The sun., 1891-02-16
i've WASHINGTON TOPICS.
r.sEyATOR FERRY OF MICHIGAN IN
REMINISCENT MOOD.

r.,h. About some OF HE Former Col
,..~ues who nre SIN In tho Senate
MI. .oueen or the Census once" Pro.
.,ss 70 be y Chier OF Division-Wm. II.
,..--,.ou,s Pen Gets Him 1nto Trouble.
v,su,yoroS Feb. 16-Fourteen years ago
..,. month the most conspicuous man in public
~. in Washington was Thomas w. Ferry.
Senator from Michigan and acting Vice-Presi-
asnt Of the United States He was the central
soure In the great contest over the seating OF
I.vss that attrac ed the attention OF the wide
I'D Through all that long and bitter
rsr,iaan controversy he nevcr wnvcred. but
,sr,ormed tho duties devolving upon him rs
p,osident Of the Senate and presiding officer
.,th. ,oint session Of the two houses in such a
"a, as 10 receive the commondatien OF friends
..d snemies alike. When the prolonged
.,rrcole at last reached Its close, he pro-
.nnnced Rutherford b. Hayes aud William A.
Wheeler President and vice-president OF the
rnitsd States. and was appauded by his
nolItlcal friends. few years later, Mr..
r.rry won't down in storm OF political.
en.ncial. and physical disaster. from which 1t
vas thought he never would recover. In
foreign lands. however. he partially forgot the
bitterness OF his defeat. and Rs the years went
nv his health returned to him. and his financial
condition improved. 1t is not impossible that
the turn Of the political wheel may bring him
into public prominence again. He has spent
Tho past year or 30 In Washington looking
siter matters Of legislation affecting the inter-
ests Of his Michigan neiRhbors. Seated on
sois in the Senate Chamber . day or two ago
Mr.. Ferry fell into reminiscent mood, and
..vs his opinion about tho ability and charsc-
tehstics Of Senators who were formerly his
colleagues. He said:
"Yes, great many OF my colleagues have
changed. Some are not as tenacious and
vigorous in debate as they used to be. and
some arc more So Ono Of the good debaters
Il German. think his leadership during this
session has brought him out more than the sx-
psrisnce OF This whole previous career. think
Ss 10 one Of the ablest men on the floor. and
d ss S 80 ss tSa
3 concerned practice in talkine. confidence. %
q thc Eisetions bill. would have been quite
ssSsr Know Senator Hoar s Of nH oid. Re oGs is
precise. Tnever dld think he had much tact,
!as @ wrong ys Wy good many Senators who
any Of Tho Senators with whom served. He
sk as 81 b. did and he
Stumble at times, but his brain IL al always clear.
Hs has peculiar ideas about the PRONUNCIATION
% hs s'af sSS9 Il. SH his bis
se whsa the sSs sesssy %ss aaSss eonns,a
sssy. and si.erxsTd said 10 ines hs had pro-
ssia. ana no oSSs one dsssa ssss
!: the S!d:ss; /, :; looking youns man n
White hair make him look much @ older rsh Than 6s
9S shss hs Ss %
q he statutes end their ne DE-
as sss sSs
Ts 1 asr t.
HHnd. objected 70 Il. and ihen Examine the
.n. s p e issh's n ssd
$ss s.: e ~
fRs a. S 81 Gss
he ssn.s and Ds.hsSs sSe
CAST Baossst bring, back to m. til.
ihsa any one I have met Fifteen years ago
40 appeared tho same as he does now. he is
b never varies In his manner or ways. He
takes the same number Of steps when 10 goes
s ms1 'na 5 Of
He stands IN tho same position, holds his hands
exactly the Same way. makes the same awk-
the same tone Of voice."
Mira Kate Smith. "the Queen Of the Census
0nlce." is now an acting Chief Of Division. In
charge Of the work OF collecting data on mort
CAGES on homes and farms She Is the only
woman Chief Of Division In the Cove rnment
smith has been @ rseidly pro%oted. promo s as it was Was
only year ago last October that she appeared
IN & The 9tiice as clerk at S60 month. But she
The work. and made so many successes that It
pnot surprising she attracted the attention Of
n:I suPs,ofs ald was in rank and
chimes. wich she operated with more skin and
do sas and In
s%{,b sss1R in,5oducS nitro the mseRnss there
General Manager Hahn Of the eievated railway.
sssye ss,s. evidence OF the possession Of 80 much
that she was frequently asked to 20 to one or
~ SSaotner 1as division where intricate work was to
the office, Her division. which gives employ.
n %ent M to eighty clerks, Is the banner division
Q! me bureau, and 1t Is the ono generally
called upon when special feats of difficult
raplo work are to be performed.
MrSs;; Mrs; smith hnl charge Of the recount
o. st Paul and Minneapolis Her division was
ShSi,So thnHo IN 70 aep adjust the accounts OF tho
sno9sands OF enumerators. When Suporin-
@ M ~ roTter wanted circulars sent to oil of
Wy .o,OVo f4stmasters In the United States.
wt 1du wanIea inc letters prepared and addressed
GIhin twenty-four hours. he asked Mrs.
oMith division to do the work. Superintend.
snt forler promoted Mrs. Smith to q 81 400
post. but beyond this he did not have autnorl-
y 70 60 The first application 10 Secretary
tNo1le ior PROMOTION to s.. 900 was not granted,
nYscsStnry ss sSscretnry thinking 1t unwise to set the
M MRIecasident az OF giving woman a chiefs salary.
~. ~ a'd consent however. to having his chief
Son SSrk, Mr Lawson. make a special investiga.
non OF MIS- Smiths case. and this careful and
Secretary:
AT a salary Of .l.4OO Mrs. Smith is per-
.HHtnih9 the duties OF chief OF division toiher
shlels receiving 81 800 and 50 00U) In charge OF
kne branch OF investigation known us farms
d,sn dd,"nes; ano mortgages, requiring careful and
oliicult mathematical calculation and the ex-
Iise S,eise OF unusual executive ability. She has
vnasr nor direction and Ia responsible for the
worI OF sevent-hye clerks. men and woman, a
humber greater than than that OF two OF the
bureaus OF this d-partmcnt-E Education and
hailroads-aul within ten OF the NUM- or EN-.
in : ha Ip1 IN,