_PUCK, March 26th, 1890._
The Senate of the United States has been called the pleasantest club in
the country, and perhaps it is. It is certainly a very pleasant club,
and it is not unfair to say that very large entrance fees have been
collected in certain State legislatures from gentlemen whose wealth
constituted their only claim to be admitted to it. But, in view of
the fact that the people of the United States pay the members of this
delightful club reasonably generous salaries for belonging to it, it
may be questioned whether it does not exceed its privileges in keeping
up its indulgence in what are known as “Executive Sessions.” There
was a time in the dim and distant past when Executive Sessions were
rarely secret, and had some excuse in reason and common-sense. But it
is many years now since there has been an Executive Session that was
not promptly and fully reported in every paper that would give space
to its generally unimportant doings. It is, no doubt, a pleasant thing
for a Senator to have the doors of the Senate-Chamber closed, and to
smoke his cigar in lazy comfort while the reading clerk monotonously
and perfunctorily, but as unobtrusively as possible, drones through
the thousand and one articles of the treaty to which the law-maker is
supposed to be giving his statesman-like attention in spite of the
fact that its acceptance or rejection has been decided upon in party
caucus weeks or months before. But the people of the United States pay
the Senator, and the people of the United States built the gallery in
the Senate Chamber, and they really have a right to sit there at all
times during his business hours. It is a right that they will sooner or
later insist upon. We do not know, however, that there is any serious
objection to letting the Senator smoke while they look at him.
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