Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-08
HOW CONGRESS
WORKS IN SUMMER
(cOntinued from page Id

tngton mas DeSH IN the toTfid zone
during the past week and the resul,
has been a noticeable dimunition in
the strenuosity Of the tariR debate
in the virulency Of partisan obstruc-
lion, and a consequent acceleration
in the progress on the bill.
Senators, especially the old yeter-
ans like Aldrieh, Cullom, Frye, Hale.
Burrows, Gallinger, Lodge and Per-
kins, are standing the strain remark
ably we'll. The senate has been
meeting at ten o'clock in the morning
and sits until seven at night, and
during the whole of those nine hours
the historic chamber, despite its ar
tiicial ventilation, Is about as I'M
comfortable a place as one could i'm
agine for this time of the year.
There is a widespread impression
that the air pumped into the Senate
chamber is first cooled by being
passed over huge cakes Of ice, and
some OF the capitol guides will grave
" impart this information to their
rural victims. 1t is entirely erron-
eous, however. 1t is simply the
warm outside air, that is sucked in
BY the aid of machinery, and then
distributed through vents in the floor
of the big hall, that furnishes the
ventilation, and only the fact that it
is kept constantly in circulation
makes the chamber bearable at all.
The senate is enclosed by four in
terror walls and has no direct out
look on the outside world
Senator's avoid the chamber just
as much as they can consistently with
a proper performance of their duties.
OF course, there is always a respect
able showing of both parties on the |
floor, even during the most long
Winded speeches. But the others are
not far away. They are in the cloak
rooms just back of the hall, where
they can enjoy the breezes from cleo
trio fans, smoke, and occasionally |
sips of lemonade, or they are in |
nearby committee rooms. They can
not now absent themselves for there
is no telling when, at any moment,
there may be a roll-call either to
demonstrate the presence of quor-
nm or to register a vote upon some
important question.
1t is this strain of constant attend
ance and the necessity of being con-
tinually on the watch lest some
amendment inimical to the interests
Of their constituents be slipt in, that
is wearing upon the senators in this
tropic weather and that has already
put several of them in the hands OF
Washington physicians.
But it is not only the members
that suffer from the constant grind,
The official force of reading clerks,
ETC., and especially the stenOgraphers
not to mention the occupants OF
the press gallery-are feeling it too.
Every word that is uttered on the
aOor of the senate is stenographi-
eally reported and has to appear in
type in the Congressional Record
next morning, unless for some rea-
son. a senator desires to withhold his
speech for a day or so. 1t Is calcu-
lated that since the tariff bill was re-
ported to the senate, upwards OF
lO0,00 words a day have been ut
tered in discussion of it. This would
make something like 100000
words to date and it is small wonder
that Milton w. Blumenberg, one of
the official stenographers-the man
who single handed makes the report
Of every national convention of the
republican and democratic parties
has succumbed under the strain and
has been obliged to seek rest and re-
operation at the sea-shore.
Senator's try to adapt themselves
10 the torrid heat in varying ways.
They are divided into three classes.
the yestless, the white-vested. and
nose who continue to wear the ey-
ery-day sort of waistcoat. Senator
Root, of New York. accustomed to :
shirt-sleeve diplomacy" through his
experience at the head of the state
department., was the first to appear
on the floor OF the senate without
waist coat. He was apparently a
little dubious at first about its pro-
pnety, for he kept his coat buttoned-
As the thermometer climed upward.
aoSeyer. he abandoned that subter-
.use and blazoned forth in a dark
u'ue hegligee shirt with a tiny stripe
" red running through 1t. and a dark
'eAher belt. He was soon followed
y Others and now there are twenty
"a Who daily appear in negligee and A
without Uaistooa.