Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-30
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
The Kaleidoscope of Humanity in WASH
ington-Tbe Field for Novelist
HOwells or Dnudet-Ma Riciau of the
Senate and the Giant In the House.

senate and the Giant In the House,
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WAsHINGToN, d. c.. April 29-It is the
variety of Washington life that charms
most Especially the variety in humanity. In
wider sense than the words usually mean
there is a congress of all the people of the
United States in Washington. From what
have seen here come to the conclusion that ii
would not be astray from the truth to say that
there is worlds congress almost perpetually
in session at Washington. Hotel keepers tell
me that in the last two or three years a marked
increase in the number of visitors from Europe
and other foreign rarts has been noticed in
the capital. About the Capitol I have met
dozens of English tourists, Frenchmen, Rus
SLAMS. Germans. Italians and Spaniards and
every State and Territory in the Union sends
its quota of sightseers here in this, the lovelest
of all the seasons, in the beautiful city by the
Potomac. 1t is not wonderful that they should
come, but they are a wonderful sight when
they get here.
The greatest curiosities mean it in no disre-
spectful sense. in Washington are those who
come to see IL. Some may derive exquisite
pleasure from the contemplation of prehistoric
treasures in the Smithsonian Institute, but
for me the study of the great tide of humanity,
changing every minute and developing in
stantly most startling contrasts is infinitely
more agreeable. Il need not detract from the
observers joy to know that he is making some
other observer happy or sad, that he, too, is a
fragment in the kaleidcscope's shifting disk.
NATURALLY the Senate and the House of
Representatives are most interesting as
exhibitions of nearly every phase of American
manhood.
They say Mr. Howells endured a years resi-
do, TN Il %..-I
marJyr-in order to give verisimilitude to the
telling episode of the street car strike in "a
Hazard of New Fortunes" 1t would be very
good of Mr.. Howells-for surely there is no
other novelist to-day who has such skill in the
portraiture of American characterize drop
down upon Washington some day and write a
novel with real Senators and real Repres enta-
tives in it. Could he draw the life of the aver
age Congressman l think Mr.. Howells could.
He would have to expurgate and tone down
here and there, of course. One need not live a
lifetime here to find out that the legislative
end of Washington travels fast. and remembers
to live by the way. "Dum vivmus, vivamus r'
is the motto which takes the place of God
Bless Our Home" in the Congressman's cara
vansary.
There is need of true picture or two of
Washington life. Mrs. Burnett painted some
e., ,,s-,' g a,s 1n - popy nooo.ipa as ,.o.aS
49, 80 ,sn,;.in;n ~ .o -is,,.a,,s J vi,
bers, wise and foolish, whom the superb dome
OF the Capitol covers. Probably Mr.. Howells
thinks the work too coarse for him. He has
not rid himself yet of his love for the prett1ness
', eo suosiues in.o pe.'iness
w bo ~ ,a "a .nae '.,'t .:.,s ~ Wnar;.'
", .- "nu ' 'UPp''' ~ w " a'iN 'o",
n' saw iasUu' d "en,ns'o, no'e'
A-o- '"o "0'oi VI S@ppno "ouiu 'o'
,,o,-
l. NlontoN' VIC ",,u ieS,uens' seems w
ue one VI INC nnos. seneia auiaii Gu nien
oA "a ioie' A'ei .no P.eeeuns pa"
graphs IL may seem suggestive oi evi 10 name
M WI. Moiton nele' ~ Is no' my uesire W con
'ey Ino IN eesion '."S .no ioo M -
piosuiesqu1iy ",IAeu, vi ,has ne enouiu nsuee
~ ~, 'ne nosei y. MI ho"eii' VI ~. Dauue'' on
tne contrary, the adlnlrat'on OF spectators lor
MI. morton ID oaseu Oh GROUNDS "nich are un-
eAoep'ion'oly noiHi anu iespeotaoie. : men-
.ion tne sai A.ion ior WI. noitoh
pecause ~ mas peen snoVeu az me- 81 70 speak
d. preahlast luncn anu uinher. IferSDouy
VINO 'lsits tne Capitol comes uhuer tne mys-
ferrous cnarh oi MI. MORTON . urDanlIy- III IS
ike tne spell thai leii upon tne paiace OF the
peautlIui princess anu put ner anu All ner XIII
ana KIN 10 sieep lor years ana years.
IN that everyone VINO passes tne portals OF the
Capitol gives IN to 1t. OF that 1t has aS0port1c
influence. either-the sensations appear to be
lively in most subjects.
Undoubtedly II is precious sight to behold
MI. Morton seated pehind the rosewood table
under the arms OIL the United states IN the
Senate Chamber. He sits there SO patiently.
Even when desperately stupid southern Sena-
tors bore each other with aimless disputatIons
as 1t befell me to hear-the placid smile
never leaves that dencately-chiselled1 race, and
the Presidential attitude breathes what may be
termed sympathetic self-satistaction.
Isn't he like cameo? lady remarked
after long, rapt gaze at Mr.. Morton. He is.
The lapidary who could counterfeit not only
the features of the Senate's President, but his
spirit. would achieve triumph. How the
Senate can stand the shock of the constantly
recurring change from the eau-de-cologne and
ivory wand OF Mr.. Morton to the vitriol and
dagger of Mr.. ingalls, is more than can un-
derstand. But they say that if it were not for
the waspish Senator from Kansas the Senate
would lapse into unbroken slumber, now that
Is dead. Mr.. Ingalls, is the vine
gar in the dressing of the Senatorial salad that
keeps it from utter insIpidity. He looks brisk
and clipper, though his mop of hair and stubby
are white. The carcaturists need to
revise their versions of Mr.. Ingalls,; he looks 20
years older than most of his portraits.
=
N the lower chamber, the term is hardly the
one to apply to the House OF representa-
tives but il will pass. very different influence
proceeds from the presiding officer. Among
now nlter Ine iumDei . Ioonh VI ms memory.