The morning call., 1891-11-29
RUHAMAH'S LETTER
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Many Things Which Will Occupy
Attention This Winter.
COnventions-World's Fair Matters-Mrs Pal
msr's Diplomacy-social Events and We'd
dings-White HOus2 Improvements.
Special Correspondence of The SUNDAY CALL

WASHINGTON, Nov. 81, 1891.-Washing-
ton has now become such city Of conveD-
tons that the many small ones quite equal
in result the local benefits to be derived
from one large one. Every week some sect,
association or profession holds a meeting
here. The scientists and geologists who as
sembed in August have been followed by
Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopal
councils. synods and congresses. Temper
ance associations, fIuit-Prowers and florists
have had their days and turns, and delegates
of some kind are always filing the hotels
and enlivening the public buildings. Even
with the National Committee in session
ana the Spt akership contest raging, there is
a meeting of the Board of Control of the
Worlds Fair IN progress, for during this
winter more OF the Worlds Fair affairs will
center in Washington than in Chicago
There is the five million loan which those
in Chicago who are managing the pTelim-
naries say they must have, and there is the
threatened investigation of that Chicago
management which reform Congressman
and hostile citizens say they will have. The
whole Worlds Fair is a muddle which no
outsider can get an inkling of. There are
Directors and managers, Presidents, secre-
taries, boards and committees and Commits
which seem to be absolute and supreme; yet
some other person or some other combina-
tion is autocrat of all, continually undoiDg
and defying the others.
Each one tells on and berates the other
and while every enterprise OF such magni-
tude has such stage and such ferment
preceding its final success the Chicago fair
distances everything else. All factions
make their complaints and appeals to one or
another official in Washington, and all the
frin in I'M M
united efforts will help the fair with Con-
gress this year, and Mrs. Palmer and
THE BOARD OF LADY MANAGERS
win be fervently urged to help them out
again. 1t is rather amusing to see how diff
ferently the ladies connected with the
Worlds Fair management have been treated
since their work here last winter The men
were at war as usual in February, and in
such strains that there seemed no chance of
spring meeting of the commission unless
the Congressional committees would relent.
The committeeman one and all said they
would not.
Then the Lady Managers went to the
marble committee-rooms, Mrs. Palmer and
her staff made brief arguments in turn
TO the committees, and at other times ia ked
TO individual committee members. Their
harmony, good sense, clear statements and
moderation won, and In less than a week
the Worlds Fair was on its feet again, and,
more remarkable, gratitude and magma
nlmlIy BnOWeu llSell hlnOue Tie men COM
missiOners. One and all acknowledged that
Mrs. Palmer and the ladies had saved the
day and effected what they could not. aud
the Board Of Lady Managers of the Worlds
Columbian Exposition have had only the
most generous and distinguished considera-
ton from their colleagues ever since. Mrs.
Palmer will be called upon for aid this
winter, and those commissioners who
sneered at and condemned the Lady
Managers as useless have found them the
peace makers and savers of the whole con-
Germ, and they are appealed to and consulted
human if they did not secretly enjoy this
heapng OF hot Goals on the once cold
shoulders OF the laundering. quarrelsome
commission, with ali its minor and interior
rings, factions and cliQues.
Washington is fast following twenty