Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-05

an unseemly character. The proceedings
are as orderly as at other times, barring
little relaxation in the way of moving about
and smoking. But men do not always vote
as they would under the public eye. Scenes
from the School for Sea ndal are sometimes
enacted by the picking to pieces of private
character, and, on the other hand. unsav-
DRY regulations are sometimes mended by
the Partially of strong personal friend
ship.
PrOpOunds n Query.
Ihere Is no reason on earth why presi-
oenuai nominations should be considered
III secret session We are told that it is
dohe 10 enable senators freely to discuss
the htness of the nominees. But how does
TINS aid them? Were these same senators
at all squeamish in any political campaign
doout discussing the character of men who
mad been proposed for office?
am glad to observe a tendency to aboI-
lsn this relic of the distr,lst our first le-is-
iators mad for the people, and which long
manifested itself by excluding the publ.
from all sessions of the Senate
1t Is fact which is not generally known
mat the Senate sat at all times with closed
doors during the first six years after our
government went into operation under the
constitution Not even the members of the
house OF Representatives were permit ed
to invade its hiding place. resolution
tnat the doors Of the Senate chamber shall
De open when the Senate is sitting in their
legislative capacity, to the end that such of
the citizens of the United States as NAV
choose to hear the debates of this house
may have an opportunity Of so doing was
voted down april 70. 1889. just one year
after Wash.ngtcns first Inaugural ton and
the same proposition was rejected ut the
TWO following sessions. On the 18th of
April. 1872 some bold and venturesome
senator made motion to admit the men,
bers of the House of Representatives 10 at
tend the debates of the Senate, when sit
va cjt II Il
but six affirmative votes against sixteen in
the negative. On the 9th of December
1898. secrecy was abolished, except IN cases
when specially ordered
4 Grand Body.
Concluding Mr. Gorham said:
THE Senate is a grand body; these nine
ty men. the choice of forty-five states. 1t
IS the concentrated wisdom. folly and indif-
ference of those states, s2verally. with theil
I0,0Go,030 of people. If any state did not
90 the best it could have DONE 1t did the
best it cared to do and is accountable for
the result to no earthly power. This makes
the bo1y fairly representative. The Senate
is good as the states from which it
comes. representative government can
not be better than the people who make it,
If an unworthy man reaches the Senate. it
cannot be explained as the result of neglect
and not of choice. for neglect is also choice
Some men who have lonSed. in vain. to
opinion OF those who have reached the
goal. Tedious old croakers there are, who
tell us of the better days of the republic,
before great statesmen had gone out of
fashion. FHppant young critics can demon
stratc to you how inferior are the men
whom the people honor with success, and
how superior are all who fail. But men OF
candor and sense who look in upon the
Senate, listen to its debates, sean the re-
ports of lis committees. and witness the
general bearing and conduct of senators.
will be satisfied with the result of their OBJ
servatons. They will have no occasion to
speak disparagngly of our highest parlid-
mentary body, into which no man enters
by hereditary right, nor upon any other
warrant than the command of the people Of
a state of the Union spoken by it's legisla-
ture.
Il institute no comparisons between the
present and the past. | believe our Senate
IS equal to its day and its duties. We have
now no issues like those which thirty-tivc
years ago made the earth to quake in their
discussion and settlement. but unsettled
questions, which have no pity for the re-
pose of nations, still stimulate human en-
deavor in own, as well as in other
lands. No fear need be entertained that
the Senate of the great republic will come
short of its share in the work of progress
sive civilization"
Refreshments Served.
After the reading of the paper by Mr..
Gorham refreshments were served and a
sociable time was enjoyed by the club.
Charmen of standing committees were an
nounced as follows: Reception. Lee Lati-
mer; program, Charles Moore; strangers,
A. ]. Halford; Sunday evening, Charles
Gurley; Bible study Ito be nominated by
the young mems class; membership, s. L.
Irvine The officers of the club are: Presi-
dent, George c. Gorham; vice president,
VIM B. Gurley; secretary, Walter c. Gle
phane; treasurer, Philip b. Larner. The
chairmen OF standing committees. together
with the president, pastor and pastors as
sistant, constitute the executive commit
tee of the club. The club will have lee
ture and sociable once a month.