The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-05
CONSIDER IT A JOKE.
Washington People Did Not
Mind COxey,
And Society's Gay WhirI Was
Uninterrupted.
"BETWEEN HE AND IL
The Amusing Mistake of a Re-
publican Congressman.

When the comet scare q few years
ago. a great astronomer was many times
appealed to by those anxious about the re-
suit in case the wanderer should strike the
earth. His reply was that, the material of
the comet being very many times thinner
than common air, the effect of a collision
would be about the same upon the earth as
if a spoonful of jelly should be hurried
against Pixies peak. That is about the
effect which the arrival of Coxey's army
has had upon social matters in Washing
ton, though some think it has tended to
increase the normal gayety of the season
Their first Sunday in the District and on
its border was unusually fine, all the bicy-
clcrs were out and tho demand for livery
rigs was peculiarly active. y large section
of the cabinet and invited guests set the
example of gayety, and il has been active
ly followed all the week. Secretaries GreSh-
am and Carlisle, Postmaster General Bis
sell, Private Secretary Thurber, Hon. Don
M. Dickinson and 4 few others sailed for
Fort Monroe just as the avant cOuriers of
the industrials crossed the border of the
District and enjoyed themselves as hilari-
ously down there for two or three days as
if there was no such thing the army"
General Schofeld had scarcely sent off di-
rections to the department commanders in
the northwest to sustain the United States
InarshalS when necessary when many war
department officials took a brief holiday,
and May day came in with all this region
in its gayest mood
Events In Society.
Society began the month with at least
the usual vivacity and has more than
maintained it, The first event of irnpor-
tance was the Blaine BeaIe wedding which
has been so often described in advance, and
which took place at the oft described Blaine
residence on Lafayette square. This was
followed by the highly fashionable enter
tainment on Tuesday evening at the Wit
tingham institute on Chestnut avenue,
TakoIna park, and this on Wednesday even
ing by q number of lectures and entertain
ments in aid of various charities. Chief
Engineer Webster, United States navy,
gave an illustrated lecture on Samoa at St.
Johns parish hall for the benefit of the
Children's Country home.
Another great entertainment in the same
Hne-that is to say, for charity salze-was
that given at Albaugh's Opera House I'M
der the patronage of Mrs John g. Carlisle
The ninuet was danced in the good old
colonial style, and all the favorite old
songs were sung in the attractive old way.
OF things comparatively mOdern-that is
not more than 40 years Old-were the
songs .'Old Kentucky Home and ''LO,
Hear the Gentle Lark by Miss Rogers of
Tennessee. All this time, owing to the
beautiful weather, the cavalry drill at Fort
Myer and other open air shows, if one may
call them such, around the city were I'M
usually well attended Inc week s enter
tainmentS for charity concluded with the
rendition OF s.Pinafore'' and Pirates of
Penzance'' by amateurs at the Academy of
Music for the benefit of the National
Homeopathic hospital Take it all in all,
if the Coxeyites should leave any sick and
wounded with US, they will be well pro-
vided for.
Not Badly Frightened.
While all these volunteer and nonprofes-
sional entertainments were in progress
theater managers showed very plainly that
they were not arrang ins for bad business
for the combination of first class plays at
the various theaters was very unusual in
deed for the season.
If our people arc scared over the Coxey
business, they have taken queer way of
showing it. The real trouble seems to have
come long way from Washington, and the
comments thereon of representative men
here show no particular change of opinion.
Many, of course, express sympathy with
the unemployed poor, and n few think gov
eminent with propriety could order some
kind Of public work done to give tempo
rary relief, but men of all parties agree
that the induStrials who have seized trains
should be promptly dealt with and by
United States troops. Even the extremely
mild resolutions introduced by Senator AL
len are generally disapprOved on the ground
that at a time like this congress should say
nothing which the most heated imagina-
ton could construe into an approval of
such scheme as CO1ey's.
The Wilson Bill.
Whether by the continued prodding of
their constituents or by the rapid advance
of hot weather, members of both houses
seem stimulated to unusual degree of
activity in putting forward the public
business, and prophecies multiply that all
will be ready for adjournment quite early
in June. The minority in the senate have
continued to assert, with great vehemence
and as if it were matter for shame and
apology, that the majority members have
been arranging a compromise, and the lat
ter have continued to deny it with some
thing like indignation; but, after all, it is
only n matter of constituting language. No
member of the majority has denied for sew
eral weeks that the differences in the domi-
nant party were to be reconciled so that all
could vote for the bill, and most of them
have been tolerably free to give their opin-
ion as to the terms of the agreement. As
it is a matter of well known history that
no tariff bill ever did pass the senate that
was not the result of a compromise, one is
at a loss to know why the suggestion
should be met with such indignation in
this case. Tt is no news at this late day,
but it is simply certainty that the Wilson
bill will be amended and reanended until
it is in shape to get the vote Of every mem
Der of the majority with possibly one ex-
ception.
A slip of the Tongue.
In view of the storm created by the state
ment that a southern congressman once
asked in a speech Where was at2'' it is
hardly safe to report 4 sentence uttered in
conversation by 4 Republican representa-
tive who is prominent enough to be spoken
of as candidate for president. Speaking
of fellow statesman, he said, The differ
ence between he and is, - etc. The jour
nalist to whom he said it was almost pros