The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-29
RED Light
"- AT CAPITOL
NOTICE THAT SENATE is IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
One Might Fancy It a Social Gath
ering of Distinguished Statesmen.
Monotony Often Reigns, but Now
and Then the Session Is Made
Memorable by Some Remarkable
Speeches-Amos Cummings Re-
miniscences Events Behind
Closed Doors.

Washington Dec. 2s.-Yes. 1t Is
red light. In more cities than one are
such lights significant. This. however.
is aglow in the temple of national leg
islation. Stand here in the main door
way of the house of representatives
and look through the long corridor
leading to the august chamber of thu
United States senate. 1t Is like look.
ing through a tunnel. Do you see II?
It's purple tints are as plain as the
red CLEAN of lantern on the rear
car of limited express. Now. walk
down the corridor toward the north
wing Of the capitol. a few steps. ana
we cross the wonderful hall of statues.
with its mysterious echoes. Anon we
enter the great rotunda. with it's his
torical paintings. familiar to every
American school boy Continuing
down the passage. you Craze the
shoulder of an aged negro seated in
en- easy chair. He wears ~ black
skull.cap, and is shielded from
tlraughts by a richly-worked rosewood
screen. He holds slken cord Of var
: ious colors. 1t is attached to the door
Of an apartment occupied by body
more august than even the senate or
the United States 1t is the door of
The chamber in which the Supreme
court of the United States holds it's
sessions. The African receives S1,1'o
year for pulling the string for those
seeking entrance You next enter tho
special corridor, beyond the sable
guardian of judicial dignity. Here yo''
are facing The main entrance to the
legislative Sanhedrim.
Above the closed doors appears the
red light Scan it closely and you VIII
discover that it is a nest of electric
lights shining through scarlet bulbs.
More significant than the light itself
are the glittering uniforms of the po-
lice officials in the corridors surround
ing the chamber. Two sit on the bot
tom stcp of each of the marble stair
ways leading to the galleries. Every
public entrance is closed. Indeed. it
looks as though the chamber was her
metically sealed. Awe permeatesL the
very atmosphere. Move n single foot
nearer the chamber ana you will be
touched on the shoulder bv man in
uniform. With dignity most profound
he will point to the red light and in
form YOU in an undertakcr's whisper
that the senate is in executive ses-
sion. 'rhe red light flashes this I'M
pressive fact to a wondering world.
Ine SfflcLeSC SecluSlOll IS IeuuItu
jupiter and the gods and goddesses of
olympus We're not better protected
from eavesdroppers. You are not all
lowed to loiter in the corridor for Il
single second. So deeply impressed
are you that a chilly sensation comes
up your back as you shrink down the
stairway leading to the lower regions.
ANNOUNCED BY ELECTRIC
BELLS.
Meantime the legislative deties are
considering executive appointments
and drafting treaties with foreign gov
ernments. when a motion to go into
executive session is carried, all the
electric bells are rung and thereI is
great commotion. The senate retains
all it's hauteur until the galleries are
cleared and the doors closed. With
neither Stenographers, messengers.
nor pages in attendance, and specta-
tors driven from the galleries, the sem
ators proceed to executive business.
1t is then that punctilio is thrown to
the winds. and dignity slips through
a trapdoor. Personal comfort is the
first consideration. Lovers of the
weed draw fragrant Havanas and
Pittsburg intimidads from their pock-
kinds of match-boXes are in evidence
from gold down to aluminium and
leather. Antiques fish for matches in
the pockets of their waistcoats. and
ignite them on their boot heels. Or
with a smart perk adown the right
leg of their trousers. All assume at
titudes more or less nonchalant. The
best of feeling usually prevails You
might almost fancy it was a social
gathering. Here senator stretch ed
out on sofa, with his hands claSped
behind his head, watching the smoke
OF his cigar as it curls toward the
ceiling. Others place their feet on
their desks and enter into reminiscent
conversation. In theii, day, Thurman
and Edmunds usually took seats at
the desks used by the stenographers,
and essayed the roles of Damon and
Pythias until some appointment in
which either was Interested came up
for consideration. Anon. both arose
and sought a snuff-boX ensccnced in
niche near the vice president. 1t is
said to be relic Of the old Continental
congress, and it has certainly been i'm
official use since the days of Daniel
Webster and Henry Clay. Three min
utes afterward Thurman would draw
his old bandana from his coat pocket,
and make a blast familiar in Congre-
gational churches seventy-fve years
ago. Occasionally, they exchanged
cigars, but they We're wonderfully and
fearfully made. The aroma was over
powering. A gentleman visiting the
engineers room in the basement many
years ago was surprised to hear the
engineer remark THE senate is in
secret session again." "How do you
know" he was asked. IL catch the
favor of old Thurman's cigar" he re-
piled. The secret was easily explain
ed. As the doors of the senate cham
ber We're fastened, and the tobacco
smoke had no vent, 1t was forced down
into the engineers room through the
ventilating shafts.
At times, however, executive ses-
sions become dry and uninteresting.
Those occupying the lounges drop
asleep under the monotony of the pro-
ceedings. AS they enter the Land Of
Nod the music of the 'bucksaw is
heard. 1t continues until roll-call,
when they are aroused to answer their
names. Nominations are placed on
the calendar in the order in which they
are reported from the committees.
Those involving the appointment of
ambassadors and consuls go to the
committee on foreign relations; post
offices and post roads take charge of
postmasters; collectors OF ports are
sent to the committee on finance;
army and navy nominations to their
respective committees; judges and