The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-07-04
FLOOR, PRIVILEGE
Congress Guards 1t IealousIy In
Both Houses.
RARELY USED IN THE SENATE
Former Members Of That Body, While
Free to Attend Its Sessions, Prefer
to shun the Scene of Their soIonio
: Efforts--A Story Of Evarts.

What is known as "the privilege OF
the floor" in congress Is the right to
go upon the floor Of the senate or
house when either body Is In session.
Although the right to go upon the
floor of legislative body is not so ex
elusive privilege In some of the state
legislatures, it is a great privilege and
an exclusive one in congress. The
doors are carefully guarded while con.
gresS is in session, and 1t 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 constlt-
uents or others who desire to see them
privately should endeavOr to do so in
their offices, their committee rooms or
at their residences.
To former members Of the senate and
house "the privilege of the floor 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 1t was not uncommon to see for
mer members moving about on the
floor Of the house when it was mo-
toriously known that they were lobby
ing for some private claim or public
graft. "
Speaker Reed found this condition so
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 it nee
essary to draw the lines so rigidly,
because the abuse has almost entirely
ceased.
There Is an unwritten law, however,
governing the privilege OF the floor OF
the senate. and 1t is the unwrtten
law OF good breeding, good manners
and common sense. Every ex-senator
has the privilege of the floor, but 1t in
so seldom exercised that its abuse has
never occurred, nor is 1t ever likely to
occur.
Former members Of the senate are
never seen there unless 1t Is well
known chat they have proper business
calling them to Washington such az
appearing before the supreme court as
attorneys for clients in great cases,
md even then 1t seldom happens that
an ex-senator thus engaged ever en-
ters upon the senate floor, although in
going to and from the room of the
.I | GAx ,IIiunI tn pO q q
by It's doors.
After James G.. Blaine ceased TO he
a senator he avoided the senate cham
ber forever. After resigning from that
body Senator Roscoe Conkling of New
York never entered the senate cham
ber, although ne 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
ber, and on that occasion Senator
Conkling WAS present. Senator Benja-
min Harrison upon leaving the SEN
ate never crossed It's threshold until
he went there to be inaugurated as
president. Senator Dawes of Massa-
chusetts, Senator Blair OF New Hnmp.
shire, Senator Don Cameron of Penn
sylvania, Senator Thurman Of Ohio and
Senator Mcdonald Of Indiana are ex-
, nmples of distinguished senators who
remained away from the senate after
their terms expired. During the pc
riod of four yenrs when he was Ia rn-
tirement Senator German Of Mary
/, land nsver avniled himself of the
privilege Of the floor, and during the
two years he was without election
Senator Quay OF Pennsylvania alb
sented himself from the senate cham
Der.
From veteran employee of the sen
ate there IL cleaned an unusually in
) teresting story concerning the late
Senator flvarts of New York This
iects In public life for many years
but he was absentminded In smal
, things On one occasion he overlook
' ed the rule nbout the privilege OF tn,
: floor tie was entertaining DR. Olive
! Wendell Holmes at his Washington
: home and invited his guest TO accom-
= pany him to the capitol. Togethe
they walked along the capitol corridor
+ and when they came to the door o
n the senate they entered together,
( There was a copy OF the senate rule
o on each side of the doors, but Senate
@ Evarts did not look at them, nor, o
@ course, did his guest. The doorleer
;. ers did not interfere or ask any qnes
tlons.
Well, Senator Evarts gave d.
Holmes seat In the rear of the desk
= of the members and proceeded {
:, l,ring Senators Hoar, Quay, Hawle
:. and others to introduce to him. Quit
. levee was held there, and ID
Holmes was gratihed with his receI
ton.
" After awhile Senator Hear went
y Senator Evarts and, calling his after
y tion to tlse rule concerning the priv
i" lege Of the floor, asked. How did yo
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