Evening Star Newspaper, December 7, 1889, Page 11

—_— THE EVENING —s STAR: WASHINGTON, ¢ D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1889-SIXTEEN PAGES. MEN WHO TAKE NOTES. How the News From Congress is Sent Out to the World. The Reporters’ Galleries and the Men Who Are Entitled to Seats—The Work Done by the Newspaper Correspond- ents and the Press Associations—Scenes in the Lobbies. ——.___. EADY at all times; capable under all cir- cumstances; able to take care of themselves and of the papers they represent and conscious of their ability are those gentlemen whose duty it is to supply the leading newspapers of the country with con- gressional history, As a rule they are the brightest men employed on the papers whose commissioners they are. Some of them have national reputations and others will have if their opportunities are not too speedily abbreviated. They hold the most varied assortment of political views, and in many instances are diametrically opposed in their personal beliefs to the policies of their respective papers. Personal convictions, however, are rarely con- sidered by the correspondents and the Majority of them act under instructions from the autocrats at the home offices—the mane ing editors, Very numerous are these cor- respondents and’ their n r keeps on in- creasing each year. This session's Congres- sional Directory will probably bave on its press list at least one hundred and fifty names; seventy-five of them those of regular toilers in the congressional vineyard, the others oc- easional visitors to the galleries and the com- mittee rooms. Of the seventy-five workers abont a do are employed on the local dailies, and it may here ta incidentally men- tioned that only daily newspapers can secure places in the galleries. A JOLLY CROWD are these newspaper men; a crowd in which the peculiarities of north, south, east and west are Jost and merged in one of the most harmonious social combinations the world ever saw. They can be as busy as any of the proverbial bees ever dared to be, and when the hours of labor &re past they know how to enjoy themsely When the Senate goes into executive sess or while the proceedings in the House the correspondents gather in tie lob provide instruction and amusement for each other by debating someof the more important questions of the day. Occasionally one of the Congressional debates is burlesqued, and the peculiarities of certain national legislators are made ludicrously plain by some of the keenest students of human nature the country ever possessed. Reputations are made and wrecked in these assemblies and here become current hundreds of thuse jokes which bright scribes have evolved from their internal con- sciousness andto which they tack the names of some sleepy Congressmen who never gave birth to a humorous expression inall their existence. Most of the correspondents are men of strong individuality, whose opinions on men and Measures are received by their papers with the utmost confidence. They are great in their wer for good and do more to encourage the | ose legislator and confound the congres- sional burglar than all other causes combined. They are gentlemen in every sense of the word; some of them m others graduates of the composing room. Each has peculiar advantages given bim by the two lines of training. and some have combined the two, but they are all thorough representatives @f the highest form of American civilization. aof the highest education, | the close of the Forty-seventh It was the last night of the session and there was a great crowd at the Capitol. The crowd was more numerous than tne seats. In the press gallery, too, the attendance was more than or- dinarily large and the accommodations were barely equal to the emergency. Busy local men and correspondents were hard at work making popular history of the occasion and the scenes when a motion was made by a Kentucky member which opened the press gullery to such persons as might be lucky énougn to get tickets from the Speaker. The gallery was up on its dignity atonee and Mr. Barrett, now of the Boston Advertiser, was deputed to call on the Speaker and request him to hold sacred those precincts which were de- yoted to the scribes. This the Speaker might have done, for, under the rules, his con- trol over the galleries was absolute, but history has it that he did nothing of the kind. On the contrary, he greeted Mr, Barrett with language that was to the last degree unparliamentary and in which was inserted an official invitation to newspaper men generally to spend an in- definite period in a more warmly sulphurons climate than Arizona, Mr. Barrett reported to his comrades and as the House took a brief recess just at that time they went uptown to their oilices to dispose of as much of their work as possible. When they returned to the House they found the gallery jammed full of visitors, principally ladics, who had been ad- mitted by order of the Speaker. Under ordi- nary circumstances the newspaper boys would have been delighted to meet the ladies, but sentiment on this occasion was totally eclipsed by business, Anything like a respectable or connected report of the proceedings was almost impossible, for every inch of even standing room was’ preempted. Ordinary pro- fanity was at a discount, and nothing but the most elaborate modern arrangements of ¢x- pressions not to be found in Webster (un- abridged) were given momentary attention, SETTING A GUARD. Before midnight the House took a recess until § the next morning. There was a council of war in the gallery when the intruders had departed and a guard was set, Gen. Boynton and half a dozen others sat all night long within the doors which ope! into the gallery, and in order that the assurance against inva- sion might be made doubly sure they con- structed additional barriers by the combina- tion of telegraph wire and door knobs. Early morning brought with it a host of applicants for seats in the gallery, all armed with passes given them by the Speaker. They were re- fused admittance. Others followed them, but there was the ono universal refusal for all save only legitimate newspaper men, In his room and in the chair Speaker Keifer stormed and fretted about the insurrection—the defiance of his au- thority—and