Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03
Capital Sidelights
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

This hue and cry Of the Progressives
for liberalization OF the House rules
in which they are aided, abetted and
supported by Democratic leaders, which
is causing no end of concern to the
regular Republican leaders seeking a
way to elect q Speaker, and which has
caused House Leader TilSon to an
rules, Is no new issue in the House,
It has been raised intermittently dur
| ing the entire life Of Congress, as for
example in 1879, when new House rules
were reported on December 20 of that
year by select committee consisting
Of such historic characters as Stephens,
Georgia; Blackburn, Kentucky; Gar
field, Ohio. and Frye, Maine.
At that time the compendium Of
rules was greatly simplified, the new
order consisting OF As abridged to the
last degree. The nine rules defining the
duties of Speaker were reduced to one
with seven brief clauses. The rules
relating to the clerk and other ON
GERS were reduced to four, The rules
relating to members were changed so
as to facilitate roll calls. The a r1lleS
relating to committees were consoli-
dated into two. One Of the most Inn
portant changes was with reference to
a rivers and harbors bill, providing for
| ooP1i" VC u~C!oh VII cdCA clause, so as
to prevent log rolling for appropria-
tons.
| In our "fan mall comes a reo,lest
from IAN Old Subscriber" who desires
| to have his Cor herr memory refreshed
regarding how the nickname" of
Sausage Sawyer" came to be anplied
to Representative William Sawyer of
Ohio.
In the fftieth anniversary x,pple-
ment OF The Washington Star, pub
iShed December Is, 1902, this incident
Is narrated by Crosby S. Moves who
was one Of the purchasers of The star
on October 81, 1867. and had personal
knowledge whereof he wrote. He mar
rated that William e. Robinson. erich
elieu' Of the New York Tribune, a tall.
raw-boned, sandy-haired figure, was the
hero OF droll contest for the privi-
leges OF the press against the privileges
of the House. In Washington Let
a pen picture of the lunch habits of
Representative Sawyer, as follows:
Every day at 2 o'clock he feeds.
About that hour he Is seen leaving his
seat and taking his position in the win
dow back Of the Speakers chair to the
left. He unfolds a greasy paper, In
which is contained chunk of bread
dIIA DdAS05O OE SOiIl0 QUIET uuCLUOuS
substance. Then he disposeS Of them
rapidly. wipes his hands with the greasy
paper for a napkin, and throws it out
the window. What little grease is left
on his hands he wipes on his almost
bald head for pomatum-his mouth,
sometimes his coat sleeve, and panta-
looms being used for napkin. He uses
q jack-knife for toothpick"
On the appearance of this letter, Mr.
Moves chronicles Mr. prinkarb1@ ~
Ohio moved to exclude the reporters
and letter writer's from the privileges
Of the seats and desks on the floor of
the House. The resolution was adopted
by vote Of 119 to 46.
John Quincy Adams, hero Of many a
House anecdote, then left his seat and
taking the arm of Mr.. Robinson, es-
corted him to the ladies' gallery, over
the Speakers chair, where strangers
were admitted on the introduction Of a
member Of the House. And thereafter
Mr.. Adams, or some other member
would, on Mr.. Robinsons appearance
take him by the arm and accompany
him to the gallery, greatly to the dis
gust Of Mr.. Sawyer and his friends, but
much to the amusement of the spec
tators.
In later years Robinson was elected
a member Of the House, from which he
had been expelled. His adversary went by
the name OF Sausage Sawyer" for the
rest OF his life, according to Mr.. Moves
comments.
The Capitol Building itself, the heart
of the Nations Capital, from which
emanates the self-governing power of
the people, Is not being neglected in
these busy days Of upbuilding, embel.
fishing and beautifying the City OF
| Washington. 1t is being cleaned up and
dressed up for the Bicentennial celebra-
ton next year.
l The bronze statue Of Freedom which
surmourtS the dome Is being cleaned
and platinum point lightning arrestors
surrounding it are being replaced This
statue is 10 feet inches high and
weighs 1895 pounds. It was modelled
by Jefferson Davis, then Secretary OF
! War.
! The central portion of the Capitol
between the House and Senate wings
and the dome are being painted. The
I central portion will be painted to CORE
spond in color to the two wings, while
the dome will be done in an even lighter
color, with illuminating paint to make
It stand out more when f1ood-Iighted at
plight. The effect sought is to make the
dome shine at night as jewel and to
attract the attention of all the people
of the country to the dome beneath
which the laws are made by which the
American people govern themselves.
| The present dome Is Of cast iron and
was completed in 1865. The entire
weight of iron used is 8,9O9, 200 pounds.
The height of the dome above the base
| line of the east front facing the Library
of Congress and the new Supreme
Court Building Is 287 feet inches.
The height from the baluStrade of the
building Is pit feet IL inches. The
diameter Of the dome at It's base is
1876 feet inches. The rotunda under
| the dome Is 81 feet inches In
diameter and its height from the floor
to the top Of the canopy Is 1870 feet 3
| inches.
In the next session of Congress those
in charge Of the Capital development
program will urge completion Of the
Capitol Building by extending the east
front of the central portion out so as
to give the dome a balanced founda-
ton. The original plans show that 1t
was intended that the east front should
be built out and plans have been pre-
pared which are only awaiting the
proper time in the Capital development
program to be carried out.
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