The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-08
PRESIDENT WILSON PAYS
FIRST VISIT TO CONGRESS

whom were guests and had private
cards from senators or representa-
ives. Hundreds who came late were
unable even to enter the galleries.
Many stood behind the seats and In
the aisles, Doors were fringed with
eager humanity. Behind them dense-
ly packed were hundreds unable to
hear anything but the mumbled con-
inside. Two hundred cane
seats were placed in the aisles. Hun
dreds OF representatives took no
chance OF being left outside and grab
bed seats two hours before the presf
dent was due to arrive. At every
door OF the capitol crowds pleaded
for admittance. Ordinary credentials
and season tickets" were of no more
use than laundry tickets. Capitol po-
licemen were obdurate In excluding
every one who did not have the mys-
tic "blue tickets
Senators and representatives wero
besieged by constituents for tickets.
unable 20 get tickets for their own
families. AS the gong OF the clock
struck once, denoting the midday
hours, Speaker Clark let fall his
gayel. Immediately the monotone OF
laughter and chatter was succeeded
by dead silence and he said:
'"The house will now be in order
and the chaplain will offer prayer"
The members on the floor and the
spectators in the galleries bowed
their heads as the Rev Couden. the
blind chaplain, offered prayer.
The scene was wonderfully pictur-
esque. There was only one case OF
favoritism. That was the failure to
provide for the man "in the street.
Admission to the capitol building was
by card, but those cards were dis
tributed by favor. There were men
and women who stood In line In the
cold since shortly after dawn, whose
only claim was that they wanted to
"see the president" But all they had
was a brief glimpse caught as the
! big closed car drew up In front of the
entrance and slender figure alighted
and whisked through a heavily guard
ed entrance. The officials of the
capitol insisted that they had been
compelled to take care of the mem
bers of the legislative body and their
families and friends. Yet there was
little complaint The big crowd that
!, l,t,, nd oil n ~
about the big building were patient.
They were the type seen at every
great spectacle.
Inside the capitol there was a
scene Of animation. The regular guard
had been augmented. The crowd was
so great that when Mrs. Marshall,
wife of the vice president, arrived she
was held up at the door The vice
president had furnished his wife and
two friends with blue tickets, granting
admission to the public gallery only.
I After being rebuffed by one warder
OF the doors after another. Mrs. Mar
shall was finally recognized by
newspaper man and she said to him:
] Il am Mrs. Marshall, cannot you
help me out? l have three tickets
:, here which were given me by my hus-
band, but they do not seem to be
: worth the paper they are printed on"
Mrs. Marshall was escorted to one
of the Offices and after time was
finallv admitted and a place found for
her in the executive gallery. Her
friends, however could not be accom-
; modated there. They sat in Repre-
! sentative Floods Office across the
hall.
: Shortly after IL O'Clock, Speaker
| Clark explained to the members the
8 arrangements for receiving the presi-
/, dent The two rows of seats In front
l had been reserved for the senator's
: and this aisle of emptiness" seemed
! very much out of place is comparison
I with the crowded gallery. The walt
g was dread and finally Representative
/ Clayton of Alabama moved a brief re-
5 cess. On the vote there was a gen.
: eral chorus of noes but Speaker Clark
declared the molten carried.
Y Upon reaching the capitol, Wilson
e was rushed from the south door tc
d the house private elevator. He was
accompanied only by the secret ser
e vice men He stepped into Speakers
: tClark's Office for moment, TO be
I; welcomed by Representatives Under
e wood, Palmer and Mann At II: 81
!. the president reached the house
d chamber amid tumultous applause
He walked from Clark's office through
J. the rear entrance to the house, pass
n ing through the democratic loungint
G. room.
IS In the seats directly in front of th'
T. speakers desk sat Senators Varda
,s man. core and Gallinger and acros
1t the aisle sat Senator Hughes. Th'
entire assemblage arose as the pres
< dent and his escort entered from th
ic side aisle President Wilson stood i
is the aisle IN front of the desk Will
Speaker Clark said