The evening times., 1895-12-04

According to the statement OF clerk Of
one OF the leading hotels where members Of
Congress make their headquarters, the
Officeseekers have adopted new meth hodsthis
year in the interests of personal economy.
Formerly the average officeseeker came
to Washington at The opening OF Congress
and registered a the most expensive hotels
He went To the Arlington or the Riggs or
the Co cliran, any one OF the actually "swell"
hostelries. He dressed In the sniartest style.
smoked 25-cent cigars, and altogether con
Quoted himself as a visitor is supposed to do
who is a great man when he is at home. ?
He carried this style for ten days-fwo
weeks-perchance q month. Then he lett
the hotel, usually paying his bill, and de-
parted for some less expensive quarters IN
less pretentious part OF the city. Or, what
was more likely TO be the case, lie went
sadly to his home in q distant State after
au unsuccessful quest for the object OF his
office-seeking ambition.
Bat this year, so this hotel official asserts,
the officc-seekers are wiser and shrewder
than their predecessors. They have their
mail sent to the swell hotels, the same places
where Speaker Reed and the other great
public men stop, but they engage lodgings
aud meals in a far less pretcntious part Of
the city.
And thus the offict-seeker keeps up ap-
pearauces at the slight trouble OF going out
Of his way to get his daily mail.
A fragment of conversation overheard in
the lobby OF the Riggs House last evening
is suggestive of much more that was not
heard. member of the Fourth House ap-
preached a well-kuown Congressman from
u Northern State.
"Good evening, judge: good evening""
said he, greeting the Congressman effu'
sively.
"Good evening, SIR"
by the way, judge" speaking in lower
tone, "have you made any progress In that
matter yet: What are my chances at the
present time?"
The Member of Congress was visibly af-
fected by the mans question. He answered
in n quick, nervous manner:
"Oh, i have been too closely occupied
with other business Of Importance to reach
a consideration of your case. see nothing
as yet of the kiud you suggest. l fear that
1 shall have to decide that 1t is hardly a
matter to be considered as under my legiti-
mate CONTROL"
The Congressman had the airof 4 ma "a who
is being bored by an unwelcnmc visitor,
and at Tins juncture, one uf his Cuiiea CUES,
who was passing through the lobby. asked
TO speak IL him, and the Congressman
mada good his escape.
II was All incident like scores Of Others
Wnicn happening httti thfs
week, and in fact wherever an office
seeker can waylay one OF the wielders OF
power st
In a corner of the smoking-rcom at the
Ebbitt last evening sat group of three well
dressed gentlemen, who evidently had kin
dred interests to talk over together. They
were engaged in earnest conversation.
Said one of the group:
a VtNsr| fssVn
gave him to understand that IL he didn't
FAVOR me in this hing that he would have
good and sufficient cause to regret 1t
when be got back to his home district.
But he showed that he hadn't forgotten
what did for him last fall, and ! don't
intend that he will forget it,
Ibid he give you any encouragement for
the place. asked one of tie trio.
The first speaker wore tall, silk hat,
tilted slightly ON one side. He made
relentless aim at the cuspidore with a
stream of tobacco juice by way OF empha sis,
winked at the Guostioner. and replied:
There are just two other fellows who
want this thing. One or them is uut OF 1t
for reasons that nn one but himself and me
know and the ether o6e has no particular
dicker with the Congressman. Yes, sir,
he made concessions to me that as good as
promise me the placr. But you must under
stand that ! did some great talking. He
didn't know it, bat I played my last card,
too."
Besides the army OF members of the
Fourth house." there is goodly coDtln-
gent of the unfortunate ex-Congressmen
whose ungrateful constituents refused la
return them to the present Congress- The
number is larger than usual, in fact. The
reading of the Presidents message gives
these old war horses what may be called
a smell of the fray. and they are Not lath
to give their opinions freely to members
OF the present Congress. They are haunt
ed by their inability TO legislate, and they
do the next best thing by giving the new
members any amount of advice upon lead
ing questions of the present session
The Presidents message came in for a
good deal of informal discussion in hotel
lobbies last evening, and at all the prin-
cipal hotels the members uf Congress, the
eX-Consressmen and the office-seekers min.
gled in indiscriminate groups.
And the office-scekers made the most of
tho nnnprtunity.