companion. 1t was too late in |
the afternoon then to take any. The |
sun had gone down.
Sorry" said the sentinel. Orders, |
sir" He took the camera.
You could not even photograph the |
presidents wife under the last admin |
tration. And this was the most ridicu- |
lous prohition of all No actress or
English professional beauty has been
photographed so many times in so brief
a period as Mrs. Cleveland was lust
after she came to Washington. One |
photographer took more than twenty |
pictures of her at one engagement ana |
photographers very equally. But when |
the photographer for one of the Illus