The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-11
VISITORS.
Strange Mistakes of People VINO "e
to Washington.

strange Mistakes of People Who Go
to Washington.
The ignorance of the character OF
Washington city, its public buildings
the relation of its lawmakers TO IL
another, etc, as displayed by visitors,
writes Murray in The Indianapolis
News, is something appalling. 1t is o
confined to the backswoods of Arkansas
or the dirt-eaters of North Carolina,
but permeatcs the intelligent people
who reside in the city of Boston and
in the nearer city Of New York. Here
we fellows on the row have been writ
inc about Washington from ten to
twenty years, and impartlng valuable
information on every possible subject
in connection with the government n
public affairs. We are actually driven
every week to conceive something new,
or write up something old in a fresh
manner. And to us nearly everything
seems old and stale. When | CON
across a New York man who thinks the
president lives in the capitol building, or
Il Massachusetts man who has an idea
that the senate and the supreme court
hold Joint sessions. | feel as II our
newspaper lives were in a manner run,
ming to waste. You think these exag-
g]erations? Not II bit. ! have met w
such men within the last two weeks.
1t seems strange that a New York
broker worth a couple of hundred
thousand Fat times) should know SO
little about these things. Yet my
chance acquaintance was found to be
very intelligent and clever otherwise.
He said: "A good many of us think
and read of little beyond Wall street.
1t is as much as l can do to master the
financial columns Of the New York
press. When l get through with them,
if | have any time to read, | skim over
thc,local sensations. have been doing
this for years.
"And your set does tho same thing,
| suppose" | suggested.
practically, yes. Some of the fell
lows have theatrical or musical tastes,
or run after horscflcsh, or the ladies, or
baseball, or yachting, or something or
other. and these read still less. The
STRAIN of the street requires relaxation.
Books? | don't believe a dozen books
a. lNti J. CAV W ~ WHY iolSC Va
operatives combined. Upon my word,
l haven't read Il book for five years. ]
have not time and when | have time ]
have no inclination. My knowledge of
government affairs is very crude. You
are inclined to laugh at what you call
my ignorance. But remember ignor-
ance is a relative matter. Nobody can
master everything. and the successful
men of the age attempt 10 master but
one thing. The news is your profess
sion. If | should take you into the
stock-eXchange tomorrow you would
be laughed at for your ignorance. Do
you know the gamut of puts and
calls?"
l confessed the justice Of his criticism.
''Wcll, the dealer in margins must
have many of the qualities of states
manship, decision of character, subtlety.
nerve, staying power, convictions. l
understand my business pretty well, as
the run OF them, but can't paint, or
sculp, or run a newspaper
Il am very glad to have met you.
SIR | remarked. ''You are the first
man | ever met who confessed he
couidnt run newspaper. You are a
philosopher, sir"
Whats more" he added, laughing,
II don't want to-
That's nor remarkable STILL
Very much impressed with the cool
philosophy OF my broker acquaintance,
| left him, but the talk has been run
ming through my head even since.
met a lady Of culture last night and re-
lated it.
why. dear metz she exclaimed. 81
used to think the same thing till | came
to Washington. l always supposed the
president lived in the capitol, and that
1t and the white house were identical.n
venturcd a little rcportorial wit at
her expense, and then repentcd. Her
companion retortcd:
"Oh, you newspaper men are so vain.
You think everybody reads what YOU
write. It's a mercy they don't. You
are SO smart and know SO much i. actu-
ally pains you! It's q mercy some of
You don't burst. Why. | can ask YOU
questions in a minute than YOU
can answcr in y week. Cant we. .jcn-
nie9 And l don't know ANYTHING
about-about labor and capitol and pol
itics and laws