he did all he could to enforce his ruling, but in vain, The press crowd kuew that their enemy would be helpless at the hour of noon, so they bravely but unostentatiously fought it out on that line until the Forty- seventh Congress expired by limitation, The Speaker was defeated and the rights of the newspaper mien of the country had been as- serted and maintained in the face of a power- ful opposition, To have done otherwise would have been to forfeit all the recognition that Years of continnous endeavor had secured for members of the profession. That fra; ntofa revolt led to the fight which resulted in the political downfall of Mr. Keifer and the trium- phant vindication of Gen. Boynton and his as- suclites, HOW THE RULES WERE MADE. As may be gathered from the foregoing, the newspaper representatives are very tenacious of their rights. And yet the momory of living man goes back tothe day when there was no regulation or legislation which e the reporter or Correspondent a status. The re- | former in this matter was the Hon. Samuel J. Randall, who, when he was elected Speaker of the Forty-titth Congress, requested the news- paper men to formulate a rule which would | preserve their rights and be satisfactory all around, The Speaker's request was complied with and a committee of correspondents was appointed to represent the brain workers whose habitat was on the upper floor. ‘fhe result was the presentarrangement, by which a committee of five attends to the gallery busi- ness and, when necessary, acts as mediator. ‘The House press gallery is much more popu- lar than the one at the other end of the Capitol. The audience to be seen from it is so much larger and so mach more lively than finds Place in the Senate that it is not surprising to see the majority of the correspondents stay with the crowd and the noise. Exciting scenes on the floor are more common in the House THE HOUSE GALLERY, An application for admission to the press gallery is not always honored, for the rules of the galleries, approved by the Senate and the House, interpose barriers which are sometimes effectual in shutting out those who are un- desirable for reasons other than personal, Each applicant is required to sign a statement in which he disclaims all connection with or active interest in any legi n which is then or may be before Congress, and he also has to state, on honor. that he is not on the roll of any department of the government. The reasons for the first-uamed precaution are obvious aud the latter clause was ins. so as to give the preference to those who earned their living en- tirely im the newspaper ficld, Necessarily the space in the galleries is limited and at present it is insufticent, but within the memory of man the galleries were very much more contracted than they are now and the demands upon their space less press~ ing. When the Senate chamber was the room than in the Senate, and the men who are on the lookout for eensations make their head- quarters in the domain which is ruled over by Charley Mann, assisted by another Charley whose surname is Holbrook, Mr, Mann is one of the component parts of the House gallery and is in charge thereof. Mr. Holbrook is also invaluable. A RUSH TO THE FRONT. Occasionally there will be thirty or forty of the ‘‘craft” in the lobby; in the lobby because there is little or nothing going on inthe House. Suddenly some one willrash outof the gallery and give warning of a fracason the floor. In an instaut the lobby is deserted and the front places in the gallery filled. Nobody sits down, although there are seats in plenty; the eager watchers lean over the desks and eye the orator or the two or more orators, as the case may be. The excitement subsides in a little while and the boys wander back into the lobby, discuss the trouble, and write something about it; then they either wait for something cise to happen or else go down stairs ona “‘scont” for other news than that afforded by the loud taik- ers on the floor. now occupied by the Supreme Court the ac- commodations were barely su‘icient for the correspondents who were here dur- te in the House handful of pd to occupy the majority of that comy early journalists were pe places on the floor. GATHERING THE NEWS. The correspondents and local men gather their news in a myriad a: . manner of their proce $ dictated by eir- cumstances or the character of the material desired. Some want to write sketches of de- bates or are anxious to fill their columns with Facy pen-pictures of mbers as they are; others are after inter ws and they haunt doorways and worry doorkeepers uutil they capture the men they are after. A favorite spot for this latter sport is just immediately ou einner entrance at the main door of the House. ‘fwo little semi-circular niches ene on exch side of the paxsageway—have been cushioned and are used almos iy by the newspaper man and his victims. The com- mittee rooms are pretty tho often as practic ‘able and many AT THE MATIN DOOR, The House press lobby is long and narrow, and is frequently too small for the accommoda- tion of those who use it. The available space, however, has beea used to the best possible 4 under ordinary circumstances m enough for the busy ones. A amply supplied with all the neces- onery. is the central feature of the t. aud around this the workers sit and icces for their papers,” as they say in the rural districts. There is a sufficiently numerous supply of chairs, which is supple- mented by a couple of lounges, A great many Visitors ask and secure permissi i the lobby; for on its walls are ts in oil and cravou and ink of many of the editors of the more prominent newspapers in the United States. The display is quite a striking one, and is continually being added to, thanks to the persistent entreaties of Mr. Mann, who takes s good deal of interest in his of greatness, THE SIEGE OF TuE GALLERY. scene of active warfare; has known what it is to be captared and recaptured and has, at least once, been in @ genuine state of si Bpeaker Keifer fas ess gallery plays Boroughoat the length and breadth of” Mr. Kei 's term as Speaker of the House he was on. uniformly good terms with the wo make themselves at home fstic reservation | A dark-tinted, sober-lookin; THE SENATE PRESS LORBY. The press lobby