Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-07-12
PRIVILEGE
Congress Guards It jealousy In
Both Houses.
RARELY USED IN THE SENATE

RARELY USED IN THE SENATE
Former Members Of That Body, While
Free to Attend its Sessions. Prefer
TO Shun tho Scene Of Their soIonio
Efforts-A Story Of Evarts.
What is known as 1.-THE privilege Of
the 1oor' in congress is the right to
90 upon the floor Of the senate or
house when either body is in session.
Although the right to go upon the
door Of legislative body is not so ex.
elusive privilege in some Of the state
legislatures. it Is great privilege and
an exclusive one in congress. The
doors are carefully guarded while con-
gress is in session. and it Is sometimes
exceedingly difficult to have access to
senators or representatives when pub
lie business Is being done.
Senators and representatives have no
regular or rigid rule on the subject,
but 1t is known in Washington that
the statesmen feel that their constit-
uents or others who desire to see them
privately should endeavor to do 20 In
their Offices, their committee rooms or
Ut their residences.
To former members Of the senate and
house the privilege Of the noor'' Is
given. but they do not often avail
themselves Of that right. This. how
ever. Is in strong contrast to the Gus.
toms Of twenty years ago and longer.
when It was not uncommon to see for
mer members moving about on the
door Of the house when It was no.
toriously known that they were lobby
Ing for some private claim or public
graft
Speaker Reed found this condition 30
obnoxious that he issued orders that
no ex'members should be permitted to
pass the doorkeepers without written
authority from the speaker. Subse-
Quent speakers have not found 1t nee
essary to draw the tines 20 rigidly,
because the abuse has almost entirely
ceased.
There Is an unwritten law. however.
governing the privilege Of the door Of
the senate, and it Is the unwritten
law OF good breeding, good manners
and common sense Every ex-senator
has the privilege Of the door. but 1t is
so seldom exercised that its abuse has
never occurred. nor Is It ever likely to
occur.
Former members Of the senate are
never seen there unless It Is well
known that they have proper business
calling them to Washington. such as
appearing before the supreme court AZ
attorneys for clients in great cases,
and even then it seldom happens that
IN ex-senator thus engaged ever en-.
tiers upon the senate floor. although in
going to and from the room Of the
supreme court they are obliged to pass
BY its doors.
After james G. Blaine ceased to be
q senator he avoided the senate cham.
Der forever. After resigning from that
body Senator Roscoe Conkling Of New
York never entered the senate cham
Der. although be was often In the
capitol on business before the supreme
court. There was an exception, how
ever. In one instance. By invitation
he was one OF the pallbearers of Sena-
tor Logan OF Illinois. who was buried
with obseQuies from the senate cham
Der. and on that occasion Senator
Conkling was present Senator Benja.
min Harrison upon leaving the SEN
ate never crossed its threshold until
he went there to he inaugurated as
president. Senator Dawes of Massa.
chusetts. Senator Blair of New Hamp.
shire. Senator Don Cameron Of Penn.
'yIvania. Senator Thurman Of Ohio and
Senator Mcdonald Of Indiana are ex.
ampIes Of distinguished senators who
remained away from the senate after
their terms expired. During the pc.
'iod Of four years when be was in re- |
:irement Senator German Of Mary. |
and never availed himself Of the |
privilege OF the floor. and during the |
wo years he was without election
Senator Quay Of Pennsylvania ab-
ented himself from the senate cham.
yer.
From veteran employee Of the sen.
tie there is CLEANED an unusually in
eresting story concerning the late
senator Evarts of New York. This
enator was one of the greatest intel.
ects in public life for many years,
ut he was absentminded in small
htngs. On one occasion be overlook
d the rule about the privilege of the
DOR. He was entertaining DR.. Oliver
Wendell Holmes at bis Washington
ONE and invited his guest to accom-
any him to the capitol Together
hey walked along the capitol corridor.
nd when they came to the door Of
he senate they entered together.
There was copy Of the senate rules
q each side of the doors, but Senator
warts did not look at them. nor, Of
purse. did bis guest. The doorkeep-