Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-01-29
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Mr.. STILLMAN DESCRIBES METHOD OF
CONDUCTING EXECUTIVES
SESSION
Interesting Description Of the United States,
Executive Session. Habits and Personal
characteristics Of Senators.

Washington, d. g. Jan. 25:-Spe-
cial Correspondence Almost every
day, just prior to final adjournment.
the Senate proceeds to the consider
alton of executive business" or in
other words goes into executive ses-
Ision.
| The executive session. is one of
the distinctive features of the Senate.
The House has no such session. This
executive session is star chamber
affair; secret meeting of Senators in
the Senate chamber. A motion for
executive session is always in order,
the same as a motion to adjourn is al
ways in order. This motion is avail
ed of when it is desired to choke off
debate or some speech. The primary
object of the executive session is to
enable the Senate to consider secretly
questions of State, more particularly
matters pertaining to treaties and
our foreign relations. Confirmation
of presidential appointments is con.
sidered in executive session.
When debate has proceeded for some
hours, or it is important that many
Senators present should attend COM
mittee meetings. and either Senator
Cullom, of Illinois, or Keane. of New
Jersey. are seen to fidget about and
frequently to he about to address the
chair. everybody about the chamber
knows an executive is coming. 1t
is very rare than any attempt to head
off request for an executive is
made. When senator says: II
| move the Senate proceed to the con-
sideration of executive businass'
there is a general exodus both on the
floor and in the galleries, without
waiting to hear the result of the
motion. The putting of the motion
by the vice president is a mere form.
He says: "All in favor say ave
those opposed no." but as matter of
fact nobody votes either way. Then
the president of the Senate says
1.-THE sergeant-at-arms will clear the
galleries and close the doors. - How
ever, this order was really not neces-
sary. The moment the request for an
executive session was made, the
twenty door-keepers of the galleries
have hurried down among the visitors
and advised them of the order and
there is hustling to get the people
out. The old-timers were already
on the move; they knew what was
coming the moment the request for
executive session was made The
strangers have to be told and in some
cases they have to be assisted.
Only this week woman in the
ladies' public gallery made trouble
and almost a scene. She was in no
hurry; she sat tight and said she
would go out when she got ready.
Every other gallery had been cleared
and the doors locked. There she sat,
while the officers on the floor below,
and not few senators, gazed up at
the gallery wondering what the trou-
BILE was. Just as an officer was about
TO be summoned. the aforesaid stub
born female decided she had better
! move. In another moment she might
have been on the road TO the police
court. She will in the future have
trouble getting into the gallery.
During an executive nobody except
senators and a few chosen officers
who have taken the executive"
oath. are in the chamber. Members
OF the House are thrown ont along
with clerks and ex-Senators. What
transpires during this secret session
is supposed to be AS mysterious as the
proceedings in a lodge of Masons or
other order. What is said and done
in detail is never recorded and is
never officially known. although the
substance of all that is done is known
and does become public. Newspaper
men hang about the doors and as soon
as the executive is at an end aud SEN
ators begin to drift out they are
pounced upon by reporters, and
among them they find out all that has
transpired. In fact some of the news
paper men have senators. it is said,
who tell them regularly what has
been doing. This is contrary to the
rules. yet it is done every day and
excites no comment.
AS a general thing, during regular
sessions. the Senate is most digni-
fed and proper body and extreme
courtesy prevails. During an execu-
tive session. however. it is different.
All restraint is immediately thrown
off and senators act like boys often
times. AS previously remarked, no
record is kept of any remarks that
may be made. and with this brake
removed there are spicy things said.