on the Senate side is a de- cidedly comfortable place, very much fre- quented by correspondents whose honrs of toil commence after supper and whose afternoons are given to repose. It is not difficult to slee] on the Senate side, for, as a rule, the proceed- ings in the chamber are of the calmest deserip- tion. The lobby, through which there is a thoroughfare to the room of the committee on rules, is a pleasant apartment, fully. forty-five feet long and at least twenty-eight foet wide, but serviceable Brussels carpet renders noiseless the footfalla of those who draw salaries for digging uews out of Senate proceedings, and swinging doors prevent their conversation from annoying the Senate or the occupants of the gallery. A good deal of news is written in the lobby and the conven- jences are all that could be desired; A long and broad table is covered primarily with green baiz: id above that with writing-pads, pen racks, ink stands, sponge cups and other noc- exsary adjuncts to a great center of author- ship. The furniture is mostly of the walnut and maroon-colored leather va- riety, and two specimens—capacions eas: chairs—are almost continuously occupies There is nothing needed to render the toilet arrangements more satisfactor and those whose desire it is to see how much their appearance is improved by a wash can scan their features in either one of the two gor- geously framed mirrors which cover a consider- able portion of the wall area. Thirsty news- gathers can findcomfort of a chilly kind in the water cooler near the door, andif they want anything stronger they can go down to the Senate restaurant, where there is, so the folks say, any reasonable quantity of very red om In charge of the gallery is one of the best known newspaper men in the city-—Mr. Clifford Warden a stranger might call him, but to the profession he is known as “Cliff.” He is as obliging as mortal can be. Assisting him is one of the most competent and thoroughly po- lite young men in the Capitol or anywhere: Mr. Hugh B, Rowland, THE STATIONERY. Whatever stationery the occupants of the press galleries need in their business and use at the Capitol they are furnished with at the pub- lic expense. Just how this privilege had its beginning no one seems to know, and the prob- obli officials to be equitably econom- | advei in the great race to their customers ra ef - J <Ohaeee The eTnitea Press is the lineal SENATOR HAMLIN’S RESOLUTION. = Rd = old corey Press, of wi ir. |. Conquest There has not been any trouble about the | P01) many 9 good ey, witek We: stationery since the first session of the Forty- 19 to speak, its grandfather, for between third Congress, when Senator Hannibal Ham- | he periods when the two bofore-mentioned or- lin kicked up a trifle of dust. The Seuator, it opeeagicn commenced respectively to exist issaid, had had some trouble with one of the | history places the National Press association, reporters in the gallery, and, after failing in a | To the effects of this latter concern the United series of attempts to oust him from his seat in | Press fell heir, and its career at the Capitol the press-box, p aretha to get even with the | commenced in December, 1881, with W. W. Bur- entire gallery. To do this he introduced a res- | hans and Perry Heath as reporters, Today it olution which read as foliows takes twice as many men to do the work. “That hereafter no order or requisition for| Frequently seen in the gallery, and always stationery for the use of the reporters’ gallory | the recipient of hearty greetings, is P. V. De ofthe Senate shall be issued by the presiding | Graw. goneral southern manager and manager ofticer of the Senate.” of the Washington bureau. He has a host of Accompanying the reference, which was to | friends and is a most genial and capable man. the committee to audit and control the con- | Once in a while the galleries are blessed with tingent expenses of the Senate, were instruc- | the benediction which invariably accompanies tions to the committee to report to the Senate | W. W. Burhans, who is local night manager of when the practice of furnishing stationery to | the U.P. He used to have a very ogmprehen- the reporters’ gallery began, the cost of station- | ive knowledge of Congress and its ways, and ery furnished and whether such practice should } his memory and activity are so vigorous today not be discontinued. The report on Scnator Hamlin's motion was made by Senator Matt. Carpenter. and it is « most amusing document. At considerable length it went into the manner in which the Senate contingent fand had been spent, and it showed a degree of extravagance which had hardly been suspected, It discussed the sta- tionery fund for Senators, and wandered over a great deal of interesting ground before it came back to its text, That was disposed of in the last paragraph and was as follows: “The practice of supplying the reporters’ gal- lery of the Senate with foolscap paper, pons and ink has existed for many years, but the cost of what has been furnished has been smail. It seems proper that the Senate, in extending to the representatives of the public press the courtesy of accommodation for hearing and re- porting its proceedings, should supply the sta- tionery necessary for taking notes, The ex- penses of foolseap paper, pens and ink thus supplied have not averaged #50 a year for the past flve years, and there appears to be no good reason why the supply should not be continued. Avery general disclaimer, however,has recently been made by those entitled to admission into the reporters’ gallery of the use of any other articles of stationery and the propriety of sup- plying it at the public expense might well be questioned by those correspondents who have so arraigned Senators tor their extravagance in this respect. The committee, therefore, rec- ommend the adoption ot the following order: “Ordered, That the select committee on the revision of the rules direct the supply of such articles of stationery as they may deem expe- dient to those entitled to admission into the porters’ gallery, und that their orders, there fore, be filled by the keeper of the stationery.’ THE PRESS ASSOCIATIONS. The solid groundwork, the foundation on which all news rests and from which much news is evolved, 13 made up of three press asso- ciations and a private corporation. Vory easily the leader in the wholesale accumulation and distribution of news is that venerable but ex- tremely active and wideawake body known asthe Associated Press. Prom the days of **Father” Gobright down to the present time the Axso- ciated Press has been as much a part of the proceedings of Congress as Capt, Bassett or the contingent fund. In its early days the work was comparatively small in quantity and not so difficult to look after as now. Old time news- paper men recall the period when Mr. Gobright, and Mr, Henry G. Hayes were the only repre- sentatives the association had at the Capitol; when they reported the proceedings in the two branches and found out what the com- mittees did by quizzing Senators and members in the intervals of a lagging debate or after an early adjournment. éra of material im- provement in method set in when Mr, David k. McKee was in charge of the work at the Capitol, and it has arrived ata system that is almost perfection since his appointment, eight | years ago, as Washington agent. ‘The work of the Associated Press and kindred organizations in connection with Congress is of the most del- icate description, An immediate power of dis- crimination has to be exercised, for the con- stituency is a varied one, Ideas a9 to the rela- tive value of news are often widely parted and an association that serves hundreds of newspa- pers must be careful. Every statement sent forth must be absolutely accurate, for an untruth, even when written without malice, may, by its simultaneous and widespread publication, wreck the reputation of a public man or upset the markets of the world. Evident to every one, too, is the necessity for the preservation of a fair balance on political questions, and the writer has to be careful that he gives each statesman or would-be statesman the attention to which he is entitled, Some politicians never » understand why their two-hours’ speech should be squeezed into four lines while the re- marks of “that other fellow”—who talked for but twenty minutes—should be spread forth to the extent of acolumn anda half, The Asso- ciated Press claims broadly that it covers everything of national interest which occurs in the Capitol, whether it is found in debates, in committee proceedings, in bills introduced’ or reported from committees, in the executive documents which are sent to Congress by the President and members of his cabinet, or even in the alleged-to-be secret proceedings in Sen- ate executive sessions or party caucusses, ON THE FLOOR OF THE SEXATE, Representing the Associated Press on the floor of the Senate is the veteran Henry G. Hayes, More than twenty-three years ago he left the House gallery, from which debates had pre- viously been reported by him for three years, and took his place on the floor. Up to 1879 —with some sessions subtracted on account of other occupation—Mr. Hayes and his pencil faithfully portrayed the doings of the House, ‘Then he was transferred to his present place in the Senate, and the vacancy in the House filled by’ another Hayes, whom the bovs in the gallery call “Charlie,” Father and son—for that is their relation— were both born reporters, and their education failed to do anything but improve their natural inclinations, There is a striking similarity in the style of their work and so nearly alike is their chirography that even Mr. McKee (who has been associated with the elder Hayes since 1867) can only identify each man's copy by find- ing out whether it is a House or Senate report. Very careful, indeed, have these two gentlemen to be, and any one who watches them at work and afterward reads the results will be aston- ished not only at the absolute impartiality and accuracy displayed, but at the clever manner in which the report is made up. Gen- erally the matter is skotched in short- han¢c, and as soon as possible afterward is written out. Neither the Sevate nor the House 6ver succeeds in getting ahead of these revort- ers to any considerable extent, although they frequently have to go over the same ground a second time. The metaphorical ‘nose for news” is possessed by each of them to auch an extent that they know almost instantly whether they ought to make a verbatim report or simply @ brief sketch of what is happening, The other members of the Associated Press staff at the Capitol are A. J. Halford, E. M. Hood and Charles H. Merillat. Their work is principally among the committees «nd that they oe it well every new: man‘ knows, Mr. Hood’s experience at the Capitol has been extensive sad continuous, and Mr, Merillat may Paey be said to have received his news- Shange of the Capitol Dureed, having uascoedod el re of the vi ureau, having #1 to the soommey. left cdots F. z brani now an agent of Agricultural department 5 Haltold and his associates know news and its value, and they are all energetic seckers after such facts as the Associated Press thinks it wants, The Capitol office of the A.P., as it is famili- arily termed, is on one side of the corridor directly to the Senate press lobby. Here, protected by a heavy fence-! tition, most of the writ the same inclosure a nimble- that he could show lots of the youngsters how the work ought to be done. G. G. Bain is in charge of the Capitol work, with Perry 8. Heath, BR. V. Oulahian and A, Leech as assist- ants. All are well-fitted to perform the duties which devolve npon them, and they are not at all mindful of fatigne provided they keep their adversaries on the jump. AT WORK ON THE SENATE SIDE, Tho Press News association is another of the wideawake combinations of intellect which is on the never ceasing lookout for news. The necessary information is collected by a force of reporters directed by O. P. Austin, the Wash- ington agent of the association, Mr. Austin came here from Cincinnati eight years ago. In that yho had worked on the Enquirer and tar, Tho association hag representa- tives in both galleries, and its news is scattered wbroad through the medium of Western Union wires. Its office at the Capitol is opposite that | of the United Press in the corridor leading to the Senate press lobby. Mr. Austin and his assistants are classed among the hustlers in the news field; they don’t let very much get away from them. The California Associated Press is an asso- ciation which devotew itself entirely to supply- | ing news to the papers on the Pacific coast and | its ser is remarkable for its fullness and accura The association was formed some | years ago by the Morning Cail, Evening Bulle- ; un of San Francisco and the Record-Union of | Sacramento, but its usefulness soon widened its field. A year or two ago it gave up its con- nections with the Western Associated Press and struck out for itself in active competition with the older_news-purveying organizations. The rapidity of its growth has been truly re- markable and from its San Francisco office the news of the day is distributed to fort ‘two papers in Washington, Oregon, Cali } fornia, Nevada, Arizona aud New Mexico, {Its agencies, which are located in | London, Now York, Boston, Philadelphia, ashiugton, New Orleans, St.’ Louis and Chi- cago, gather together and distribute news which 13 almost exclusively local to “the coast,” | maiters whiclrare of eastera or general interest | being regarded as simply secondary, In this city the association's interests were carefully advanced by Charles M. Ogden and when ho left to make the later Washington his home he | was succeeded by Charles H. Gray, one of the | busiest and most competent of the many busy nd competent men in the press galleries, Mr. iray Lus an able and industrious assistant in | C. W. SMetzgar. Three young men, whose ex- perience has, as yet, been limited, are also en- gaged in accumulating nows of interest to the people of “the slope.’ THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS, The work of the special correspondent differs very materially from that turned out by the as- sociations. The news as, shaped by the latter, is devoid of all political bias and knows neither personal preference nor locality, That is their theory and is also largely their practice. The “special,” on the contrary, represents his paper in every particular, even in its political lean- ings. Matter which the conservative associa- tions do not care to handle is the moat which the “‘special” feeds on and he frequently scores a big “scoop,” not only on his corporate enemies, but also on his vigilant brother specials, THE TELEGRAPH OFFICES, A matter of no little interest in connection with the gathering and distributing of news at the Ser is the telegraphic service, This is furnished by the only two companies which have any local éxistence—the Western Union and the Postal. The former company carries the bulk of the news, and in order that its cus- tomers might be the more advantageously taken care of they have established oftices at convenient points within the Capitol building. ‘These are under the immediate direction of the chief of operators—known to every news- paper man who ever worked in this city as “Ham” Young. He makes his headquarters on the House side, in the enclosure which shute off quite a slice of the press lobby. Here, com- meucing at about 12 o’clock on days when the House is in session, the correspondents shower their copy on the force of operators through the medium of either Mr. Young or the busi- neas-like *‘Andy” Johnson—both of whom are ag polite as busy men can afford to be, in the Senate side the Western Union has its operators cooped up in the northeast corner of the press lobby, and D, Marean sees that all the copy entrusted to him is rushed through with the utmost rapidity consistent with accuracy. Five or six operators, and sometimes even a greater number, find all the employment they are looking for on the Senate side, The facilities for telegraphing from the tol are much greater and more complex y than they were when the House of Rercsuie: tives sat in what is now known as Statuary Hall. Then one lone operator did all the worl » and he didn’t have to work very hard to do it. On Monday last there were nineteen operators thumping “keys” within the walls of the Capitol, _ Phe Postal company has its office in the cor- ridor leading to the main entrance tothe House and the instruments inside its fence keep upa merry clicking all day long. The telegraphic day at the Capitol is brief 80 far as general news dispatches are concerned, for while it does not commence until noon it is all over, as arule, by 3:30. Those correspondents who rep- resent morning papers send their “stuff” through the uptown oilices. The press associa- tions, however, have their own operators at the aga = they labor as long as the day’s ses- sion SENDING NEWS TO THE STAR, The manner in which Tue Strap gathers its news at the Capitol is worthy of mention. No afternoon paper in the country gives so much or attention to matters congressional as oes Tux Star and the work has to be rapidly done. But little of the material in the a columns of Tux Sr. has mate- ‘AB ialized until noon and the t bi not available until at least ‘wohours I later, "To collect, write and transmit the complete story of what occurs igboth Houses up to 8:20 p.m. : puree: “eneo ghly organized force, Up to i of active messe: in Sonstaats saotion between the ¢ Capi vas aaa Tue Star building conveying to the editorial rooms of Tux Stag the copy furnished by the Paper's re; orters, and the news that makes its ce Pes vee oe alias) to the through the jum ial tele~ phot, the wires of which run ‘directly into OF THE GALLERY, editorial rooms, THE GOVERNMENT The “gallery” (which means both galleries) is governed to such an extent as it needs gov- ernment by a committee of its owns members; 8 little republic within its = self. This committee in in response to a request from Speaker Samuel J: Basaall of . fifth Congress, and it se, DISTRICT MILITIA ORDERS. Permanent Boards of Examination— Regulations to Promote Efficiency. Three general orders have today been issited from the headquarters of the Distriet of Colum- bia Mititia and in each of these will be found matters of great interest to members of the national guard. The first of these orders, No. 82, says in its first paragraph: “Battalion com- manders will appoint permanent boards of ex- amination in their respective battalions, to be composed of two first lieutenants and one sec- ond lieutenant, each from different companies, to examine enlisted men nominated by