The Washington times., 1902-12-21
THE RISE AND FALL OF
THE HOLE IN THE WALL
How Ante-Bellum Senators
Slaked Their Thirst.
A JOKE ON THE HOUSE
Passed Amendment Abolishing Liquor
Traffic, Vainly Hoping That Senate
Would Kill Measure.

p
liquors at the National Capitol has re-
Gently attracted the attention Of the
national lawmakers as well as the
country at large and is causing much
amusement TO members of the Senate
on account Of the awkward position the
House placed itself in by depriving It's
members Of refreshing liquid beverages.
There has always been a vigorous out
cry by a certain class of people against
the barroom feature at the Capitol
These people believe that strong drink
ought not TO be sold on the Hlll. This
applies TO the House only. however. as
for some time no intOXiC8nts have been
dispensed in the Senate restaurant. On
the House side however, there are no
restrictions. and visitors as well as
members Of the House find no difficulty
in shaking their thirsts. Efforts to pre-
vent this have been made from time TO
time. but while these efforts on the part
Of advocates Of prohibition have had the
. effect Of temporarily checking the sale,
7 they have failed to suppress It.
Joke On House.
Believing that the desired reform
might be accomplished by the enactment
OF law, the prohibition advocates sue
ceeded I'm having an amendment placed
on the immigration bill forbidding the
sale OF intoxicating liquors in any part
OF the Capitol building. There was no
contest over the amendment. those who
did not agree with It believing that the
Senate would strike It from the bill. The
{ Senate committee did strike it out, the
point being made that it was not ger
name to the bill. When the bill reached
the Senate a strong opposition de-
veloped to the action Of the committee,
and AFTER much debate the paragraph
was restored
The latest proposition, according TO
the Senate side of the question. is TO
pass the provision along with the i'm
migration bal, let it become law and
then repeal it-provided the members Of
the House itself viii introduce and pass
the repeating measure.
The Senate has a great advantage over
the House IN the matter OF personal
ccnveniences at the Capitol. The in
creased accommodations derived from
the removal Of the Library Of Congress.
and the possession Of the Maltby Build
ing. situated on the north side Of the
Capitol Park. enable every Senator TO
have a private room.
On account Of the present agitation
for exclusion OF intoxicants from the
Capitol it is interesting TO look back
and sec how TIE liquid refreshments
we're dispensed IN the days gone by.
In Days Gone By.
When Webster. Calhoun. and other
legislative giants wanted 10 wet their
Whistles" when engaged in making and
unmaking laws for their country they
visited what was then known as the
"Hole in the wall" a small room, not
far removed from the postoflce Of the
Senate. which at that time occupied the
present Supreme Court chamber. This
small circular room, which received the
name Of the Hole in the Wall" was
likewise the first restaurant the upper
house ever knew. and. as may well be
imagined, the menu was not to be COM
pared 10 that OF tho present day res
taurant. the great statesmen being salts
fed with a sandwich Of cold beef. tongue,
ham, turkey. or few hard boiled eggs.
While the feed" was slow. the fluid
was plentiful and Of the best, adulter-
ated and blended whiskies not being
tolerated. and. as a rule. the big men
took big drinks. The Hole In the WaIP'
was for the convenience Of Senators and
Members. and It was seldom that the
ordinary citizens availed themselves Of
its privileges. OF course the statesmen
were permitted 70 take their friends in
for a friendly bumper but the pro-
prietor generally turned them out when
not accompanied by a Senator OF Rep
resentative. To some extent the Hole
in the Wall" was a blind tiger and
the proprietor was afraid Of being
pulled"
SidebosTd Adjunct.
When the new Senate wing OF the Cap
itol was finished provision was made in
its basement FOR the present restaurant
and postodce. Later on the Library alb
sorbed the old postofice. incidentally
taking in the hole. I'm the Wall" but
today the little circular room remains
as a reminder Of legislative conviyiali-
ties Of the days long gone.
When the Hole in the Wall" disap-
peared there sprung up the sideboard ad-
iunct for the committee rooms, and
these fourished for many years and. IN
truth. some OF these "wet goods" ar
rsngements stIl hold good in a few Of
the rooms Of the have-all-he-Wants
Senators These sidcbOard arrangements
we're abused by many who were permit
ted 10 visit the rooms. and finally they
we're locked upon as a nuisance And
too. some OF the papers throughout the
country began 20 make q protest at the
large sums annually SET forth by the
Secretary OF the Senate as having been
expended for "snun. quinine. bears oil
pills etc" but which. In fact. went for
the genuine Dutch courage" The com
mittee room bar vas anything but a
success. and gave the Senators "a vast
amount of annoyance from the fellows
who were ever ready 10 panhandle" a
little liquid refreshment