The Mankato free press., 1907-12-20
Huqe Marble Palace Does Not
Entice Members Away.
Representatives, However, Are
Going to New Home.
Sam Langum Fits Into Position
Like a Bug in a Rug.

Washington, Dec lS.-"Fine large
offices to rent, in suites of two rooms
with bath; apply to the United
States"
Such may be the sign hung out ON
the front of the fine new $2,OOOOOO
senate office building, when it is COM
pleted next year. For all is not sat
isfaction at the senate wing of the
capitol Some of the members of the
upper house, who have watched the
big marble office building growing
stone by stone, have about made up
their minds that they prefer to stay
in the offices they now have in the
capitol building itself, rather than
move block away to the new build
ing.
Even the little electric car line
which is to be operated through the
exclusive little tile-lined subway, be-
tween the new building and the base
ment of the capitol, has no power to
charm them away from the present
quarters.
81 am satisfied with the offices I
have now," said a northwestern sena-
tor with emphasis this week, "and l
don't intend to move way over there.
The capitol is good enough for me, and
I'm willing to let my rooms in the
new building 60 begging for tenant"
It is noticeable, however, that this
sentiment comes only from those sena-
tors who have commodious and we'll
appointed rooms at present, as chair
men of various influential senate com
mittees. New members who have no
committee rooms whatever; and some
of those committee chairmen who have
rooms down in what is by courtesy
called "The Terrace" and which is
reached by various and devious ways
leading through subterranean passages,
are rejoicing inwardly as they see the
new building nearing the roofing stage.
The house office building has no
such lot of knockers" as the senate
structure. 1t is true that there are
about six times as many members in
the house as there are committees, and
as a consequence some five-sixths of
the membership is without the com
mittee room accommodations which the
maioriy of the senators enjoy. The
house members appear to be well salts
fed with the prospect of getting into
their new building during the present
sessions; and two Minnesota members
were actually caught betting as to
which would enjoy the first right on
the Subway express"
Sam A. LanGum of Minnesota, the
new postmaster of congress, has fallen
into the general scheme of things in a
hurry. He already has wei formu-
lated plan to pick up his postoffice
and carry it over to the new house
office building, and retire to the sim
pie life Mr.. Langum is not exactly
disconnected by the hustle and hustle
into which he has suddenly jumped |;
DuU llc OndO lCduhCo hOOiO
more activity to take care of 400
congressman than of siXty-three Min
nesota senators.
"This postoffice isn't big enough to
turn around in," declared Mr.. Lang
um. "If the members of the house are
going to move, bags and baggage, to
the new office building, it seems to me
that is the proper place for the house
postoffice. A sub-station can be es-
tablished in the house wing of the
capitol if necessary; and l think bet
ter mail service would be given the
house by this arrangement"
The house postoffice is no small af-
fair 1t handles thousands of pieces
of mail matter, and has a force OF
eight or ten men at work all the time
Congressman Mann of Illinois has been
looking into the accommodations for
the postoffice, and it is probable that
recommendations will be made to the
house to move Mr.. Langum and his
assistants to the new building
Congressman Tawney has commo-
dious quarters, as chairman of the ap-
preparations committee, directly oppo-
site the entrance to the house corri-
dor, and he may be loath to leave
for the new building. 1t is probable
that the main committee rooms in the
house wing will continue to be the
principal offices of the chairmen of
such committees.