captains of companies for appointment as non-commis- sioned officers, No man will be thus appointed unless certified by the board of examination as thoroughly competent for the position to which nominated,” The last paragraph of the same order says: “The company of infantry recently mustered into the national guard and known as the War Department Rifles is hereby assigned as com- pany C, sixth battalion.” IN THE INTERESTS OF RFFICTENCY. Order No, 33 is one of the most important and most interesting ever issued in the history of the militia of this or any other country and is as follows: For the purpose of stimulating the enlisted men of the national guard to acquire knowl- edge of the duties of a soldier and attaina high standard of efficiency the following regulations are hereby established: 1. Commanding officers of regiments are hereby directed to appoint permanent boards of examination, to consist of one captain, one first lieutenant and one second lieutenant, and fix regular monthly meetings of such boards. Any enlisted man, upon making application through his company commander, shall be per- mitted to appear before the regimental board, which shall examine him as to his qualifica- tions to be a non-commissioned officer. All men certified by the boards as competent shall thereupon receive from their regimental com- mander a certificate of the examination he has passed, Regimental commanders will publish in orders at the end of each quarter the names of all men who have been awarded such certifi- cates, 2. Any non-commissioned officer, or any pri- yate who has received the certificate of a reg- imental board as competent to be a no: missioned officer, upon making applic through his immediate shall be permitted to appear before the brigade board of examination, which shall examine him as to his qualifications to be a commis- sioned officer. Every man certified by this board as competent shall thereupon receive from the commanding genoral & certificate of the exam- ination he has passed, and his name will be published in gencral orders. He will also be awarded a suitable badge designating the rank for which he has been found competent, which badge he will be entitled to wear when in uni- form on ail occasions of duty or ceremony. 3. Enlisted men awarded certificates in ac- cordance with the above regulations will be known as “candidates for promotion” and will have the title “candidate” prefixed to that of their rank in all returns, orders and corre- spondence in which their names appear. The position of “candidate” will be a specially hon- orable one. Those who have been awarded certificates of qualification as non-commis- vioned officers will Le allowed to attend the battalion schools of non-commissioned officers and those who have been awarded certiticates of qualifications as commissioned ofticers will be allowed to attend the brigade school of offi- cers, *‘Candidates” will not be subject to trial for military offenses, except for such as require a general court-martial. For any misconduct or offense ordinarily within the jurisdiction of a company or battalion court-martial a “candi- date” will be reported to the authority that conferred his certificate, and if upon proper hearing he1s found guilty he may be deprivedof his certificate and the position and privileges conferred by it. 4. Selections for promotions from the ‘“can- didates”—they having by general fitness and murked ability shown themselves well qualified 0 fill positions of special trastand confidence— will render less dificult the prescribed duty of commanding officers who nominate and ap- point, and, while particularly promoting the efficiency of their organizations, will inure to the benefit of the national guard generally, JOHNNY, GET YOUR GUN. No. 34 is devoted exclusively to the subject of rifle practice, In this, after urging officers to attain a proficiencyin advance of their several commands, Gen. Ordway lays down the rule that a full score will consist of five shots each at 200 yards standing, 300 yards kneeling or sit- ting, 500 yards lying down prone, 600 yards ly- ing down prone or on the side or back. The regular course of practice for the ensuing year will require not less than two full scores in the gallery and two full scores on the range, mak- ing eighty shots in all. “How will we be classified?” has been a ques- tion which the guard has debated very vigor- ously, The general has settled that in the following paragraphs: Every officer and man now in the com- mand, and every one hereafter joining, will ‘be entered upon the rolls of the organization to which he belongs a3 assigned to the third class and at the end of the year's practice will be aasigned to a class in firing ac- cording to his peoketeney. ‘The class of firing to which any officer or man belongs will be determined at the end of the practice year from thé sggrogute of the total of the two beat full scores he has made in the gallery and the two best full scores he has made on the say as follows: Third class—All who have failed to fire two full scores in the gallery and two full scores on the range, or, having shot such scores, have made an aggregate of less than 100, Second class—All who have fired two or more fall scores in the gallery and two or more full scores on the range, and from the best two of vg have made an aggregate of not less than First class—All who have fired two or more full scores in the gallery and two or more fall scores on the range, and from the best two of so have made an aggregate of not less than Marksmen—All who havo fired two or more full scores in the gallery and two or more full scores on the range, and from the best two of each have made an aggregate of not less than 260, Sharpshooters—All who have fired two or more full scores in the gallery and two or more fall scores on the range, and from the best two ofcach have made an aggregate of not less than 320, At the end of wh Here year, or upon the receipt at these headquarters of the final classi- fication of acompany for the prescribed prac- tice of the year, a certificate of their qualifica- tion will be issued to each sharpshooter and marksman reported, and to each sharpshooter a silver badge, and to each marksman a pair of markeman’s buttons, as