News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1906-12-12
OUR WEEKLY WASHINGTON Letter
WAsHINGToN. ID. ca
Dec. 8, 1906.
Dear Neiohbors =

WASHINGTON, d. ca
Dec. 8, 1906.
Dear Neighbors =
Usually on top of Thanksgiving
comes the Presidents message, his
annual instructions and advice to
Congress, and by that sign you know
that the lid is off and Congress is
"off." The message came in Tuesday
last, the second day of the session
and in length and number of subjects
treated it breaks all records. Oh
course there are some who don't en-
dorse it all among the members OF
both houses, but as to that, there are
some who don't wholly agree with
the Sermon on the Mount, SO, it
seems, neither human nor divine can
please everybody. But the vast ma
lolity of both Democrats and Repub.
leans are pretty thoroughly in ac-
cord with its essential suggestions.
Each member of the two houses was
given a copy of the message as the
respective clerks began to readit, but
the reading occupied over two and
one half hours and many of the Sen
ators and members of the House Re
came weary with attentive listening
and wandered out long before the
reading was concluded.
The California delegation in the
House has been up in arms ever since
because of the Presidents language
on the Japanese question, but it is
altogether likely that the ebullition
will simmer down and that peace
and harmony will continue to pre-
vail. All the talk of war with Japan
or that California will cecede from
the Union and set up an ami foreign
government is of course only the idle
hot air of the hour.
In many years of attendance do
not remember to have seen as full an
attendance of members ofboth houses
as there was Monday. Though the
proceedings were very brief and unin
teresting, vet the galleries were
packed with visitors to, the doors
long before high noon when-in the
absence of previous resolution to
the contrarv-both houses met and
hundreds who were disappointed in
not being alb e to obtain seats wan
{ cred aimlessly around the corridors
and asked questions. OF these latter
move little later. AS to the CALLER
les, the arrangements are the same
in both the House and Senate. I'm
behind and over the Vice
President and Speaker is the press
gallery, for seeing and hearing, the
most eligible of all Admis sion to
this is only given jointly by the pre-
siding officer of each house to the
accredited Washington correspond
ent of the newspapers of this country
and Europe, and the admission holds
good while the correspondent acts in
the capacity 10 which he was admit
ted. 1t goes without saving that
the "press boys" here are the howdfss
and pick of the worlds journalism,
many of them bearing names well
known wherever the English lam
suage is read and spoken. |
Beside this gallery there are two
card galleries " admission to which
S only by the official card of Sena-
or or member of the House, issued
oy him to any friend. Then there
ire two mems galleries, ladies' gal
cry and in the Senate a Senators
gallery and in the House members
gallery. There is no admission to
my one of these except to those
who are personally introduced by a
senator or Member. Finally, there
s the diplomatic gallery in each
House reserved rigidly for member
attaches of foreign legations. Usu-
lily these galleries are vacant, and
hardly ever occupied by more than
wo or three ultra distinguished Wis
tors. The foreigners appear to take
Yery little interest in our system of
awmaking.
l will add that one half of the front
'ow in the Senator's and Members
gallery is strictly and always reserved
or the family of the President. AS
mr. the President b;,pcalf ba = .Lo
'ne man in the wide world who, by
IN unwritten law, cannot look at
1ther house in season.. Blythe same
law he cannot enter the
capitol except once a year. He is
in his room in the rear of