Evening star., 1900-05-08
The Ruthless Vandal is Awed in the
Supreme Court Boom.
PERFECT DECORUM OF SPECTATORS
Impressive Procession of the JUS
tices.
SHOW PLACE FOR VISITORS

The United States Supreme Court is
ceaseless source of interest to the stranger
in Washington. Even when the court is
not in session the chamber in which 1t sits
is viewed by constant stream of visitors,
who enter it with air almost of rever-
ence. Ordinarily 1t is the dullest place
where men assemble to do business The
decorum is painful. but this does not deter
the American citizen who comes to inspect
the seat of government from lingering
fondly about the place. When the Ken
lucky case was argued, not only was the
court room crowded. but long line of peo-
pie waited outside for a chance to slip
through the door. The manner of these pill
grims to the shrine of the law does not
indicate any loss of respect by the plain
people for this august body. The two places
IN washington where the vandal stands in
awe are the Supreme Court and the White
House, and in the latter place the rule has
not been invariable. In all other public
places may be found the dirty fngerprints
of the vandal. The monument is Clipped,
statues are marred, fragments are cut from
the furniture and hangings of the Senate
ana House of Representa- tives, and names
nave been scratched into the marble and on
the bronze doors, but something holds the
most ruthless in check when he comes to
the Supreme Court.
Great Formally Observed,
formalfty is observed, and witnessing the
impression 1t makes upon the public one
may readily understand why the people
who have recently come to us from under
the Spanish rule of civil degradation and
official splendor should feel that there
must be a deficiency when official functions
are not conducted with pomp 1t cannot
justly be said that the ceremoniousness of
the supreme Court is accompanied with
pomp and splendor, but there is about it a
formaltty, reserve and enforced decorum
which is intended to be impressive and Is
so. When the hour comes for the court to
Is stretched across the corridor, so as to
preserve clear passage from the consult
ing room on one side of the corridor to the
court room on the other. This blocks the
passage from the House of Representa-
tives and the rotunda to the Senate and
for the brief space of time 1t takes for the
Justices to pass into the court no one may
go beyond the red line of ropes. Senator'S
representatives, the President himself
should he happen there, must wait. The
members of the court. the chief justice at
their head, with their black robes wrapped
about them, march in a solemn procession,
single file, from the consultation room
across the corridor, through the lobby of
the court. to their places on the bench.
This ceremony occurs whenever the court
passes in or out of the court chamber and
there is invariably at the hour of their
assembling a crowd Of curious strangers
grouped on either side of the barrier 20
view this manifestation of dignity. Many
remove their hats as the court files by, and
on every face is an expression of respect
and interest. No expression of impa tience
escapes even the belated senator who is
delayed by this procession as he hurries to
reach the Senate chamber in time for