The Washington times., 1894-08-08
EVERYBODY GIVE A GUESS
Spirited Contest to Solve COnun-
drum and Get Prize.
WHEN WILL CONGRESS- ADJOURN
Times Readers Exercising Their Ingenuity
Some Look Upon the Matter in Serious
Light, Others Are Humorcusly Inclined,
and Not Few Give 1t Up for Bad Job.

Nothing succeeds like success" is an adags
with an always decidedly castaneous flavor
unless it be given an application, either novel
or to the point. The truth and application
OF the saying have been modernized and pop
ularized by The TINES in the Guessing Con-
test. in which hundreds OF its readers hava
already engaged. This is as it should
be, for THE TIMES has been par
ticularly happy in the selection of the conun-
drum it propounds to the thinking masses.
To briefly restate the puzzle. or problem.
or theory, or condition. or any or all of these.
THE tt MES offers first prize of SIS and
second prize of so TO the person guessing
respectively closest and next closest to the
minute of the hour of the day when, accord
ing TO the official record, the House OF Rep
resentatives shall adjourn for the present ses-
sion.
That is liberal offer, and il there is any,
thing in the whole range OF current literature,
from Seoul to Alexandria. that may be de-
scribed as ''timely topic" it is this very
question of what Congress will do or will not
do or whether it will do at all. 1t is talked
OF everywhere, and now the opportunity is
offered for the takers and thinkers to back
their judgment and send in their crystallized
conclusions. The TINES frankly confesses to
having given it up. and. as they say in politi-
cal parlance. has ''gone to the people" for ths
last analysis Of the dissolving view.
FERTILE FIELD FOR SPECULATION.
The intelligent readers of The TIMES hava
already responded numerously to the in-
spiration of its suggestion. They have dis
covered what a fertile field has been opened
up for investigation, or rather speculation.
Some of the guessers have confined them-
selves to the arithmetic of the question and
send only figures without comment. But
there are others who take occasion to send
with their coupon or coupons pithy express
sions OF present feelings that could not be-
well expressed in cold, calculating numbers.
For example, with a coupon came inclosed
a few words on dainty note paper. running:
.'When will Congress diourn? When Lillian
Russell marries again.
Here. indeed, Is a reply that confounds con,
fusion, and, really, the Russells next event is
not more of problem than the exit Of Con-
gress.
Another writer sends the following. which
was, perhaps, intended as conclusive. SO far as
he was concerned: Il don't care when Con-
gress adjourns. 1 stopped thinking about it
on the 1st of June. But if you really want an
exact answer you can get 1t this way: Multi
ply the first day of the term by the last day OF
the term. substract two for Louisiana and one
for New York. divide the result by the then
majority, and you've got it"
FoRCETUL NEGArIoS.
Then another writes: when will Congress
adjourn? l guess not
There is also a sarcastic suggestion in the
note Of the wrestler with the problem who
sends this quotation from Macbeth: 'To-mor-
row, and tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This
is capital.
Still another says. This particular guess is
what l call uphill and down-Hil work. You
know what mean. / give II up"
The idea is a go from the start. 1t Is free
for all, with no handicap OF time or space.
You may guess and guess again.
There will be no limit placed upon the
number Of your guesses, and your humor,
gayety. gravity. wit, or wisdom will find q
public in The TIMES.