News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-01-24
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1900.

statesmen and a day-by-day study
of their conduct very largely less ems
the holy awe and reverence with which
we have been wont to regard them,
even if it does not produce a feeling
of contempt for the ways and means
also the toOls-of legislation. APP
propos of this, visitors in the specta-
tors gallery of the Senate and House
are nearly all residents of distant
states. Residents of the city hardly
ever go into the Capital. For one to
whom the place is familiar, it is de-
cidedly interesting to go into the
gallery of one of the chambers and
watch the manifestations OF emotion
on the part of the visitors. At first
they are too full for utterance at the
thought of being in the presence of
such great chunks and heaps and
mountains of wisdom, but soon their
tongues loosen up and a red-hot run
ming fire of delightfully."- plain spoken
criticism results. Two-thirds of the
visitors are ladies, and their COM
ments are usually to the point. A
sample conversation: -
"My! What an awfully homely
old man that is in the Presidents
chair this in the Senate) he looks
like a backwood's farmer with his
Sunday clothes on" This is Senator
Frye of Maine, President protein of
the Senate. (Which is Hanna?"
Hanna is pointed out. "What that
pudgy little old man! | thought
Hanna wore the dollar mark all over
him and shed wealth at every step
as radiator throws off heat, and
this old fellow looks like a cheap
country store-keeper." Another idol
busted. ooh, want to see Depew ;
which is Depew?" A large framed,
prosperous looking old gentleman is
pointed out, sitting quietly and de-
murely at his desk, reading news
paper or chatting with the Senator
on his right or left. "Oh, won't he
say some thing? | want to hear him
make a funny speech !" But no fun
ny speech is Forthcoming, and anoth-
er doll is found to be stuffed with
sawdust. In like manner Teller and
Tllman and Allison and Aldlich and
Platt and HOar and Morgan and
Rawlins the Mormon and Foraker
and Vest and CullOm and Mason and
the latter's twin Philippine, theridic-
ulous Pettigrew, and Chandler and
Lodge and Pop. Marion Butler and
all the other celebrities are pointed
out and all are found to be utterly
disappointing in looks, conduct and
behavior.
One largely redeeming feature oil
Senate, however, is that it transac5s
it's business in an orderly, quiet and
decent manner. Nothing of this kind
can be said of the House. When any.
thing of Importance is on in the
House, that body is mob, divided
into two distinct and nearly eq1a
squads of rioters. It's a beer garden
pandemonium, stock exchange or
a colossal scale. From two to fifty
are talking or trying to talk at once
at least. they are moving their lips
waving their arms and shaking theiI
fists in apparently insane rage-anC
the stenographic reporters are dodg
ing in all directions in a crazy at
tempt to keep up with what the mem
bers are presumably trying to say
Meanwhile the speaker bangs on thu
. desk and says, "the House will be il
order" But the House won't be il
order, and the best that can be don,
is to reduce the chronic disorder al
much as possible.
There are few members of the presen
House who are particular objects o
interest. Jerry Simpson and Han
Lewis are gone, and ninety-eight one
hundredths OF the members are of NJ
particular Importance to visitors
Fitzgerald of Massachusetts is still
there. He looks to be about twenty
years old, small in stature with {
smooth face and the appearance of {
small salaried dry-goods clerk
Payne of New York has been 70
years one of the House leaders on tn
republican side. He delights in strut
ting around the chamber with hi
hands at the bottom of his trou ,er
pockets and with a general "this is
Payne" air. He is a heavy man witt
gray hair and full gray beard, whicI
physical description will also fit tn
Republican leader, Gen. Grosvenor @
Ohio pronounced Grovenir) excep
that the latter has shock of snow
white hair and a full white he ard
The Democratic leader, who il nov
officially Jim Richardson of Ter
nessee, is very tall and slim, with
dark moustache and swarthy CON
plexion, an excellent picture Of
bright and snappy country lawyer
Leader Bailey is relegated to the pc
sition of a private in the rear rank
and very little is he ird OF or fror
him. Speaker Henderson = Committe
assignments appear to have bee
particularly satisfactory to nearl
everybody concerned, and il nothin
happens to mar the pres ent feleci on
course OF events he will prove to b
at least one of the most PERSONAL
and officially popular speakers VIII
ever occupied the position.
Reverting to the personnel of th
Senate for a moment. Did you eve
see Josh Whitcomb or the venerabl
bachelor uncle in "Shore Acres
II so. you have seen Senator Hoar |