The true northerner., 1884-05-01
ssTHE THIRD HOUSE..
Its Good and had MEMBERSHIPS Remark
able Experience of - Close Observer Of
Its Workings During Long Residence ne
NVasI.ingtou

No city upon the American continent has a
larger floating population than Washington.
IL Is estimated that during the sessions OF
Congress $4,000 people. whose homes are in
various parts of this and other countries,
make this city their place of residence Some
come here, attracted by the advantages the
city offers for making the acquaintance OF
public men; others have various claims which
they wi h to present, while the great matori-
ty gather here, "a the crows flock TO the car
rion, for the sole purpose of getting n morsol
at the public crib. The latter class as a gen.
.eral thing, originate the many schemes which
terminate in vicarious bills, all of which are
either directed at the public treasury or
toward that revenue which the b,ack-mailing
of corporations or private enterprises may
bring.
While walking down Pennsylvania avenue
the other day, met Mr.. William NJ. Ashley,
formerly OF your city, whose long residence
here has made him unusually well acquainted
with the operations OF the lobby.
Having made my wants in this particular
direction known, in answer 10 an interroga-
tive, Mr. Ashley said:
'Yes, during my residence here have be-
come well acquainted with the workings OF
the Third House. as it is termed, and could
tell you of numerous jobs whiCh b, like the
Heathen Chince,' are peculiar.
''You do not regard the lobby as body,
vicious, do your"
mot necessarily so; there are good and
bad men comprising that body; yet there
have been times when IL must be admitted
that the combined power OF the Third House
has overridden the will of the people. Tho
bad influence of the lobby can be seen in the
numerous blool-bills that are introduced at
every session."
But how can these be discovered?'
Easily enough, TO the person who has
made the thing a study. l can detect them
at glance"
'Tell me, 10 what bills do you refer;
"Well take the annual gas bills, for in
stance. They are introduced for the purpose
of bleeding the Washington Gas Light Com
pany. They usually result in an Investigate
ing committee which never amounts 10 any
thing more than draft upon the public
treasury for the expenses of the inVeetiga-
tion. Another squeeze is the dbdttO6r bills,
as they are called. These, o. course, are
fought by the butchers and market men.
The first attempt 10 force II bill of this de.
scripion was In 1877, when prominent
Washington politician offered II fabulous sum
for the franchise
Anything else in this line that you think
OF, MIR. Ashley
''Yes, there's the job to reclaim the Poto-
mac fats, which, had il become a law, would
have resulted in an enormous steal. The
work is now being done by the Government
itself, and will rid the place of that malMial
atmosphere OF which we hear so much out
side the CITY,"
| perienced the bad results OF living in this
| climatef"
.'Well. while have not at all times en-
| joyed good heilth | am certain that the DIFF
| Guilty which laid me up so long was not ma
| larial. 1t was something that had troubled
me for years A shooting, singing pain that
| at times attacked different parts OF nv body.
| One day my right arm and leg would torture
| me with pain, there would be great redness,
heat and swelling of tho parts; and
| A. -
| would be similarly affected. Then again il
| would locate in some particular part of my
| body and produce Il tenderness which would
well nigh drive me frantic. There would be
weeks at time that would bo afflicted with
an intermittng kind OF pain that would come
on every afternoon and leave me compare
lively free from pain suffering the balance of
the twenty-four hours. Then would have
1 terrible paroxysms OF pain coming on at any
time during the day or night, when would
| be obliged TO lie upon my back for hours and
| keep as motionleSs as possible. Every time
| attempted to move chilly sensation would
| pass over my body, or i would faint from hot
| flashes i suffered from "a spasmodc con-
! traction of the muscles and soreness of the
| back and bowels, and even my eyeballs be-
| came sore and distressed me greatly when
| ever l wiped my face. Ibecame ill-tempered,
peevish, fretful, irritable, and desperately
| despondent."
"Of course you consulted the doctors re-
| garding your dtiicultyT'
Consulted them? well should say ] did.
| Some told me i had neuralgia; others that
| had infiammatory rheumatism, for which
! there was no cure; that i would be afflicted
| all my life, and that time alone would mit-
| gate my suticrings.
But didn't they try TO relieve your mis-
| eriesi"
"Yes, they vomited and pbysiced me,
blistered and bled me, pastered and oiled me,
sweat, steamed and everything but froze me,
but without avail.
"But how did you finally recover?'
II had friend living in Michigan who had
| been afflicted in similar way and had been
| cured. He wrote me regarding his recovery and
advised me to try the remedy which cured him.
| l procured II bottle and commenced its use,
taking Il tablespoonful after each meal and
! at bed time. | had used IL about week
when noticed a decrease of the soreness OF
the Joints and general feeling OF relief.
| persevered in, its use and finally got so
could move around without lmping, when
told my friends that IL was Warmers safe
| Rheumatic Cure that had put me on my feet"
"And do you regard your cure as per.
| mancnti"
Certainly. haven't been so well in years
as am now, and although have been sub
lected 20 freguent and severe changes Of
weather this winter, have not felt the first
intimaton OF the return OF my rheumatic
| trouble"
"Do you object to the publication of this
interview, Mr.. AshleyY''
Il
owe my fellow creatures 10 alleviate their
suncrinRs so far as am able, end any COM
municntion regarding my symptoms and
cure that may be sent TO me at 50i Maine
avenue will receive prompt and careful alton
tion."
Judging from your recital. Mr.. Ashley,
there must be wonderful curative properties
about this incidence
"Indeed, there is sir, for no man suffered
more nor longer than did before this remedy
gave me relief"
ITO go back to the original subject, Mr..
Ashley, suppose you zee the same familiar
faces about the lobby session after session.
mo, not so much so as you might think.
New faces are constantly seen and old ones
disappear. The strain upon lobbyists IL nec-
essarily very great, and when you add &C this
the demoralizing effect OF late hours and ln-
temperate habits and the fact that they arc
after found out in their steals, their dsap-
pearance can eas ly be accounted for"
"what proportion OF these blood-bills are
successfully
"A very small percentage, sir. Notwith-
| standing the power and influence or the
| lobby, but few OF these vicious measures
| pass We're they successful il would be a sad
commentary upon our system of govern
ment, and would virtually annihi' ate one
branch Of It. The great ma iorty of them are
either reported adversely or smothered in
committee by the watchfulness and loyalty