Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-20
Especial Washington L.etter.I

Especial Washington Letter.I
 How many people, if asked ofEhand,, could give the full and correct history of private bill or claim? Everyone could tell you that, such bill was in-. troduced, passed by both houses of con- gress and signed by the president, thereby becoming al1aw. And.that is about all that the awerageman or wom- an, even in Washington, knows con- corning the history of a private bill.
 They know nothing of it's conception by an interested party on the 'out- side;" of it's preparation and correction by men skilled in such business, nor of the subsequent methods employed in, bringing it before the notice of sem ators and representatives. Some Of these methods are very interesting and often ampsing.
 For instance, man discovers that he has apparent grounds for claim against the government which, if granted, will give him afair share of this worlds goods. He immediately proceeds to let people know of it. The first thing to be done is to gather all the data and arrange everything in concise and readable shape. All the facts and figures pertaining to the case are compiled and boiled down and typewriter employed to make several good copies for use in pre- pairing reports upon the bill. This done, a bill is prepared authorizing and directing the secretary of the treasury to pay to the proposed beneficiary e,amount of money which he claims is due him. Then our claimant meanders'up to the big marble building and calls out the senator from his own state who is most likely to interest himself in the case. He tells the senator that he has {" a lit- tie bill" which he would like to have him introduce in the senate, and goes into detailed history of his claim, giv- ing the vSrious reasons why it should be allowed. If the claimant is a poli- tician and it is presidential year it is pretty certain that the bill will be in- troduced at the next meeting of the senate. While our claimant is laying the matter before the senator some one employed by him for the purpose is do- | ing the same thing at the other end of the capitol. Representatives are more easy to approach than senators, and perhaps the friend simply invites his member to take lunch with him, and during the course, or rather courses, of the meal, casually remarks that he wants to have introduced 8 little relief bill after lunch.
 Thus the bill is simultaneously intro duced in both houses of congress and the work is fairly started. So far so good. Upon it's introduction in the senate the I vice president announces that ''the bill will be referred to the committee on claims" and the speaker of the house makes 8 similar announcement. Then the matter is referred to sub-commit- tee consisting generally of three mem bers of the committee, and these three members at once constitute the legisla- tive deity in the eyes of the anxious claimant. It immediately becomes his business, and the business of his friends, who are now full-hedged lobbyists, to have many personal interviews with the three members of that subcommittee in each house. Our claimant manages to meet them in all sorts of out of the way
 places. He will run across them, quite by accident of course, as they are com ing to the capitol in the morning and
 will walk with them up the broad mar
 ble steps, all the while chatting about