Arizona republican., 1891-12-15
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
STATESMEN BEGINNING TO REAS-
 SEMBLE IN WASHINGTON.
President Harrison and His Little Joke. Jerry Rusk and His "Noon" Dinners. Gossip of Tracy, W. l.. Scott, Grosvenor Clarkson and Others.
Correspondence of THE REPUBLICAN.

Cores pondence of THE REPUBLICAN.
 WAsHINGToN, Dec. S.-The statesmen have about all made their appearance in Washington to get ready for the long session of the fiity-second congress. House and room hunting IS now the or der of the day, as all the new senators and representatives, and many of the old ones, must find quarters for them- selves and their families. The initiated know how to go about it, and how to avoid being taken in by rapacious land lords, and for the benefit of those who are not initiated, will tell them that if they want house or a suite of rooms in this city they will do well to put the matter in the hands of real estate agent or some friend who will conceal the fact that the quarters are wanted for a mem- Der of congress.
 There is a sort of unwritten law here that if congressman will stand it he is to be always asked to pay about 30 per cent more for house than any one else. Not that statesmen are undesirable ten ants, but that, as rule, they are too proud to hunt around and haggle for terms. This is particularly true of the new congressman, to whom a 5000 sal ary looks as big as the income of Van derbilt or a Gould Two years ago a friend of mine, new member of con- gress, was about to sign lease for a house here at a rental of $1, 200 year, when be happened to discover that the same premises had been offered to an- other man for S700. When the landlord was taken to task about this he replied: "Oh, that is nothing. We knew you were member, and we always ask more from members than from other people. If you hadn't told me you were member shouldn't have asked more than S700 at the start"
 President Harrison is one statesman who doesn't have to worry about finding 8 house in Washington. He knows where he is going to live for at least year and half to come. After that all is uncertainty. Great preparations are being made at the White House for the coming social season. Mrs. Harrison will have to assist her Mrs. Mckee, her daughter and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Russell Harrison. hear bevy of fair friends from England are coming over to spend week or two at the executive mansion-friends who have entertained Mrs. Mckee and Mrs. Harrison during their sojourn abroad. The social affairs at the White House are always brilliant, and this winter they are expected to be unusually resplendent. The old house never was so beautiful as it is today, and it is well worth long journey to see it when filled with the famous men and women of the capital.
 advise all my friends who read this letter to come down to Washington in January or February and take peep at Washington society and participate in one of the White House receptions. There is no difficulty about getting in. If an invitation be not extended to you on your own account, call on your sen ator or representative and tell him what you want. He will take you with him. If he doesn't, never vote for him again. throw out this gentle hint in good season, so that wives and daughters may make an early start in their little cam paigns against the pocketbooks of re- luctant husbands and fathers.
 Speaking of the president reminds me that last week l was astonished to hear that he actually told joke to one of his callers during business hours. President Harrison is not much of joker, and he cares little for the light sort of conversa- tion which with many men is stock in trade. As a rule the president is, dur ing business hours at least, very direct, practical, earnest and serious, but one joke, and joke on himself at that, has made such an impression on his mind that he has repeated it to several per sons. Ex-Postmaster General Hatton was at the White House one day shortly after the president returned from his trip to the Pacific coast, and he spoke of the kindly manner in which the press, without regard to politics, had spoken of the presidents speeches delivered dur ing the tour.
 "Yes," said General Harrison, "the press has treated me very kindly in- deed" "Well," said Hatton, "they were pretty good speeches; to tell you the truth, Mir. President, the best speeches you ever made. In fact you never talk so well as when standing on the end of Pullman car Why is it you cart make as good speech at dinner or in hall? If were you, MT. President, would send to MT. Pullman and borrow palace car and keep it out here in the yard back of the White House, and when delegation calls upon you and you have to make them little speech just adjourn the meeting to that part of the yard where the car is. Then you would always be sure of saying something worth listening to-" The