The Washington herald., 1908-02-21

The eye of the gallery spectator, wan
dering about over the sober clad Repre-
sentatives, the duh green carpet of the
hall Of the House, and the mahogany
desks, encounters. sometimes. here and
there. the CLINT of a red carnatiOn.
It's indeed "A pleasure 10 poor specta-
tor TO see flashing under the subdued cleo
tric light the sparkle Of a red carnation,
but il is sad 20 reflect that these emblems
Of natures marvellous handiwork are here
after all but The insignia OF the greatest
and most exclusive club in the country
the Carnation Club.
The gentlemen who compose that club
are well known. They are known other
wise and ofttimes as the Big Five" and
anything that one of them wants, he gets,
or finds the reason why. The high and
| ranking member Of the club is naturally,
as naturally. indeed. as a man smokes
long black cigars, the Hon. Joseph g.
Cannon, of Danville. III.
The second Ia Weighty.
The second member. in rank but not
as 10 weight, is the Hon. Serene Payne.
Of New York, chairman OF the Com
|
member Is the Hon John DalzeH. OF
Pennsylvania, member OF quite a number
of committees and valuable assistant in
all questions OF club etiquette
The other members are all worthy Of
separate mention. but space forbids. Suf-
flee il 10 say that they are the Hon.
Pete" Hepburn. whose name will live
some time as the father Of the present
rate law; the Hon. Jim" Sherman, who
/ has been singled out and designated as
/ the "slickest" member Of the club. and
! the Hon. James Tawney. who is the
misunderstood friend Of the old clerks.
Anomalous as the above may seem,
| there being six gentlemen above set
/ forth, ia all the gauds Of oratory and
craftsmanship. the truth Of TIE prcposi-
I tion stin remains. for the first named
/ the Hon. Cannon. does not figure on the
| hoor-he works IL out by intuition from
/ the chair. in a truly mastery manner
1 Il is bruited upon the idle tongue Of
gossip at the Capitol that the red csrna-
! ton. the sign of the FIVE" the sole
| insignia or the 'Carnation Club" was
really first worn as a sort Of danger sig
nal 10 the Speaker. Whenever he saw
that red carnatlon bob up out OF the
parliamentary ruck. so 70 speak, he knew
/ hat here was a safe haven in which 70
I trust the bark Of legislation.
All Five Ara Proved.
All the FIVE have proved their trust
worthiness. and the sign has stayed. II
/ is intimated that since the Hon. Henry
/ sherman Bouteu delivered himself Of a
ICannonesque Grafton not long hence. his
name has been inscribed, perhaps writ
/ in water. upon the enrolment book Of
the club
/ Be that as it may. upon the unsmirched
/ lapel OF yhs Hon. Henry Sherman perches
now a gaudy flower. red as 10 its petals.
and looking most Ike unto that which
/ graces tie others Of the coterie.
He who can come close 20 that per
/ lection or disinterestedness which be
| tokens a IL candidate for the -'Carnati0n
Club may. 70 is lntimated, upon appli-
1 cation. duly signed by three members Of
/ the matchIess organization. dare 20 wear
/ a white carnation. emblem OF his fitness
! tc be called upon In things which are OF
/ the dust and trifing.
/ When no red carnationed clUbite shines
/ forth in the misty aisles Of the solid left.
/ hope wings from the Speakers chair and
! sees a white carnarion Still the full and
/ Untrammeled privileges which 80 with
! that Red Badge Of Peerage do not stalk
! in awful majesty where the white brother
| cries out from "A coat lapel. The white
I flower means That he who wears Il can be
\ intrusted with the floor at odd times
/ when nobody belonging 70 the club
want Il.
Some WaiIinE, Also GnashinG-
/ Those who do not wear carnations are
/ in the outer darkness. The sound Of the
grinding is low for them there is some
times wailing and gnashing OF teeth, but
i II avails not: the "Carnation Club" IS
mighty exclusive. and consequently not
! exactly popular
| z-n--