Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-15
PRIVILEGE
Congress Guards 1t jealousy In
Both Houses.

What IL known as ''the privilege or
the floor In congress is the right to
60 upon the floor Of the senate or
house when either body Is in session.
Although the right to go upon the
hoor Of q legislative body is not so ex'
elusive q 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 liz being done.
Senators and representatives have nc
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 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 II was not uncommon TO see for
mer members moving about on the
floor Of the house when 1t was no
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 IL the unwritten
law of good breeding, good manners
and common sense. Every ex-senator
has the privilege of the floor, but it is
30 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 1t is well
known that they have proper business
calling them to Washington, such as
appearing before the supreme court as
attorneys for clients in great cases,
and even then 1t seldom happens that
an 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 It's doors.
After James @. Blaine ceased to be
a 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 he 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
| ConklfnR 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 Hamp-
shire. Senator Don Cameron of Penn.
| syivania, Senator Thurman Of Ohio and
Senator Mcdonald of Indiana are eI.
ampies Of distinguished senators who
remained away from the senate after
their terms expired. During the pc
nod Of four years when he was in re.
tirement Senator German OF Mary
Land never avalled himself Of the
privilege of the foor, and during tbs
two years he was without election