The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-17

senators and representatives around by
the buttonhoIe in plain view of all hands
outside the doors of the legislative cham.
bers, as they once did. If any legisla-
tive schemes are put through, the details
are conducted with extreme furtiveness,
If, indeed, they are arranged In Wash
ington at all
Scrupulous sobriety on the part of the
legislators and government officials Is re-
auired by modern public opinion in Wash
ington. There is thought to be not a sin
gle excessive drinker among all OF the
members Of both houses and among all
of the higher government officials. Men
still in middle life can remember
when there were actual drunkards among
men in high place in Washington. Less
than fifteen years ago member of the
lower house was to be seen riding about
the main streets in a carriage with his
legs dangling out of the windows from
which he had playfully kicked the glass
and bawsliRg at the top Of his lungs
Wow! git up steam
With q SiX-mule team
Way down in Colorado
Less than ten years have passed since
Washington witnessed the spectacle of q
United States senator from Southern
state rising to address the senate while
III u cOHUitlUu SuCn QtUIlk6lQeSS tnar
he had to hold on to his desk His hui
inflated wife and daughters witnessed
the scene from one Of the galleries. A
cultivated man by nature and training
this senator talked on his occasion Ike
any longshoreman tipsy with mixed ale;
and when he was on the point of fall
ing down where he stood, he was yfr-
tually carried out Of the chambers. He
never addressed the senate again. but
AZ I, IL u,
afterward.
Less than a quarter of a century ago
the sight of a pair of legislators or gov
trnment oft1clals reellng arm-ln- arm
through the streets Of Washington,
evoked only indllgent smiles on the part
OF those who witnessed it, Such a pair
exhibiting themselves now would stand
nationally disgraced. Carousals no long
er take place in the capitol. The last OF
these happened on the house side about
ten years ago. The French spollation
claims were before the house, one mlgn,
say for the thausandth time. 1t was only
a day or so before the adjournment on
March 4. There was an aH-night session
OF the house. All of the members, or the
great majority of them. remained all
night for the debate. They were in the
mood to be amused.
Huge bowls of steaming punch orna-
nittee rooms. The negro committee room
attendants kept replenishing the bowls
ali night. congressman swayed through
the corridors with flushed faces. their
voices pitched high. Even those members
who were abstemious by habit caught
the Infection and drank far more than
vas good for them The groups of story
tellers in their seats and ranged along
the settees at the back of the chamber
were so boisterous that Speaker Reed,
thoroughly disguised. had frequently to
rap sayageIy for order and some degree
OF silence.
Along toward or o'clock in the morn
ing the fun in the committee rooms be-
came fast and furious. A party Of sing
ing black boys were impressed from the
street and hired to sing in one of the
committee rooms for the delectation of
the hilarious members. From singing
they got to engaging in buck ard wing
dancing to the music of harmonicas and