The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-29
WASHINGTON.
Bits Of Small Talk About the
Capital.
Tom PIatt's Oranges, Express Bust
ness, and Politics.
Special Correspondence of the News.

Special Correspondence OF the News.
WASHINGTON, March 2s.-Ex-Senator
Plstt Of New York came through here the
other day on his way to Florida, where
Mrs. Platt has an immense orange grove.
IL was almost ruined by the recent bliz-
zard. OF course, but Mrs. Platt takes
no less interest in it than formerly, per-
haps q greater interest, and OF course
the OK Senator takes an interest in
II IL is commonly known that this man
Keeps, with all of his political activities,
in the swim of actual every day business.
He Is the head OF the big United States
Express Company, you know, which, by
the way, has the contract for transport
ing all the money for the Treasury, and /
think this company's bid was 15 cents
package for carrying this money where
previously some other company had been
getting 25 cents. They all said that
Mr.. Platt couldn't do it, but he
has demonstrated that he could.
He Is Q very quiet man, who says
but little, but always seems to be keeping
up lively thinking. He was Senator
here q long time ago, closed his term
nearly fifteen years ago, in fact; yet a
great many know him here still, and in
Republican administrations especially is
he very strong. 1t is thought that he has
a heavy fight on his hands in Now York
city now, perhaps the hardest of his life,
and that 10 why the rumor that Governor
Morton 10 certain to be the candidate of
the New York delegation for President
in the next Republican national conven-
tion obtains so much credence.
Another magazine writer has broken
out on Washington. Julian Ralph this
time, one OF the cleverest and best fellows
living; but he seems little at a loss to
know what to say about Washington so
he discusses some things about it that
are not quite so. / was specially struck
with bis contention that it is very hot
here in summer. 1t is, but not so very
hot either, il one knows how to
take the heat, il one will
dress lightly and 60 leisurely about,
for imagine that we all work too hard, or
at least work too fast. Mr.. Ralph gives
credence, in this Harper article of his, to
the old time myth that the asphalt pave
ments in Washington are q good deallik
molasses in hot weather and
that the dickey birds, IL they light
on this, are liable to stick
there with out any chance to get away.
Washington is a Southern city and in a
hot latitude, but the heat Is even and the
nights always cool with fine, cool South
breezes, so that, as / say, il one knows
how to live, it is very comfortable. No
one really needs to complain, but sup
pose Mr.. Ralph had to say someth hing and
especially something humorous, and this
seemed to be his opportunity.
The city Of Washington, by the way,
has suffered q good deal in the past from
what has been written about it and
naturally the residents here resent that a
good deal. recall the case of an agita-
tion years ago where the Washington
people themselves were hurt and inter-
fered with by their own efforts. They
wanted very much to get an appropriation
from Congress to fill in the Potomac
fats, fats lying in the river here which
were an eyesore. They went to work and
represented very generally in papers all
over the country that the city was in
tested with malaria due to the exposure
OF the fats, SO 1t came to be known all
over the country that this was a malarial
city, and the city has never got over
that. The money was finally obtained
for filling In the flats, but still, partly in
what the doctors tell US and partly
in the remains OF this old tradi-
tion, malaria hangs about the banks
Of the Potomac, but not much probably.
These things are often largely liz the i'm
aginstion. 1t ia q fact, however, that the
growth OF the city is very little along the
river BANKS, ~ one might expect, and that
too, though the scenery in many places is
very beautiful, it is rather back on the
hills that the fine residep ces are built and
the greatest development Is found.
Congress has gone and IL isn't expected
by anybody that 1t will come back in
extraordinary session, unless, OF course,
the Supreme Court should make out the
income tax to be unconstitutional. This
is expected by some, not expected by
many others. IL the income
tax is unconstitutional, the coll
lection OF larger income
would DO required in other ways, so ad-
ditional tariff legislation might be re-
quired. OF course, nothing is known
about the opinion Of the court as yet,
and 1t will be month before the decision
in the income tax case will be handed
down. People here have not
stopped discussing, however, the
notable arguments OF Attorney
General Olney and Lawyer james G.