The Washington times., 1894-03-24
CLOAK ROOM AND GALLERY.

The rule pronlolting smoking on the floor
of the House. as everybody knows, is inoper-
ative. The provision is SO dead in fact. that
even so exact and dignifed Speaker as Mr..
Crisp violates it without thinking for a
moment of the example in indecorum he sets
those over whom he presides. Not that he
smokes while presiding, but when he gets
down during rcll call or to stretch his legs
after "A long sitting he smokes with all tie en-
ioyment I noticed him Yesterday during
tedious roll call walking down the aisle from
the north entrance of the House on his way
to his private room in the rear He carried a
lighted cigar. which he pufred leisurely as he
proceeded. Representative Cummings. of
New York, is an inveterate smoker. He
smokes so much indeed that often as yester-
day he finds it beneficial to indulge in dry
smoke. Representative Nichoas Cox, of
Franklin, Tenn, in striking contrast to Cum
mings. reclining at an angle OF seventy-6ve
degrees in his fuli-tited armchair was puff
ing away so vigorously thSs he was almost
enveloped with Il cloud of smoke Burrows.
Of Michigan. leaning over the reporters desk,
carried a cigar in his left hand. ana although
there were not many members in the House
at the time. among other smokers were
Wright and Draper. OF Massachusetts. and P.
ID. McCulloch, of Arkansas.
Librarian Spoford Of the Congressional Ii
brary said yesterday that when the financial
stringency and general depression throughout
the country are considered. the amount of
business transacted by the Library was mar
velous. CopyrightinS has engaged the atten-
tion OF the Library force TO an almost undi-
minished extent throughout the winter. New
names are constantly and rapidly entering the
list OF authors. There is an increase in the
list OF rovelists greater than has been the case
for many years past.
Senator Smith Of New Jersey has risen in
life wholly by his own efforts and until the
( ime he became Senator he was president of
the Newark. y. j.. board OF works and took
an active part in the Improvement of the
streets OF that city. While his prime interests
were originally III leather he has since
branched out and become great owner in
street railways. with his brother n-law. who
is very largely interested in the New Jersey
Traction Company. and has been more or less
in touch with the Widener-Elkins-C Crimmips
syndicate. which controls the street railways
of New York, Philadelphia, and number OF
other large cities.
Senator Cockrell. OF Missouri. is not a bad
looking man, and he knows it. The other
day in his le!surely Missourian stroll up the
avenue, hew observed stopping at one OF
the many photograph exhibition windows.
where the pictures OF distinguished Judg
Senators and Congressman are for sale. At
the first stop he looked cutie patiently over a
dozen OF the photographs on either side OF
the staircase leading to the studio ard failed
TO find his own. until in "a search TO one side |
he found large imperial next 10 that OF a !
prominent Ohioan. who has often been men,
toned for the Presidency. The Senator |
fairly beemed and went on eagerly to the |
next window.
Hon. Tom L. johnson. Of Ohio. is one OF |
the very busy men OF the House. Everyone |
knows OF his interest In two things. sng.e tlx |
and steel rails. He persist ntly confounds |
the many students Of taxation with whom he |
Is brought il contact when he talks on single |
tax. In the bitter campaign he had the warm |
friendship OF Henry George and that bright |
son of his, Henry George. Jr.. who is now !
managing editor OF tine Jacksonville fla /
Citizen. Mr.. johnson is going away soon to |
make some speeches on his favorite topics |
He makes az address at Chicago. ADril 2. and /
Will travel thence to 81. Louis. On his re-
turn New York will claim a share of his at
tention.
The story that the bankers who subscribed
fog Carlisle's bond issue have been bringing
pressure on the President to veto the seignior-
age bill assumed special color yesterday from /
the appearance on the scene of Henry C.
Fahnestock. OF the great First National bank
OF New York. Mr.. Fahnestock had been act
i've from time TO time in the promoting of
bond issues and is in very close
touch with Mr.. Cleveland.
Mr.. Belden, of New York. tells US that if the
governorship nomination in New York were
to be rendered to him without the slightest
effort, and if he could be certain of an cleo
ton, he would not take the nomination. The
governors work would be too hard.
Il have had said MIR. Belden. 'all the po-
litical life that my system will accommodate,
and shall end my career as a statesman on
the 4th OF March next finally and perma-
nentiv."
The member from Syracuse says that he
doesn't think the honor will fall to Whitelaw
Reid. He thinks, rather. tnat the nc mination
will go TO a New York or Brooklyn man. and
be insists that he &c. sn't mean Benjamin F.
Tracey. 1t is suspected that he does mean
Cornelius \. Bliss, or E. B. Harper. of the
Mutual Reserve Fund.
Ex-senator Blair has thrown down the
gauntlet and knew he would. He tells his
friends in New Hampshire that he will resign
his seat in Congress if they are prepared to
give him Mr.. Chander's seat in the Senate
Mr.. Chandler. evidently discovering some
time ago that war dance for his scalp might
arouse the AboriSines in the Manchester neck
Of woods. announced that he was candidate
for reelection. Now Mr.. Blair comes for
ward. and it will be an interesting war dance
surely. Mr.. Chandler has antagonized the
railroad, though it doesn't fol-
low that the Boston and Maine Will support
Blair. Blair is very strong with the religious
and temperance people. and he has distributed
his documents with tie greatest oiscrimina-
lion ami industry all through the rural dis
.ricts. Nor is it TO be assumed that Senator