Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20
Up on Capitol Hill

Had it not been for the presence Of
mind of Vice President Fairbanks last
Thursday the Senate would have adj
journed without wanting to. 1t all came
about through the efforts Of Senator New
lands of Nevada to get consideration for
his inland waterways commission bill.
First, Mr.. Newlands asked unanimous
consent that his bill be taken up at once
Senator Aldrich, over on the republican
side. pricked up his ears. AS soon as he
saw no one else was going to object, Mr..
Aldrich got up ana did it himself. He
doesn't want to see that voluntary COM
mission appointed by the President legal
lied. as would be done if that bill should
pass.
Looking around the chamber, the Rhode
Island senator said:
There is manifestly no quorum Of the
Senate present. I, therefore, am con-
strained to object to the consideration at
this time of such an important measure"
Il then formally move that the bill be
taken up for consideration on Wednesday,
January 90" said Mr.. Newlands.
This would have required a vote. AS
there were almost no senators present,
there was no telling what might have hap
pened.
Senator Cullom. chairman Of the foreign
affairs committee, had some consular ap-
pointments that he wanted brought up in
executive session that day. He began to
look worried. He said he had hoped the
Senate would go into executive session
at once.
But he hadn't reckoned with Senator
Burketts. The Nebraskan. for some rea-
son or other, wanted to put finger in
the pie. He reminded the chair that the
senator from Rhode Island had called
attention to the manifest absence of a
quorum.
With such a condition of affairs staring
it in the face, there appeared to be moth
ing left to do but adjourn. For, If the
sergeant-at-arms had been ordered to
send out and get enough senator's to make
a quorum 1t might have taken several
hours, and perhaps days, as many OF
them had already left for home to spend
the Christmas holidays.
Recognizing the situation at once, Sem
ator Aldrich moved adjournment Real
worry then showed itself on Mr.. Culloms
countenance. The few senator's In the
chamber looked at the Vice President
question Of the presence OF quorum was
raised by the senator from Rhode Island, -
announced Mr.. Fairbanks, never cracking
smile.
There was nothing to do. The chair
had spoken.
Senator Hale of Maine then formally
moved that the Senate go into executive
session. Then the Nevada senator said
he declined to yield as he believed was
his right. having the floor
Mr.. Hale said he didn't care, and made
his motion. pending the motion of MIR.
Newlands. Mr.. Hales motion was
adopted.
1t didn't look parliamentary. but Mr.
Newlands took it gracefully. So did Mr..
Burkett.
What else was there to DO under the
circumstances?
There is said to be a we'll developed
movement on foot to change the daily
order of business in the Senate. The rea-
son is that Of late messages from the
President have been read to empty seats,
which isn't at all respectful.
Every day during the morning hour"
which is from noon until . o'clock. the in
PRODUCTION of bills. petitions, memorials,
etc. and the making of committee re-
ports are the regular order" The Vice
President announces:
petitions and memorials are in ORDER:
then. bills are In ORDER" etc.
If the new rule is adopted. he will here
after announce at the proper time, conn
munications from the President are in
ORDER
This. it is believed, will insure more re-
spectful attention, as senators will know
when to look for the messages every day.
Besides, the Senate Is a mighty orderly
body and it likes to have the daily rou-
tine all systematized.
People up at the Capitol have begun to
realize that Supt. Boyd of the Senate
document room knows everything. If
yoV go to him for information about
bill or report, anywhere from a day to
fifty years old, he will either tell you
what you want to know right of the bat.
or it will take him about two shakes of
a lambs tail to find out for you.
According to story they are telling on
htm-or Is it on somebody else?-a sena-
ftor's secretary walked into the document
room the other morning, ard Just to
stump Mr.. Boyd said
The senator would like to know
whether Shakespeare or Lord Bacon
wrote Shakespeares works."
Without a change of countenance and
never looking up from the enormous
book he was porting over, Mr.. Boyd re-
piled:
Il don't just recall. but I'll look it up
for you in minute"
High Potentate Williams of the /. o.
c. F. has lost his reputation and no
longer is able to look the world squarely
in the face
Before proceeding it should be stated
that 1. o. c. f. stands for Independent
Order of Capitol Fishermen a large and
important organization, and one that
ought to have attracted much more at
tention than it has. Its headquarters