News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1918-10-16
THE WASHINGTON CAPITOL
"A Day Among the Nations
Lawmakers Interestingly
Described By a Hyde Parker

AiOSu ny f1yue Parker
A personally conducted visit to the
capitol building of these United States il
much pleasanter and surer way to
nave the points of interests called to the
aAenuon OF stranger-and when the
conductor is acquainted with the place
ana many of the people you see, makes il
more informing. This visit was made
one hue day, warm but not as hot as it is
now. we went into the Senate office
ouilding on the north side of the Capitol.
LUIS has 80 offices. On the south side
OF tne Capitol is the office building of 41O
rooms for Representatives. They are
eacn connected with the Capitol by a
subway railroad. After looking these
over we 60 to the basement and take
seats on the little open car that carries
not more than six or eight; reminds one
OF railroad hand car or a miners car.
A ride on this is considered 'tcapitol'
joke. Arriving at the Capitol. we 90
| directly to the Senate Chamber. As
there is talk of an early ADJOURNMENT, the
senatorial gallery had few visitors this
morning. In front Of us sat two ladies:
one would have harily given a second
iooE, out Tor the eLo'mous corsage bou-
quet OF costly orchids worn BY her-the
wire OF senator from Texas. On the
other side of the alley from US was the
residents seat, or row of Seats foped
OH. Ihls did not prevent IA soldier b W
from undoing the barrier and seating
himself l was sorry for him, when he
was spoken to. The President did not
want the seat, but ''lues are rules,
There were the triflIng things going On
around us, while matters of greater i'm
portance are doing on the fl por. Lstepl
Senator B0rah of Idaho has the fl DOR and
Is speaking on the Salisbury bill, winch
was passed, in scathing words of "lhe
prohteer, that scavenger of civilization
that tarantula burying its faugs in the
veins and arteries of the wounded and
the grief-stricken." Senator Borah is a
small man with big head-is called by
some to be of "Presidential timber"
He was accorded attention by the other
Senators while speaking; has a good
voice and is an easy speaker.
The next mornings paper had a car
toon of him holding the tarantula on
long hat pin under a reading glass. On
the tarantula was the word "prnfCeer.
The cartoonist had Borah true to life on
paper
Not all the Senators were in their
seats. Some were named to me, Under.
wood, Hoke Smith, Brandagie, Sheppard,
Smoot, these names are familiar to most
of us.
After listening to Senator Borah's |
speech, we went to the Representative |
Hall. Here things were moving SO fast |
hat a simple country woman could not |
follow. Bills and amendments, messages |
from the Senate, from the President,
motions and corrections, reading by the
clerk of bills and articles, very confusing
to the mind, but business. Uncle Joe
Canon, Rep. Green, Nick Longwortn,
and the one woman, Miss Rankin, very
quiet and unobtrusive in her seat, were
pointed out to me. A short but interest
ing stay.
This brings us up to the recess hour
for lunch, aud we HE away to the SEN
ators' lunciGn the CapitoD. Now you
realize that Senators are human, mere
men, when you see them flock to eat
like common clay.
Here we saw and crossed hands with
the great and only Hoke Smith.
After lunch, which was good, and well
served, by colored men, also the corn
mullins, rye, and war bread was the
rule and of the best.
Senator'S wives, family and guests are
privileged to. replenish the inner man
at these tables.
Now for tour of the Senate Chamber
to sit in the Speakers chair, to hold the
gavel that has been used by every speat-
er siuce the first Congress assembled.
To see and hold, and to take pinch of
snuff from the sacred snuff box that has
been in its allotted corner since Washing.
toms and Lafayette's day. To sit in the
seat of the Senator's as they are all empty
until next Monday.
The Sargent Alarms granted us these
privileges, so we drank White Rock
mineral water on tap 10 the cloak room
the ceiling of which was Vermont
marble.
This is just a cosby story of one
half day at the capitol. The sights of
which may well cause a good Ameri-
ian to swell out his chest and hold his
head high, also let the eagle scream.
One can put in many hours loo king
It the many works of art ia all parts
If the building. But that is another
tory. All. PIKER
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