The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-16
Washington News and Gossip.
From our Special Correspondent.
WAsuINGToN, ID. c., Jan. 9, sc

L IOil OtI SpecEtl Correspondents
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. o, 'SG.
The gayeties this winter will continue
until March 0, when Ash Wednesdays
knells will call welcome halt at md
night of what may prove the gayest
Shrove Tuesday for several years back.
The season will, therefore, be long
enough TO tire out the most assduous
devotee of pleasure. The prediction so
confidently asserted that the winter will
be gay one and not exhibit a crudeness
which deep observers usually notice in
the first year of each Administration, is
not unfounded. An unusually large
number of wealthy families will winter
here this season and mingle in the social
world, and series of events now being
quietly gossiped give promise of exceed
ing brilliancy. 1t is not probable that
the Presidents levees will begin until
February, or perhaps even later. As
they will undoubtedly be occasions of
singular prominence, it is not becoming
they should clash with events of re-
strictcd interest.
All the powerful men of Congress are
men who have been repeatedly returned
by their constituents until they have by
a long course of study and long con-
tinued practice in the methods of legis-
lation become qualified to be useful to
their districts and to the country at
large. The public is doubtless in al
most total ignorance of the sad effect
upon the intellectual and political char
acter of Congress, brought on by the
practice of rotation in office. 1t keeps
down the standard of the body almost to
the point of mediosity. New men MAX
ing pretensions to leadership in Con-
gress never sustain themselves long.
The evil of liquor drinking has been
greatly magnified in the late discussions
upon the subject. As rule there is
but very little drunkenness arising out
of the liquors which are sold oyer the
bars in the two restaurants. 1t is the
"private bottle scheme which is the
cause of the scandal. In nearly every
committee-room there are number of
private bottles with convenient glasses,
and to which some of the Senators fire.
quently repair to patch IN their dam
aged feelings. The employees are of
course cognizant of the fact, and they,
taking pattern by the illustrious ex-
amples set. them, are not slow to do
likewise. The consequence is that most
OF the drinking of late years has been
done in little groups in the committee
rooms. There is one distinguished SEN
ator from a small New England State,
who, while he is quite fond of the bottle
himself, yet is quite careful as to his
associates when he crooks his elbow.
This Senator has made it a rule never
to drink in the presence of young man.
He will sip his liquor with the old stag
ers, but if there happens to be a young
man in the party, the Senator either
waits until he has gone before drinking,
or does not drink at all.
No attempt is made to disguise the
sale OF liquor, notwithstanding the joint
rule which forbids It IN the Capitol.
There is hardly moment during the
session, when some Congressman or
employe is not assisting the restaurant
keeper in breaking this rule. There
are some hearty eaters in the House.
Quite a number of them are content
with simple bread and milk, but others
are fond of ordering full course dinners.
Speaker Carlisle has his meals served in
the Speakers room. lie IL dainty