prescribed in graph 509-515 of “Blunt's small-arms regulations,” MATCHES AND COMPETITION, Matches between individual soldiers, and be- tween teams representing different ozganiza- tions, will be established as soon as it is consid- ered that the instruction of the command has sufficiently far advanced to warrant them. Regulations for conducting such matches will be hereafter promulgated, and prizes estab- lished for the successful competitors, Oyster Pirates Captured. Capt. Howard of the Maryland state steamer Governor Thomas, seized yesterday five oyster vessels which had been dredging in Tangier sound and brought his little fleet into Crisfield. The vessels captured were the schooner Three Brothers, Capt, Griffin; schooner Splendid, Capt. Evans; schooner Anne, Capt. Pruitt; schooner No Name, Capt. Ward, and sloop Bianca, Capt. Wilson. ———_+ve_____ Burned His Heart in Two. A terrible accident occurred at the wire mill of J, A. Roebling’s Sons company at Trenton, N.J., yesterday, in which an Italian named John Hitchkash, who works on the rolls, was instantly killed. The red hot iron bare ace put through a long roll, which hasa series of holes, peminperyhpelaad viper ps4 n ommunding officer, NEW YORK GOSSIP, What People in the Big City Are Talking About. THE PENDING QUESTION AMONG PRESAYTERIANS— THE LAS? OF THE EXECUTIONS EY ROPE—a NEW SUPPLY OF WOKLD'S FAIR SPUNK—aaB. FLAGLER AND UIS HOTEL ENTERPRISE, Correspondence of Terk EvENtNG Stan. New York, December 6. Now that you have had a local scrimmage during the week over the Presbyterian stand- ards you may be more in the mood to appreci- ate the intense feeling that moves Presbyte- rians here with regard to the same subject. Rarety has the church been so wrought up by any theological discussion. One of the great events of the weck was the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Union in the assembly rooms of the Metropolitan Opera House, Four hundred members of the Union sat down to the dinner, and as many more tried in vain to get tickets. But the attraction was not one of carnal appe- tite so much as interest in the after-dinner polemics. Dr. Briggs and Dr, Patton were expected to speak for and against revision respectively, Both acquitted themselves ably of course, but it was plain to see that much as GREAT President Patton's bearers admired his keen] Wwe © RRR, 4 as 9 thrusts their sympathies were rather with Dr.| Wwwww pre fa ‘a, * Lriggs. Asif to ratify his ition, the two bal bat fi k 'k ; Ss > important esbyteries of iladelphia and = Bilfalo voted for revision that very night, and I judge from the reception of the committee's | 7° MAKE ROOM FOR THE BUILDER, HAVING report at the Washington presbytery that that | LEASED THE ADJOINING PREMISES NOW 00- body stands ready to follow suit, NewYork nas | curren py THE FAIR, AND WILL TAKE POS. already pronounced strongly forrevision,and at an adjourned nae of the prosbytery to » SESSION ABOUT JANUARY, AND WE WILL OoM- held ‘next week it may take even more ad-| piyy vanced ground by urging the denomination to | 3!NE THE TWO STORES INTO ONE MAMMOTH form ulate a new and simpler creed. ESTABLISHMENT. ON ACCOUNT OF THE EX- crite al nce alts ied aera TENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS WE CONTEMPLATE The executions yesterday and today will prob- as ably be the last by hanging in this state for a | MAKING WE ARE COMPELLED AT THIS KARLY long time, and, perhaps, forever. That saucy | PART OF THE SEASON TO DISPOSE OF OUR rough who precipitated his own fate some years | ENTIRE STOCK. ago by declaring that hanging was played out was simply hke so many other famous men, a little ahead of his age. Hanging is about played out, but, unfortunately for murderers, it does not follow that the death penalty is abolished. Onthe Ist of Janu the new law of execution by electricity goes into force, and the ruling of the courts in the Kemmler case has destroyed the hopes of those who thought the method would be construed by the judges as cruel and unusual in the constitutional sense of the term. There is something so revolting in the taking of human life, even for necessary ends, that the community has felt a shudder at the two executions, but if ever men deserved to dangle at the end of a rope these two young tonghs did, Both were of that type of born and bred and hardened criminals, the proper dis- osition of whom constitutes one of the most ating problems of civilization. The@career of Carlton, who was hanged on Thursday for the murder of Policeman Brennan was typical. Its vicious development was symmetrical and finished logically on the gallows at twenty- eight. From the chronic bad boy and young street nuisance he formally entered on his career of crime by a brutal assault, then “did time” for a petty larceny in the penitentiary, immediately took his third degree for grand larceny, and served out a sentence in state's rison, and then in orderly progression reached is climax by shooting a policeman, who was arresting him for robbing and maltreating an inoffensive stranger, I had occasion two or three days ago to visit Sing Sing, and through the courtesy of the prison officials I went all over that vast stone and iron cage and watched tho fifteen hundred felons at their dismal routine. A few years ago Carlton was there as an obscure and unnoticeable youth marching in lock step or engaged in some drudgery, like his pullid and sullen neighbors, At the proper day the iron doors swung open and he went back to freedom and civilization—to rob and maul and murder and soon to be himself slain by the state in self-defense. Today there aro fourteen hundred and thirty-seven inmates of Sing Sing, and perhaps it is not uncharitable to say that twelve hundred of them will leave prison only to prey on society and threaten it again until they are once more put in the state's cazes. What can be done with these human zebras? NEW SPUNK OVER THE WORLD'S FATR, We are plucking up a more hopeful spirit about that world’s fair, There was a time when the city was about ready to shrug its shoulders and let the whole thing go by default, but now that we have raised the 5,000,000 and Con- gress seems to still be open to solicitation and, in general, the lamp still holds out to burn, as it were, we