Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1896 — NEWS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEWS OF CONGRESS.

VISIT TO THE PRESS GALLERIES IN BOTH HOUSES. How the Doings of the National Legislature Is Obtained for Newspaper Publication—Regulations Governing Admissions to the Galleries. Quarters for Newspaper Men. WHEN Congress is in session two of the bus-

iest spots under the great white dome are the House and Senate press galleries. These galleries and adjoining rooms are the places provided for the use and conveni e n c e of the members o f the corps of W a s h ington c o r r e s pon-1-

ents in transacting their daily business at the Capitol. The only portions of the galleries visible to the public are the benches and desks set aside for the occupancy of the newspaper men, and in the House and Senate are located directly over the chair of the presiding officer. Back of these reservations are rooms to which the public does not have access. In the House wing the newspaper men’s quarters consist of three large rooms on the gallery floor, extending two-thirds of the length of the chamber of the House. The room nearest the elevator is occupied by telegraph operators, and the merryclick of the instruments makes a lively din all day. The largest room of the suite is the general workshop of the men. A long table runs down the center, equipped with writing materials and flanking another telegraph office in the corner. The walls of this apartment are lined with paintings and crayons of distinguished newspaper men of the United States, the* floor is comfortably carpeted, leather chairs and sofas invite the weary, and, with a crackling wood fire burning in the open fireplace, the room has a cheery and hospitable air. Little is heard in this place except the clatter of the telegraph instruments or the industrious scratch of pens on paper. Adjoining this chamber and separated by swinging doors, is the coat room, oy, as it is sometimes called, “the gossip shop.” There are racks and hooks for the topcoats and hats of the men and a number of chairs before an open fire. When there is a temporary lull

n the proceedings, such as a roll call on an important question, this is a convenient retreat; but as a rule the correspondents are too busy to linger long, the legislative day for the gathering of news being short enough at best. The press rooms in the Senate wing are similarly arranged and furnished except, that one side of the outer chamber is occupied by the two associations that gather and disseminate the news of Congress. The busiest hours in the two galleries are usually from 11:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. Within this period the representatives of the afternoon newspapers do the bulk of their work, writing and sending most of their news from the galleries after having obtained the same from interviews with members or out of the proceedings of the respective legislative bodies. The majority of the correspondents of morning newspapers merely make the galleries a base of operations from which they inaugurate expeditions into the various news fields around the Capitol, gathering their information and storing it away in mind or notebook to be spread upon the wires at night in the privacy of their own offices. Admission to the press galleries of Congress is regulated by strict rules formed partly by the correspondents themselves, partly by the requirements of the Congressmen, and receiving the indorsement of the Speaker of the House and the committee 6n rules of the Senate. The rules require that persons desiring admission to the press gallery shall make application to the Speaker, as required by rule of the House of Representatives, and shall also state, in writing, for what paper or t papers they are employed, and shall further state that they are not engaged in the prosecution of claims pending before Congress or the departments, and will not beeonie so engaged while allowed admission to the gallery, and that they are not in any sense the agents or representatives

oi' persons or corporations having legislation before Congress, and will bot become either while retaining their places in the gallery. Visiting journalists, who may be allowed temporary admission to the gallery, must conform to the restrictions of this rule. The applications required by this rule must be authenticated in a manner that shall be satisfactory to the standing committee of corresppndents, one of the duties of which is to see that the occupation of the gallery is confined to bona fide telegraphic correspondents of reputable standing in their business, who represent daily newspapers. Not excluding one seat is assigned to each paper; and it is the duty of the standing committee, at its discretion, to report violations «f the privileges of the gallery to

the Speaker, and pending his action there* on the offending correspondjnt ia suspended. -Clerks in the executive departI ments of the Government, and persons en--1 gaged in other occupations whose chief I attention is not given to newspaper correspondence, are not entitled to admission. , The press list in the Congressional Direc- | tory is confined to telegraphic correspondI ents. Members of the families of correspondents are not entitled to admission. The gallery, subject to the approval of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is under the control of the standing committee of correspondents. At the beginning of the present session a new rule was added to the list. By its terms the clerks of Representatives and Senators are not entitled to admission ito the galleries. This regulation was ■ | made necessary by the fact that within ! the past year a great many men have ' come to Washington, drawing a salary of i SIOO a month as clerks of members of i the House, and at the same time attemptI ing to do newspaper work. It was imme- • diately apparent that there was grave ’ danger of the next few years showing the presence of 350 clerks to members doing alleged newspaper work and holding rank with the legitimate corps of Washington correspondents. The danger to the public in such a condition would arise from

the control of the Washington correspondence of the great newspapers of thu country by men in the employ of Congressmen and subject to their fear and favor. As matters stand now, no mon who draws a salary from the Government, either as the clerk of a Congressman, clerk of a committee or otherwise, can have his name borne on the roll of correspondents and entitled to admission to the press galleries. It is expected that one result of this reform will be to stimulate a spirit of independence and fearlessness

among newspaper correspondents, and the public is sure to benefit by iftn the end. The corps of Washington correspondents is a representtive body of writers, and includes men who reflect credit and honor upon the profession. They are gathered from every section of the country, and in most cases held high rank on the papers they represented before being sent to Washington to perform the important and responsible duties attaching to the work of a correspondent at the national capital. Some of them are vet. eran newspaper men, but the majority are men who have received the best part of their newspaper training within the last fifteen years. The moral standing of the Washington correspondents is high. Honesty is a prerequisite of their profession, courage and independence essentials, and a love of fair play and devotion to truth a marked characteristic. False statements about public matters or public men are never knowingly made without involving loss of reputation to the writer, although mistakes sometimes occur, when efforts are made to conceal legitimate news from them. In the nature of things, a newspaper would rather be right than wrong, and conservatism in the dissemination of news from Washington is a dominant factor. There are unwritten rules of procedure among the correspondents which are religiously observed. It is not considered good form for a correspondent to write a be* it the personal failings br infirmities of public men, and those who violate thia code find themselves suddenly isolated and alone. It occasionally happens that a black sheep gets into the fold, and attempts by means that are more thrifty than honest to advance his material welfare, but he is soon discovered and cut off.

A FIELD DAY.

THE HOUSE PRESS GALLERY.

IN THE SENATE LOBBY.