Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1901 — Fishts and Poker “Cut Out." [ARTICLE]

Fishts and Poker “Cut Out."

Personal encounters, once quite common between lawmakers, no longer occur. Less than 25 years ago two cabinet members indulged in a rough-and-tumble fight over a game of cards. Big poker games once were common under the big dome. The games went on in the committee rooms in both of the wings of the capitol, and no pretense of keeping them secret was made. Participants in these games would be hastily summoned to their respective legislative chambers to vote, and, having answered to their names, would hustle back to the cards with all speed. Notorious lobbyists would be permitted, or actually invited, to “sit into" these games, and stories are still told of how these lobbyists would complaisantly lose thousands and tens of thousands of dollars to men whose good will they relied upon in immediate or future contingencies. There are also stories of card parties and drinking bouts given by some of these lobbyists at their headquarters to the legislators, the “favors” distributed among the guests being bills of large denominations furtively tucked into overcoat pockets while the garments hung in the hall. The legislators of would no more think of playing cards in the committee rooms than they would think of throwing rocks at the statue of Washington. They wouldn't even play old maid or grab or casino behind closed doors in the committee rooms lest the fact of their manipulating the pasteboards should leak out and they should be suspected of engaging in a game of chance for money. Of course, those of the legislators who enjoy their little or their big little game of draw permit themselves the indulgence st their quarters, with boon colleagues as tablemates.