The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-04-04
TAKING SNAP SHOTS.
PRESIDENT M'KlNLEY AND THE ON
NlPRESENT CAMERA MAN.
Difficulties In the Way of Practicing thu
Art OF Photography at the National Cap.
itol-Rules That obstruct success-snap
Shots at Mrs. Cleveland.
Especial Correspondence.l

hoI-Rules That Obstruct Success-Snau
Shots at Mrs. Cleveland.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, March 30.-I have new
er seen such an outburst of the camera
fever as we have had here in the last
four weeks. The Inauguration is always
we'll done. 1t was overdone this time,
though the inaugural committee. with
an eye to profits, tried to keep the anna
teur Off the streets on March 4.
Almost all the new congressman have
at least one camera in the family. A
few years ago great many members of
the house and senate were good pho
tographers. Senator Kenna of West Vir-
ginia 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 cam
era in hand at almost any bright hour
of the day. Speaker Reed never took up
photography himself But he had a
camera in the family, and he knew how
to work it. When 1 was in Portland
summer before last, took snap shot
at Mr.. Reed i'll his office. He smiled,
and: 4ia.a4as-e ttssa-s teFis*4e-arawl- told me
I would not get anything from the neg.
alive because the exposure had not been
long enough. Mr.. Reed knew more
about photography than I did at that
time, for l found only shadow on the
plate.
Photography was almost as free as
air under some former administrations,
but under Mr.. Cleveland the pho
tographer was under heavy restraints.
l took some friends to the White House
one day. They were sightseeing. One
of them had camera The vigilant
doorkeeper spied the camera as we came
up the White House steps. "You can't
take that ill.," he said. On my assur-
ance that no pictures would be taken,
however, he let us carry it through the
parlors s.ad tbN conservatory. All these
rooms, ofoUUrSe. have been photograph
ed many tiG2eA FoE.r years ago, just be-
fore Mr.. Cle-slArd was inaugurated,
had full set of interior views of the
White House taken with the president S
permission. The photographer said to
me then: "This will be your last chance.
The Clevelands will never let a pho
tographer enter the White House" And
she was right. During the term of Mr..
Cleveland 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 pic
ture 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, cannot i'm
agine 1t is quite as difficult to compre-
bend as the way they have at the mu
scum of reserving a large doorway for
the occasional official who comes and
goes and making the public go around
Robin Hood s barn to get into the build
ing. But the doorkeeper who checks
umbrellas and sticks, travelling bags,
too, if you are transient visitor, in
sisted on checking the camera.
Then we went to the capitol. Here
felt sure we were safe. Newspaper cor
respondents have many privileges at the
capitol They are second only to sena-
tors and representatives. They use the
elevator ordinarily reserved for mem
bers of the senate, and they have even
been known to dine i'll the sacred pre-
cincts of the senators restaurant. Sc
we walked around the CAPITOL calmly
taking snap shots i'll the rOtunda and
from the gallery outside the library,
/. and finally went into the press gallery
of the senate and put the box down OIL
one of the desks We snapped away once
Or twice, seemingly without attracting
attention. Then page caught sight Of
us and began making motions indi-
eating a desire to be included in the
picture. That caught the eye of the ser
geant- at arms, and two minutes later &
messenger from his Office made his APP
pearance, demanding by what authority
we took pictures in the capitol. We haC
no authority, and l appealed to Colone
Bright. He said he did not know why
the rule was made but it existed, ant
it applied not only to the building, bu
to the grounds around it. The week be-
fore a photographer had been arrested
for taking pictures in the capito
grounds.
Our next visit was to the new libra
~, which then was not quite com
pleted. Colonel Green, the superintend
ent, told me that he would like to give
us permission to take pictures. But h'
had denied every one else, and he coult
make no exception to the rule. Why
did the rule exist? Because the place
would be overrun with photographer
otherwise.
} We got on Car and went to the navy
yard. That is the place where the grea
: guns are made. 1t has been photograph
ed again and again for newspapers ant
magazines. A sentinel stood at the gate
way. you'll have to leave that will
me-" he said, reaching for the camera
81 don't want to take any pictures. ,
said my companion. 1t was too late IL
the afternoon then to take any. Th'
sun had gone down.
} Sorry" said the sentinel. "Orders
sir" He took the camera.