are finding a due supply of spunk. After a long deadlock between the mayor and the trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History over Sunday openings the sabbatarians have carried the day. The mayor took the ground that they shouldn't have the recent appropriations made to extend their facilities uniess they opened on Sunday. The trustees said they wouldn’t open on Sunday any way, and now the corporation counsel tells the mayor that they must have the appropriations whether or no, The German opera is in full blast; the Sara- eate-d'Albert combination has stormed the town, the divine and only Patti is here for an- other farewell season, and the aldermen have said the hand organs may come back to town, Who shall say we are not a musical people? MR. FLAGLER'S HOTEL ENTERPRISES, The report that Washington is to have a grand hotel to be owned by the oil king, J. H. Flagler, has excited some interest here. The incidental landlord feature to this wealthy merchant's life is rather amusing. His friends joke him about it, and when they ask him for his serious explanation he on his side waves them off witha joke. He tells them that it is permitted and even necessary for every man to make a fool of himself in some way, and in his KING'S PALACK, 814 7th st. nw. A Snort Loox Aur. SATURDAY MOST FATHERS AND MOTH. ERS CONSIDER TO BE THE DAY POR FIT- TING OUT THE BOYS. ANOTHER SATUR- DAY IS DRAWING NEAR, AND WHY NOT CONSIDER WHAT YOU WANT AND WHERE YOULL LOOK For IT, IN THIs ARTICLE WE WANT TO EMPBA- SIZE OUR STOCK OF BOYS’ LONG PANTS SUITS, IN SIZES FROM 15 TO 18 YEARS ALSO BOYS’ OVERCOATS. ‘THE BEST AND MOST RELIABLE MAN- UFACTURERS OF NEW YORK HAVE CON- TRIBUTED THEIR BEST STYLES TO OUB STOCK. WE GUARANTEE EVERY GARMENT AND IF ANYTHING WE SELL 18 NOT ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY THE CUSTOMER CAN RE- TURN IT AT ANY TIME WITHIN TEN DAYS (IF UNWORN AND UNSOILED) AND EXCHANGE IT, OK RECEIVE HIS MONEY AGAIN, OR, SHOULD ANY GARMENT AFTER BEING WORN FAIL TO GIVE AS GOOD SATISFACTION AS, IN THE CUSTOMER'S OPINION, IT SHOULD, WE MAKE SUCH A “REF AS THE CUSTOMER HIMSELF SAYS 15 FAIR AS BETWEEN MAN AND MAN. WILL ANY OTHER DEALER TREAT YOU AS LIBERALLY? ADD TO THIS GENEROUS CUSTOM THE FACT THAT NO ONE IN THE CITY HAS LATER OR BETTER STYLES OR SELLS AT LOWER PRICES AND YOU HAVE THE REA- SON FOR THE INCREASING ACTIVITY IN OUR BOYS’ STOC THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE HAVEN'T EQUALLY AS GUOD THINGS FOR 230 SMALL BOYS IN SHORT PANTS, BUT ONLY THAT WE CAN'T SPECIFY EVERYTHING IN ONE “AD.” E. B. BARNUM & 09, $21 PENNSYLVANIA AVR 719 a5 719 TRIMMINGS, LACE HANDKERCHIEFS, RIBBONS, FURS, JEWELRY AND FANCY GOODS. DRESS TRIMMINGS. In this department we are all the nowes® designe in Vaudyke Gitups and silk Pringes. also the Rew Silver and Gold Vandy ke Gimps lor evening weer, Beaded Vandyke Collars iu wold, silver, steel abd jot 4 and 84.60. DUCHESS LACE HANDKERCHIEFS, nage of thenc euedn ouitatie for, Xm Sand upwards, RIBBONS. 100 pes, Satin and Gros Grain in shades for fancy work: Sin. Z7c., 3 S0c. To these FURS. Our stock of Muffs, Collars, in As' ow 2 Soe foods we invite apecial atien tion. and Trimmings trakhan, Monkey, Beaver, Marten, Seal. hyuae © ally attractive. Chaldre te Angers ‘s Sets, $3.60, 85.50. JEWELRY. case it happens to be hotels. Mr. Flagler, the | Busts! Breast Pins, Rhine Stone settings, 300, hotel landlord, is however, aa far from 's'fool Bigeye Butons from ubes” Se #08 Bide Coluls, with silver tops, from Zhe. A jot of’ Ear Rings, Breast Pi and Cuff Buttons reduced to less FANCY GOobs. as Mr, Flagler the oil king. I was talking yesterday with Mr. Carrere, of the firm of Carrere & Hastings, the architects who built for Mr. Flagler the unique and superb Scart Shela ast Smoking Sets, 25c , 5 J5e., 81, 81.25. Ponce de Leon hotel, and Lasked him how it | Siokime Tables gi, 0°" 700 #1 @2-25. was that the Standard Oil potentate had turned | Birgu Pik, Albums, 2he., 600, #1, 81.75, €3, his thoughts to the hotel business as an avoca-| Crumb Trays aud rushes (oxidized) tion, Mr. Carrere said that it was due to an accidental train of circumstances, Mr. Flagler some years ago was visiting a personal friend in Florida and he noticed, like every one else, Letter Scalce Unkstand combined), €1.50, Banjo and Mandoline Thermome Plush Toilet bots for Misses in’ 6 di ca; Feular price $1.0 Sachets in oxy Rating 1. ‘Handkerchiet and Glove the utter inadequacy and erndity of the accom- | Hand-painted Vases, #1, $1.75 and #21 modation for visitors from the north. Having | Floust Backes" Vases Piece ee, Match Holders, invested in a tract of land at St. Augustine be | TABLE COVERS. fuggested to his friend that they build « hotel | "Chenille Covers 144 yards aguare. $1.7 upon it. The proposition was to, an clour Covers, printed borders, #2 . Flagler turned to his friend, an old com-| AT >4uares, Sifbrondere cid go, wate rade in the war, Mr. Carrere, for designs, Mr. Carrere is one of the boldest and most original of American architects, with a perfect zeal for painied, 83, Bureau Scts in real Cluny Lace, $3.25 to $8. LEATHER GOoDS. the more striking forms of the renaissance and Posten ne, Bans 38c, 50e.. 75e., $1.25, 1.78, oriental constructions, With the help of his| Ueitur day bhe poets. SOc. partner he had soon prepared sketches for the ams, eatin Hnod, @2.28,08, nd hotel, much as the tourist now beholds it, ¥.G. Davis, ir. Flagler’s imagination was fired, and he told | 44 ‘719 Market Space, Cor. Sthet. his architectural soo nar4 to go ahead — work out their palatial design regurdiess of expense. The pace soon grew too hot for Mé. Flagier’s | Great Syxpicare Sure ‘tner in the enterprise, and he hauled out, ora Eons the other the sole owner. It is not necessary to en! the suc- large upon QUARTER OF MILLION DOLLARS cessful realization of the architect’s project. WORTH OF FINE TAILOR-MADE CLOTHING. NOW IN FULL BLAST. IN THE LARGE FOUR-STORY BRICK BUILDING, COR. OTH AND E STS. X. W. stan such as the mild winter, the yellow | _Threcof the largest wholesale clothing! in fover, the political excitement aud other causes, | SOWMLY baveconsoltdated thelr surpl tt came out abond, and this your the Shanegers * it came out an look forward to another rich harvest,