The Washington critic., 1886-04-14
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON, APRIL IA, 1885.
TOPICS or THE DAY.

inc Troy IWcS. many ycurS uSO
when was engaged In trade / noticed
among our rcmittances very striking
but almost unintclligible signature, and
found it always attached to drafts from
the bank at Mohawk. Later on, while
visiting that village, learned that the
author of that signature (who had long
held the bank cashiership had in
vented 1t for the purpose of battling all
attempts at counterfeiting. In this he
was SO successful that never heard Of
any such fraud and 1t was generally
admitted that F. Il. Spinner's signature
was proof against imitation. As
financier General Spinner was o marked
success, and hence It was not surprising
that he should have been called to
Washington, where las has very cor
frectly been said) he invented the green
back, and was Of great national service.
General Spinner is the son Of once
famous Lutheran preacher, who Is still
remembered as Dominic Spinner. He
was of German origin and possessed
the mental and physical strength ofthe
old Teutonic race. He had large
family, most of whom were also
marked by strong points of character"
Nv
Speaking of committeeman feeds"
reminds "Con." of the Omaha Bee that
not long ago, sometime during the
Senate debate on the Edmunds' resolu-
tions, there was revelry down in the
Naval Committeeman, presided over
by Senator and Mrs. Don Cameron,
their guests being the Swedish and
French Ministers, several of the most
entertaining and attractive Senators,
such as Allison, Sherman, Aldrich,
Butler and Blackburn, and Secretary
Whitney, as usual, attended by whole
bevy of pretty girls and couple of
pretty widows. Oh, that Whitney
what q feet he does commands "My
country cousins" says the correspon-
dent, ''may think 1t very strange
place to have a lunch, of the smallest
kind, In committee-room, among all
the dry legal papers, bills and things,
saying nothing of the stumps of cigars
and corners, with now and then stray
bottle tucked under the table In hurry;
but / assure you society con-
harmless sprees should be carried on.
The dignifed Senate does not rise to q
point Of order on the question; that is,
there is no objection raised, and 1t Is In
order that the tired, brain.weary Sena-
tors should break away from their
moorings in the stuffy Senate chamber
and sail in to the good things set be-
fore them down below. Good health
and successful legislation depend upon
these secret meetings held with closed
doors. But woe betide the careless
Senator who forgets to invite his wife,
and, having so forgot, takes consola-
tion In some pretty young lady. Such
things have happened where the for
gotten wife chances to go to the CON-
mittee.room to find her husband busy
investigating Again, let me assure
you that these things are considered
good form,' and occur frequently
in the checkered life Of United
States Senator. Is 1t any wonder
that the million.dollar men, fresh
from the mines Of the Pacific Slope,
are willing to pay any price for seat
in the U. s. Senate And is 1t any
wonder the coal men of Pennsylvania,
the oil men of Ohio, the lumber men
of the far West crave the honor? And
they must be amused when they get
here. To sit all day in the Senate
Chamber, winking and blinking at the
galleries, or mapping in the cloak
rooms, is fatiguing; they must have a
respite from the WEAKNESS of the situa-
tion. And it is not wholesome to sit
from 10 till p. NJ. in the foul air OF
that Senate Chamber on an empty
stomach"
~
Says contributor to the New York
Tribune: ran across Thomas Nast
up town day or two ago and fell into
conversation with him about the execu-
tive sessions of the United States Sen
ate. "You men of the press coult
easily break them up" he said, "ant
show their utter absurdity, ifyou would
all start out to tell things as happening
in them which never happened and
which would make the Senators ap
pear in ridiculous light. They are
] not at liberty to deny or affirm any
statement that may be made about the
executive session and they woulC
quickly tire of being grotesquely rep.
is resented. Miles OReilly had a won
derful faculty for that kind of thing
He used to write things that the alleged
participants denied at once, withou
ever getting the public to believe tn,
denials. Every one agrees that thu
executive sessions should be abol
ished." Tho same writer was talking
the other day with William L
Scott of Erie and Dwight Law
renee, when the popular idea thai
men in legislative positions work littl'
and get good pay was mentioned. Mr.
Lawrence said '"There is not Nom
ber of the State Senate at Albany VIII
doesnot work harder to keep up with tn
public business than he would in hi
private affairs. There is not membe
who is not obliged to work constantly
all through the session. | do no
know harder worked set of men in tn
country than just these Senators" Mr.
Scott spoke up: "It Is fact that sine
became Congressman ! have worlSe
harder than ever worked before in m
life. If any one had told me two year
ago that would be working as har
as am now at any period of my life
should have told them they wer
foolish. get to work every day tina
am in Washington at 8 o'clock in til
morning, and l seldom get to bed be
fore midnight, and my work is nc
o. quite done then. tell you II Is not
bed Of roses to be Congressman"
~
A contributor to the Boston Tragelc
says that soon after the close of tn
war he was travelling through Wes
moreland County, Pa, when he mad
the acnuaintancn Of Colonpl Taroe